Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-11-01
INGERsoLL INDIGNANT.
The Ungodly Colonel a Bubbllng
Vial of Wrath.
He Araigns the Department Of Justice as
Being the Rendezvous Of the Most Dis
reputable Characters in the
Legal Profession.
HIS LoNG-THREATENED STATEMENT.

WASHINGTON, October 31.-Col. Robert e..
Ingersoll was to-day interviewed upon
Special Counsel Wells report in the Star
Route bribery case. Col. Ingersoll says:
II have read the report and I am very
much obliged to Wells for making 1t. He
has corroborated my statement in many
particulars, and has furnished so much
evidence in favor of its absolute truth that
feel under certain obligations to him. l
charged that Fall was employed by the
Government at ten dollars a day; Wells
admits it That Nelson was employed at
fifty dollars a month; Wells admits it.
That both these men were hired because
fall said be and Nelson had bribed Brown
IA 4 former case and Wells admi;s this.
i also charged that Fail employed Foote,
and that Foote brought Payne to Fall, and
that Fall got Payne to offer Brown s. 500
for his vote. Wells admits this.
The only diff difference between eNU ny Wells IS
this point, is as to the form
of the written agreement Fall wrote for
Brown to sign. All the evidence taken to-
gether shows that, without one shadow OF
doubt, Fall was employed by the Depart
ment of Justice, and in the interest OF his
employers Fall endeavored to corrupt
Brown. II is admitted by the Department
thats Fall not only made an improper
proposal to juryman, but he carried his
impudence to the extent of
Making Improper Proposals to the De-
partment OF Justice.
Wells substantially admits that Fall did
90 to Halmead and tell him that all the
other jurors were under the ban OF sus-
picion, and that he, Halmead, was the only
Juror in whom the Attorney General had
any confidence. Halmead did not regard
this conversation as an attempt to bribe
him, and so stated, but as a matter of fact,
to approach juror in that way is just as
reprehensible as to offer him money. 1t is
infamous. The real question and the
only question really in the case is: Whom
was Fall acting for? Was he acting for the
Government or for the defense. Suppose
it turned out that the defendants were
paying Fall ten dollars day and the De-
partment of Justice nothing, would 1t be
possible to make any human believe he
was acting for the Department of Justice?
1t is admitted that the Department paid
him ten dollars day and the suppostion
is he was at work for his employees, and
without some positive testimony to the
contrary we are compelled to believe he
did what he did
For the Department ofJustfce.
He says he was engaged by the Department
and worked for the Department, and that
it was his business to find whether any
Jurors had been approached, and whether
any Jurors could be approached. and no OBJ
lection was made by the Department to that
kind of business. 1t has been charged
hundreds of times that after Fall was dis
charged on the 18th OF July he
was re-employed under the name of
F. Hill and he was paid $500 for
information furnished in the criminal pros
ecution, and he received it under the name
of F. Hill. On the oath of October, Fall be-
ing somewhat uneasy in mind, wrote let
ter to Nelson as follows:
JIM am told the government will aban-
don me and say tried TO bribe the jury
for the defence, and also that you and I
bribed Brown in the long case. do not
believe you gave Brown a cent and will
stand by you if it comes to the worst.
Should the g0yernmen. s6sndon aba don me. II
assured shall not let you suffer for any
thing you have done for the government
through me. If the government arrests
me, il will be an act OF persecution, as you
know, and must fight it to the bitter end.
did what was done fer the government.
Yours truly,
lSlgnedI +. IL. FALL
Am Content After This
to leave the public to decide whether Fail
was employed by the Department Of JUS
tice or by the defense. There is q secret
service fund in the Department OF Justice.
On the first of last July $4,000, appropri-
ated for the prosecution of crimes and for
the investigation of official acts, records,
etc.. became available. 1t will not do to
say the Government had no money. These
arrests have been made and these charges
have been Illuminated against the jurors
for the purpose of the Inauguration Of such
q reign of terror in this District that the
next Jurors will be afraid to acquit. No
greater outrage was ever perpetrated in the
son. The arrest was based upon an affi-
davit of Bowen, the very man who en-
deavored to corrupt him. The
Bowen by arresting Dickson. That
having appointed Bowen that it agreed to
throw the responsibility of bis Appoint-
ment upon Secretary Lincoln 1t'Dow &C.
cepts Bowen as a truthful and competent
witness, and with his testimony is willing
to wreck the reputation of an honest man.
No American can read the report OF Wells
without feeling humiliated by the admit
ted action OF the Department OF Justice.
The Department OF Justice should not act as
a detective or spy, and when the depart
ment is charged with having acted illegally
and improperly it should not investigate
itself, but should open wide its doors and
records and invite the scrutiny OF the