Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-03-26
FROM WASHINGTON.
WALSH ". BRADY.
What BrAdy's Friends Think About 1t
Prices Refusal to Answer CUES.
tlOns-His Deposition.

Before Commissioner A. c. Bradley today,
was taken the deposition of James B. Price,
in the suit of Walsh VS.. Brady, for the recov-
cry of the money alleged TO have been loaned
the defendant By the plaintiff. The witness,
J. B. Price, was sworn He said he was
citizen of Missouri; knew Thomas j. Brady
and also John A. Walsh: he said that he
never had any financial transaction with
Walsh.
At this juncture, the counsel for Walsh
presented TO the witness for identification,
sundry drafts amounting in aggregate to sl1,-
500 These drafts were in the custody Of
Mr.. Blaekman, an employee of the govern
ment, as they are part Of the records Of the
postoffice department These drafts are as
follows: Two postal drafts of $3.50 each,
both drawn at Washington July Is, 1880, to
order of J. 3. Price, and by himself Endorsed
against the pay on route No. 3ll20, from
Indianola to Corpus Christi, Tex, for the
quarters ending Sept. 80, 1880, and Dec. 81,
1880. The witness identified these two drafts
as having been drawn and Endorsed by HIM
self.
The witness next identified the following
additional postal drafts, each being draft
for $4,000 and dated Washington. July l6.
1879, against his pay on the following named
quarters on the mail route from Corpus
tDElstl 10 SdU AHtohlO ltAds NSudIlcT tHu-
ing March 80, 1880; quarter ending June 80.
1880; quarter ending Sept. 80, 1880; quarter
ending Dec. 81, 1880, and the quarter ending
March 81, 1881. These drafts all bore the
Endorsement of J. X. Walsh.
The witness being asked AS to whether or
not that was Walsh's Endorsement, replied
that he was not familiar with Walsh's sigma
ture and that Walsh could testify on that
point on being asked to whom he had given
these seven drafts. He declined to answer
on the ground that he did not believe any one
had right to pry into his private affairs.
On being pressed for reply, he said that
he declined answering, on the groun d that
he was under indictment, mainly, as he was
informed, by reason of the testimony given
by Walsh, and further, that his answer might
tend to criminate himself.
Quite discussion ensued between the
counsel at this juncture, as ito tue relevancy
of this testimony, in an action brought by
Walsh to recover money alleged to be loaned
by him to Brady.
The counsel for Walsh maintained that
the relevancy would very soon appear if the
witness would answer questions.
Price betrayed some excitement at this
Juncture. and said that so far as he con-
cerned, he would not have testified in this
case at all, but for the request made by
Senator Cockrell, his counsel. and Ker,
counsel for Brady. He was asked what ker
he referred TO.
He replied Ker of the counsel for the gov
eminent. Price was asked if it was
not fact that the plaintiff had for over a
year, been trying to get his deposition in this
case.
that if in the indictment against him Price
rntI he, tall oil Ia fna
relating to the drafts in question. He did
not deliver any of them to Gen. Brady, nor
had he done anything that he would not do
again tomorrow.
The counsel for the defendant Brady, then
asked Price whether he had ever given Brady
$500 in postal drafts and $500 in cash.
He said he had not. The counsel for the
plaintiff then asked the witness if it was not
fact that he had placed on the desk of
Second Assistant Postmaster General Brady
an envelope containing $500 in postal drafts
and the same amount in cash.
The defendants council vigorously object
ed to the question, but the witness said he
would answer it IN his way, which he did as
follows He admitted that he had placed on
Brady's desk in the postoffice, an envelope
containing s2500 in postal drafts and $500
in currency, addressed to a. IL, Brown, and
u
same. He was asked by the plaintiffs coun-
sci who Brown was, and he replied that he
was a mail contractor, and had formerly been
a clerk in the postoffice department.
In answer to question as to what Brady
said to him in reply to Prices request that
Brown should get the envelope, he said that
Brady simply grunted after his usual man.
ner. He was next asked if it was not fact
that the Brown referred to was not the treas
urer of a fund raised by mail contractors to
defray the alleged expenses incidental to TIE
passage of the star route appropriation bill,
and if the payment of the sum inclosed in the
envelope placed by the witness on the desk
Of Brady was not for a corrupt purpose.
The witness declined answering the ques-
ton, for the same reasons as before given.
The witness having declined to answer the
question, the counsel for the plaintiff asked
that the commissioner certify the same to the
court with view of compelling tie witness
to answer.
The commissioner declined to do this, on
the ground that he had no right to do so
under law.
Thus the matter closed, Price declaring
his intention to leave the city this afternoon.
The friends of Gen. Brady, commenting
on today's proceedings in his case, contend
that they were an outrage upon him. They
assert that the government is a party to it
and that the testimony has not the slightest
bearing on the case of Walsh VS.. Brady. and
that the only purpose of its introduction is
to injure the defence in the pending star
route trial. They say also that Mr.. Price
refused to answer the above mentioned aues-
tions, not because his testimsny would act
ually criminate any one, but because he be-
lieved his answers might be twisted and con-
torted to his prejudice, and appear to Grimm
ate him.