Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1882-07-06
THE STAR ROUTE MIDDLE.
Counsel In the Case Accused Of Selling
Out the Government.

ihenI mere, ana pubic curiosity is
beginning to be directed to the Gov
eminent counsel in the case, and
their movements. 1t is known that
the relations existing between Col.
George Bliss, who is the responsible
head of the prosecution, and II. II.
Merrick, his first lieutenant, are
not as cordial lately as they have
been. AS Bliss came into the
case just before the death
of President Garfield, the re-
tirement of Attorney General Nc
Veagh made him master of the sit
uation.
Brewster was employed in the star
route cases at the same time as Bliss,
but when the former was made Attor-
ney General, Bliss was put at the
helm. He had everything to say in
the matter, and being recognized as a
close, personal friend of President
Arthur, and a man whose influence,
more than that Of any other, contrib
uted to placing ex-senator Howe at
the head Of the Postofiicc Department
and Brewster at the head of the De-
partment of Justice, his word was law
in these departments. When he
came into the cases as the assis-
tant the plan of the Government
counsel was to proceed with the case
known as that of mail route 4O,lO1-
from Prescott, Arizona, to Santa Fe,
New Mexico. In this he and Brew
ster concurred, and an information
was laid against Brady and others in
the District courts; but Judge Cox
had the information stricken from the
records. Then there began to be
trouble among the Government coun-
sci. AS soon as Mac Veagh retired
Bliss began freczing-out policy and
in two months got rid of all the coun-
sci employed by Mac Veagh to collect
evidence in the case.
William r. Cook, who wished to
pursue mail route 4O,1Ol, was dis
missed, and Bliss went to work on
what are known as the Dorsey
cases.
Colonel Merrick was called into
the case as assistant counsel for the
Government, and after examination
found that the indictments drawn
in these cases were seriously defcc-
tive because several Of the defend
ants were named by the initials of
their Christian names only, and, as
it afterward appeared, these persons
got off on the plea of inaccuracy.
He insisted on new indictments, but
Colonel Bliss decided to go into the
Police Court against NJ. G. Rcerdell,
one of the accused who had got off
on plea in abatement. This WAS
done, and the farcical proceedings
against Reerdell came to close be-
fore the Government had presented
its case.
The work of securing indictments
in the Dorsey cases was continued at
an enormous cost to the Govern
ment, and the progress of the case
shows that nothing is being done of
any consequence toward convic-
tion.
1t is now said that Colonel Mer-
rick wants to press the case of
the route from San Antonio to Cor
pus Christi, Texas, which, it is
claimed, is the strongest case the
Government has, and duplicates
some high officials, while Bliss is
throwing every obstacle in his way.
It is freely charged that somebody
is selling the Government out, as
much of the evidence collected under
MacVeagh and James on several of
the routes is known to be very strong
against the accused contractors.
1t is rumored thatln an investiga-
ton by the Grand Jury Of the man
ner in which certain paid drafts is
sued on a largely expedited route
came into possession of broker
here through Senator Kellogg, the
way in which he became possessed
Of the drafts has not yet been dis
closed.
A Flood In st. LOnis.
ST. LOUIS, July 1.-The rise in the
Mississippi, which has been coming