Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-01-13
Star Route Prosecution,

WASHINGTON, Jan. I'm the star route
cases in the police court to-day, Bliss pre-
posed that if in the case now before the court,
that of Minnix, Cabell and Dickson, the
prosecution failed to establish the existence
of conspiracy, counsel could agree to let
the other cases stand adjourned.
until it became the pleasure of the court to
take them up. In the event of failure to show
the existence of such conspiracy, of course,
the prosecution would be pressed before the
hoped for compromise would be accepted.
The senate confirmed j. Ii. Flemming,
agent for the Maquis Puebelo agency, Arizona,
Postmasters: Joseph Pyle, West Grove, Fa. j;
Jacob w. Frost, Nelsonville, Ohio; VIM. M
Thompson, Upper Sandusky, Ohio; Albion
Howell, Washington, Ind; James V. Logan,
Litchfeld, Ills; Cadet Taylor, VIENNA, Ills;
Hiram D. Fisher, Florence, Wis.
The bill introduced by Representative Boyne
repeating the tax on bank deposits, provides
that every banking association designated in
section 1857, chapter 2, revised statutes, shall
pay to the treasurer of the United States every
half year one-fourth of per cent. on the ave-
rage amount of its notes in circulation and
onc-fourth of l per cent. every half year on
the average amount of its capital stock be-
You'd the amount invested in United States
bonds.
Witness identified certain papers presented
by the prosecution as bids and contracts which
he had witnessed for Cabell. A long wrangle
between counsel ensued over the admission Of
these papers. but they were finally put in evil
dence, the court reserving its decision with re-
gard to the legal rights of the matter. These
papers were bids and contracts on three OF Ca
BELLS routes, and much time was consumed in
a tedious examination of witness to prove the
e fhn dir 10
of their reception and the award made on them
was gone over, Col. Bliss explaining defense
forced him to pursue this course, but
insisting upon technicalites. In the course
of examination Webster testified to being
present at Cabell's;house and signing and seal
ing large numbers of these papers When
questioned as to the persons present when he
did this work the memory of witness failed
him, and counsel for defense charged Bliss
with seeking to prompt witness.
Col. Bliss repealed the charge, and said in
dignantly: 81 am not used to being accused of
subterfuge and wrong practices, and will not
submit to these charges from any gentleman y
Quite little tilt among counsel followed
the remark, witness being finally turned over
to the defense for the cross-eXamination.
Mr.. Webster said he had left
his official seal at Cabell's house over night,
had never placed his seal to paper until if
was cOUpletSu he udu dubDOTlLtu Ciucil W
attach the seal to papers which he, N. Web
ster, had witnessed, and although he had not
seen all the sureties sign their names, bids
were too numerous for him to be able to do
that. He said they had sworn to their sigma
lures before he approved them. The papers
were approved when he was called on. He
might have been imposed on by parties repre-
senting themselves as signers.
Geo. X. Brewer, clerk in the contract office
of the postoffice department, testified as to
the method of reviewing bids and
awards of contracts in the post
office department. He did not know
of an instance where the postmaster general
had Investigated the security offered by a
surety on bids. The department relied upon
the postmaster endorsement of sureties,
Col. Bliss here again explained the de part
ment had no discretion in the matter, They
were compelled to accept the endorsement of
ten cent postmaster. Col. Bliss, in putting
the papers in evidence, called the attention OF
the court to the fact that the names of sure
ties, contractors, and Others, in bids, were
printed, and only the final signatures written.
This fact, he said, would tend to show the
way these bids were ground out. The lands
were worthless. Adjourned.