Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-08-02
More Of the star Route trial.


WASHINGTON, August 1st.-In the star
route trial to-day Senator Maxey testified
that in 1878 8 he was Chairman of the Post.
office Committee. The prosecution objected
that none OF the routes named in the iadict-
ment were in Texas. IngerEoll said the pur-
pose was to show by the witness and ex-Post-
master-General Key what was the policy
regarding routes, and that Brady was inhu-
encee, not by personal or mercenary motives,
but by the whole administration. The Court
said the Court was established to try the
question of law, but did not propose TO allow
the defendant TO defend himself by produc-
ing Postmasser-Generals and Senators and
Representatives to show the policy. He had
the power to establish new routes the policy
OF the Government was to be found 10 its
laws. The Supreme Court had interpreted
them. Brady defer dsd his acts by saying they
were right. Suppose they were, if they were
not legal what had that to do with the case
Lord Bacon defended himself from the charge
of bribery by saying that his decisions had
always besn right, yet re was convicted CT
bribery, and lost his gown, very properly. Sup
pose the policy was right, and yet the charges
are sustained what becomes of the policy |?
Suppose all the members Of both houses of
Congress asked the Second Assistant POST
master General to increase certain routes; il
he bad received bride to so Increase it
would not help him to show that he had
acted on the advice of Representatives.
must positively rule cut the evidence.
An exception was noted. General Key was
called and questioned as TO the general policy
Of the Government. Ruled out. Ingersoll
said be wanted to show Key. and not Brady,
was really responsible for the exuedi.
ton ordered; Brady simply followed tire
policy Of Key. The Court, however, ruled it
out.
William t. Sherman, General of the Army,
was the next witness. He recognized bis 10
dorsement upon the petition for increase of
| expedition upon route IS, 113. He was asked
it he had not urged an increase generally
upon the Department, saying it would do
more than anything else to settle the ever
lasting lUdian question, but obiec ion was
made by the prosecution, AID sustained by
the Court. Gensral Sherman was then asked
to detail the facts which Influenced him in
making Recommendation for increase. He
said that personally he knew little of the cir.
cumstancss, but in his official capacity Le
| had heard much of them. The Indian Agent
at Waite River Agency had been murdered
and his family carried off, and fight had
taken place between Major Thornburg and
the Indians, and the entire country between
Rawiins and White River Agency was over
run by hostiles, and it was regarded az a
measure of national Importance to keep
open every possible communication with the
rear. Consequently the establishment of a
daily stage service in that section had been
recommended. He was asked what was the
| effect OF frequent mails upon the maiuten-
| aree Of peaceful relations with ths Indians.
| He said nothing better enables an officer TO
! keep the peace than frequent communications
with the different Tribes 10 the Indian coun.
| try. At least one-fourth Of the appropria.
TORS made tor the support OF tie army is ex-
| pended for the courier service on different
lines of communication. The Postoffice De.
partment was also urged to establish and in
crease their service. Quick communication
Of intelligence was thus secured, and the COM
handing officers were enabled to ant;ci,
| pats the movements of hostile Irdians.
| He recommended tri-weekly service
on the Bismarck and Fort Keogh route
in the winter of 1878. Bismarck was then
| the terminus of the Northern Pacific Rail
read, and the route was intended to aid in
| the connection Of railroad and stage line.
The Postoffices constituted an effectual
| picket line, which was of great service to the
military posts. There would have besn an
er forced established picket line at great cost
| if that groand had not been covered by the
stage lines. Speaking Of Arizona routes,
! Gen. Sherman said that in that Territory
there were A, 800 Apache Indians of peculiar
character. They entertain everlasting hatred
| towards the Spanish race, and were
kept ccrralled by the military to pre-
! vent them r.siing depredations upon
settlers. Sometimes they broke away from
| the corral, after ihe fashion of animals. In
recent case 100 Apaches broke out and
| killed 40 settlers, and escaped into Old Mex
| leo. where they have besn wiped out by Mex.
lean troops: Frequent mails gave warning
| Of such outbreaks and gave the settlers an
| opportunity to make defense. On cross.
examination General Sherman said he would
prefer slow daily mails to the less frequent
| though faster service.
In answer 20 an inquiry from Iusersoll, the
| Court said that the question at issue was not
whether the expedition had been rightly or.
dered, for the public officers are presumed to
have acted honestly ia interpreting the law.
The real question on trial Was, whether Brady
| had received money from contractors for Or
dering the expedition, and the ASHTON of
policy did not enter iato it.
The records of expedition orders were
brought ibte Court. comprising twenty four
large volumes, but they were not put in evil
dence.
J. l.. French, ex Chief Clerk and Second
Assistant Postmastsr-Ganers, was recalled.
After detailing the business routine of the
contract office, the witness was asked who
was AZ ing Second Assistant Postmaster
oShtAHL DSSShicoA Nci lCOo, tnc uAto VI Tic
Brady-Walsh interview. French said that
upon that day he WAS Acting Second Assist
ant Postmaster-Gereral. During most of the
latter part of December he acted os Second
Assistant, occupying the desk of that
officer. General Btsdy did not &C. as Post.
master General in December of that year.
General Brady had white hoy named George
Adamsas his page, and witness believed he
was nos iu the flee in December, 1880, L
fhs.
have agents to attend to their business be ore
the Department, and their Communications
were recognized as under the authority Of the
principals.
The appropriation for Mare Island.
WASHINGTON, August 1st in the Senate
to-day the California Senators objected to
the committee amendment 10 the naval ap.
preparation bill in regard to the material to
be used in the construction OF the dry dock
at the Mare Island navy yard, and pursuant
to the suggestions the clause was amend, d so
as to dispense with the Secretary of the Navy
having control over the subject. and to direct
the use OF granite for the entire works. The
increase reported by The committee of $50.
600, making the appropriation for the work
Go,00O, was adopted without objection.
House of Representatives.
WASHINGTON, August 1st-Robeson, from
the Committee on Appropriations, reported
back the naval appropriation bill, recon-.
meading none occurrence in all the Senate
amendments, except delaying the COMPILATION
of the monitors uutil the Advisory Board re.
ports to Congress. This they recommend
concurrence in
Williams OF Wisconsin, Chairman of the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, submitted a
report upon the Chile-Peru investigation
Placed on the House calendar.
Williams of Wisconsin, from the Confer.
ence Committee on the Japanese indemnity
bill, reported that the committee was unable
to agree. Further conference was ordered.
Anderson OF Kansas offered a resolution
providing for she final adjournment of Com
gress at noon, August 4th. A motion to refer
the resolution to the Committee on Ways
and Means was lost.
The Committee on Printing reported back
the Senate bill sppropristing 1878 624 for
printing and binding the tenth census. Bill
passed.
At this point message was received from
the President, announcing his disapproysl of
/ the river and harbor appropriation b;lI.
Read and ordered printed. Reading only
once interrupted, and that was when hearty
laugh greeted the sentence, "Thus, as this
bill becomes more Objectionable, it receives
more support" Beyond this. there was no
manifestation of approval or disapproval.
Adjourned.
Leading FEATURES of the Naval Appro.
priation Bin as Passed.
WASHINGTON, August 1st.-The salient
legislative features of the naval sppropria
ton bill, as it passed the Senate to-day, are
as follows
Appointments from the Naval Academy
are to be made when necessary to fill vacan.
cies in the lower grades of the line of the En-
siIeer Corps and Marine Corps, but not in
number less than ten in each year. Gradu
stes who do not receive appointments are to
be given s certificate of graduation on homer.
able discharge. and one years sea pay. The
list OF the Medical Corps of the navy ia
made to consis. of 15 medical direct.
orr, 10 medical Inspectors, 80 surgeons. and
80 assistant and passed assistaas surgeons,
The active iisE Of the pay ccrps
hereafter is to comprise IL pay directors, Is
pay inspectors, 40 paymasteIs. 20 passed as
sissant paymastsrs, aad 10 assistant raw
masters. The active list of the Enginser