New-York tribune., 1883-11-03
PRICE THREE CENTS.
NEW STAR ROUTE EVIDENCE.
PREPARING FOR NEW TRIALS.
ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST THE FURTHER PROS.
EcUTION OF CONTRACTORS.
[nY rELEaRApH no rnE rRpuNE.l


rDY TELEGRAPH 10 THE rRmuNE.l
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2.-For months past Post
Office officials have been quietly busy gathering testimony
and preparing for the prosecution Of the civil suits aans5
the Star Route contractors who t Is generally believed,
have received hundreds Of thousands dollars which
they rendered service. With the failure of the c-
inal prosecutions against Dorsey, Brady and others
there came an apparent lull in the activity
Of the Government, but it only apparent.
The officials have not been idle, and several weeks
they laid before the the results OF
their labors. After careful examination Of the Of
testimony presented 1t Is said that the have all been
certified the Attorney in order that he may
bring suits to the large of money OF which
It is alleged the Government has been defrauded
The number Of suits be brought is varousy stated st
fifteen eighteen and the defendants include the Park
ers the saulsburys and Others well the defendants
In the criminal prosecutions II Is understood that some.
not most the defendants nsolyent that even
II the Government wins the suits it will be unable TO
collect the judgments in these The suits win have
TO be brought and the cases tried in the
judicial districts in which the defendants reside;
that Is say, with two exceptions In Arizona,
NewMexico and Territories. It Is notorious fact
that In those parts OF the country public sentiment Is
the side OF the defeDdants that 1t viii be extremely
difficult, II not wholly mpraccable, TO obtain Juries on
which there would not be members who would
stand by the defendants through thick and thin
ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST NEW TRIALS
Under such circumstances the probability that the Gov
will win verdict against any OF the defendants
+ extremely slight and the wisdom Of the proposed at
tempt therefore questioned by persons who could not
be suspected any tenderness for the defendnt They
suggest while it undoubtedly that
been grossly defauded and while the evidence
Is sufficient to convince any honest unbiased
jury OF that fact, It ought to DO
membered that even in the District Of
Columbia two trials failed convict the principal de-
PENDANTS that these suits must be brought in places
where public sentiment Is extremely friendly 10 the do
fendants that Judging by the previous trials the
posed suits will entail expense upon the Gov
ernment that even should obtain verdicts favor
little nothing would be received in view OF the ln-
sOlYency OF some OF the defendants.
On the other hand while the strong probability OF such
IL admitted it urged that the statute Is manda
tory and requires the attempt to be made that even
no judgments are obtained nor money recovered, the
moral effect Of effort 10 bring guilty persons 10 Justice
will be OO and viii deter other persons nom attempts
to defraud the Government
III the Attorney has taken steps toward In
sttutng the suits, that fact has not been
made known, but there IL every reason
to suppose he will act promptly aud vigorously.
IL Ia not known who viii be employed special counsel
Messs. Ker and Merrick were in conference with tho
Attorney General recently, and George Bliss was hero
not known. In reply to inquiry Mr.. Ker said he
thought although lac had not examined the matter care
fully that 1t would not be necessary to bring tue suits IN
the districts In which defendants reside but that sulta
might be instituted wherever the defendants could DO
found and process be served.