The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-06-13
AO1: SECOND.

Vne second ACT OF That eerl0 CO0l(
affair known as the Star route trial il
ended. Looking back over the whole
case the fact forces itself upon tn,
| mind that there has been no redeem
ing feature in 1t from the opening O.
the preceding farcical trial to thu
close of the present one. It has been
disgusting and nauseating from first
to last. Although Judge Wylie may
be credited with a sincere desire to
extend justice to each side in his
rulings, cand0r compels the verdict
that he has shown himself unit and
unable to maintain the dignity of
the bench, and has permitted and
taken part in scenes that would
disgrace police court.
The people have been disappointed
in the counsel on both sides. They
have displayed a very little higher
grade of capacity than that which
may be expected in a county court
lawyer. Instances are not lacking
wherein they have resorted to the
commonist tricks of p%ettifoggers.
They have given the world no new
light in criminal jurisprudence, nor
an argument that will live beyond
the life Of the jury to which it was
addressed. Even Ingersoll, with his
great gifts of brain and oratory, has
descended to buffoonery and mock
psthos. OF the whole outfit the jury
alone has shown commendable quail
tiles. It has patiently listened for
months to the testimony of a small
army Of witnesses and the long
winded speeches of counsel and still
lives-a monument, as it were, to
human endurance.
What will be the outcome of this
trial? A few days may tell. No
matter, however, what the verdict of
The jury may be, the people have al
ready made up their minds. They
know they have been robbed Of mill
lions of dollars and have spent three
hundred thousand in trying to con-
vict the robbers. This much they
know. They know still more. They
know the defendants have held high
positions under the government;
that they have enjoyed the conf
lence of q national administration: |
hat they have abused that conf
lence-in fact, that they are guilty.
But they are big thieves, and the
question raises itself, can big thieves
With an immense amount of stolen
in their possession be
No one will deny that
UGH crimes ought to be punished
md if those who rob the people of
Millions are permitted to escape it
will encourage, if it does not really
'ffer a premium to rascality. Every
me knows that robberies have been
requent in the several departments
f the government, but has q single
out Of the whole gang been
onvicted and punished? Let us look
yer q partial list Of the swindles,
r~ascalities and robberies under
he present and former Republican
administrations. The whiskey frauds;
he Boss Shepherd ring frauds; the
'reedman's bureau and Freedman's
ank swindle; the Belknap swindle
nd impeachment; the navy frauds
nder Robson; the Indian bureau
the pension bureau frauds;
be Pacific Mail subsidy corruptions;
ne black Friday rascality; the stolen
'residency in 1875: the Indiana
'holesale bribery in 1880, and the
tar route r0bberies. Has any one
f the thieves and swindlers in these
nd other robberies and frauds that
IN be named been punished? Is
lere' one single government robber
l Jail? We believe there was one
IAN placed in prison in Missouri for
is connection with the whiskey
auds, but he was soon pardoned out !
Y Grant. The big swipdlers
Such may be the outcome
|, the Star route trial. Some of the
nall fry may have to suffer, but it is
doubtful whether Brady or
orsey will be punished. They are
large game to be brought down
= the small guns which have been
red at them.