The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-06-20
THE VERDICT,


THE VERDICT.
Opinions of the Press and People on the
Verdict in the star Route Case-The De
cision Generally Condemned.
ST. LOUIS June 10. - The Republican
denounces the verdict and indicates that
money was used in bringing about the re-
suit.
''THE POST DISPATCH"
The Post-Dispatch says: As sensation the
acquittal of the Star Route conspirators must
be pronounced farce. The public had long
ago grown weary of the proceedings, which
he'd evidently been prouacted merely to
weary their patience and had come to look
on an acquittal as foregone conclusion.
The conduct Of the prosecution, the consti-
tuition of the Jury, and other farcical aspects
of the long travesty of justice had prepared
us for the charge of the Judge, and after the
charge had been delivered it can surprise no
one that a Jury of twelve more or less addle-
headed and feeble-minded street waits of
Washington should illustrate the beauties of
Trial by Jury" By announcing the immac-
ulate innocence Of the illustrious defend
ante. 1t was time for the farce to
of it, and it conld end no other way.
The pompous pretenses of the monumental
fraud, who runs the Department of Justice,
did not need this additional exposure to re-
veal their emptiness, and nothing is gained
when we learn fresh experience of the old
truth that Republican thief had to work
mighty hard to get himself punished. The
result of the trial, the absurd failure and
miscarriage of justice will, Of course, tell
against the political party which has mo-
nopoly both of the rascality of the ring and
of the scandal of the acquittal; but the Re-
publican party has been driving nails in its
own coffin so rapidly of late that nail more
or less neither helps nor hurts it, even
though this last nail is one of extra sze,
brass headed, and clinched on the inside.
"THE GLoBE-DEMocRAT."
The editor of the Globe-Democrat heard
the news Just as he was preparing 20 attend
the days races. He says the verdict is sur
prise to him, and something that was the
least expected in view of the facts and the
evidence adduced during the trial. A hung
Jury was the thing most looked for, but no
one ever dresmed of an acquittal.
District Attorney Bliss also expressed sur
prise at the finding, and said that he did
see how honest men could render such
verdict
1.-THE WORLD"
NEW York, June 15.-The New York
papers print the following comments on
the result of the Star Route trial:
The World (Democrat): The false verdict
rendered by the Jury in the Star Route pros.
ecution is more than failure of justice. 1t
is public calamity. We have all along
looked upon the prosecution 6s g sham and 3
fraud. The Government was swindled out
of money under pretense of Furnishing those
who had robbed it before. Ii was test case
to prove whether Republican rascals could
possibly be punished under a Republican
Administration. II would have been gratify
ing 10 every honest, patriotic mind had the
result been different. As it is, il proves that
the professions Of Garfield, Arthur, Brewster,
Bliss, and all the Republican Administration
crowd were a shallow humbug
"THE STAR"
The Star (Democras): That there was
conspiracy between the men was generally
believed, but to prove its existence beyond
reasonable doubt years after it was supposed
to have been entered into was very difficult
matter. 1t is q serious question whether the
Government did not make a fatal mistake
in attempting 10 convict Dorsey and Brady
on that ground when there were other
grounds on which to proceed against them.
But for the able and frequently brilliant
efforts of IDgersoI, it is doubtful whether
the accused would have escaped. He had
the sympathy of the people around the
Court on his side. There was legal ability
on the other side. but there were too many
lawyers, and the Government case was weak
ened by diffusion. 1t lacked simplicity and
concentration. It covered too much ground
and too long time.
THE SUM-"
The Sun independently: We see no reason
to suppose that the verdict of acquittal was
secured by wrongful means. One man, or
two men, or three men might be bribed, but
not q whole Jury. In our opinion it is not
necessary to impute folly or knavery either
to the Judge or to the Jury in order TO ex-
plain the escape of the Star Route defend
ants. We believe they have been ably prose-
cuted and fairly tried. AS we have more
than once pointed out, however, the case
against them involves inherent difficulties of
proof which must render ii a task of extrsor-
dinary skill and labor to establish their guilt
beyond reasonable doubt. That task has
simply proved impossible of achievement.
1.-THE TRIBUNE"
The Tribune (Republican): An exception
ally ignorant Jury, with one OF its members
SO dependent upon his daily allowance of
room resulted in fit, has been engaged for
six months in attempting to understand and
digest a vast array of details, laid before
them at interminable length, and interpreted
one way by one corps of lawyers and another
way by another corps until the end has been
reached in verdict which probably no one
not even the acknowledgement. A dis
agreement would have been regarded as prob
ably a natural result of the situation, in view
of the apparent inability of some of the
Jurors to comprehend the bearings of the
evidence they were listening to. But a
verdict of mot guilty" following the
confessions of Rerdel and the
array of cumulative evidence of a conspiracy,
so far from raising presumption of the in
nocence of the accused or satisfying the pub
lie that the evidence was defective, will be
thought only to show that corruption and
ignorance. have. combined to do perfect
work.
THE COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER"
The Commercial Advertiser (Repubiicln):
All that the Star Route trials have accom-
plished, il would seem. have been 10 bring
diserace upon the country and the judiciary
and to add largely TO the bank accounts Of
lawyers, detectives, and TO the current ex-
penses of the Government. 1t was put-up
job by e hanger on about Washington. the