The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-07-07
TELEGRAPHIC NEWS
Star Routes.

I
Washington, 6.-After recess the
route from Bismarck to Tongue
River, Dakota, was taken up. This
is a Minor route and was let at
S2,250. The contractors pay was
afterwards increased $500 and the
pay of the sub-cOutractOr was in
creased in proportion. AffidaYitS
by Minor and Boone represent the
! impracticable natural eff the route
and advertised the distance at 100
less than the real distance and' say
the country is so completely in
vested with hostile Indians that no
carrier dare venture over the route
without military escort. Under the Sc
circumstances Minor requested a
diScOntinuance of this route and the
application endorsed by Delegate
Kidder. The service, however, was
increased and expedited Minors
affidavit stating the schedule under
which he was then operating re-
euired twenty men and 1876 horse
and that the expedited schedule
would require fifty men and $50
horses a number of petitions and
letters relating to the rOuCe were
presented and read together with
the endorsements. Contract Clerk
Brewer was recalled by defence and
described the method followed in
contract Office in making calcul-
atiOnS for expedited services. At
the conclusion of this witness teSti-
mony, Judge Wylie turned abruptly
to the jury and dismissed them un-
til tomorrow. The counsel and
spectators assumed a general air Of
expectancy at the unusual proceed
ings, but after private consultation
with Merrick, lasting about five
minutes, the court adjourned. With
reference to the published statement
that there had been a disagreement
among the prosecution counsel,
growing out Of the suppression i'm
portant evidence by Bliss, Merrick
authorizes the statement made that
before the adjournment OF the court
ON Friday, rumors came TO him
that additional evidence of the most
positive character against the star
route defendants had been brought
to light. The counsel having sepa-
rated, it was impossible to have a
conference until the morning, when
Merrick ascertained that Bliss and
Kerr had been ignorant as himself
of the existence Of this most i'm
portant evidence. 1t was agreed
that Bliss should take immediate
measures to have the grand jury re-
convened and another set OF indict-
ments obtained. Meanwhile, the
most perfect understanding and
agreement exists between govern
ment counsel as to the cases now
being prosecuted. Merrick states
that although the routes, as they
have been presented, while showing
ample evidence of the grossest
frauds, do not apparently carry
out the conspiracy; yet when
they are all presented ard |
with other evil
dence, there will be no difficulty in |
out a case. We will dove |
tail them together, and show such |
gross fraud and authorization, said |
Merrick, emphatically, that we
shall certainly obtain conviction.
He CMerrick) did not intend to allow
his confidence in lis associates to be
shaken by any idle rumors which
be believed were put in circulation
by the defense, with the purpose Of
creating dissension and distrust
the prosecution.
1t is reported that James 3.
Prince, indicted with Brady, in
what government regards as very
strong and easily proven case, is a
fugitive in Canada. tits understood
is making every effort
to secure his apprehension.