The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-31
The Counsel for the Prosecution and
Witness Indulge in Sharpshooting.
The Clendennen Letters Called Up-How
Bonds Were Made and Blanks Filled
Up-Very Funny Remarks.
KELLoGG's INDICTMENT.


Inc Animus of the Charges-Wants to Hold
On to the Golden Egg.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, March 30.-The indictment
of ex-senator kellogg for completely in the
star-route frauds does not appear to have
struck the country as being very brilliant
stroke of policy, judging from the returns
that are coming in. The charge is freely
made by men and newspapers not at all
friendly to kellogg that the men who urged
his indictment and pressed the question to
an issue have no hope of convicting him,
and that they have lugged him in at this late
day as an excuse for the continuation of
their very fat contract with the Department
of Justice. A deadly fear of being charged
with being in sympathy with the star
route robbers has deferred the press
from criticising the prosecution, but
that feeling seems to be wearing away,
and comments are becoming decidedly free.
The trials that are now in progress will be
off the books in few weeks, and then if the
government SHOULD fail to convict the de-
PENDANTS, Messrs. Merrick, Bliss and Ker will
be very apt to come in for a food of abuse
and adverse criticism. If it should be found
impossible to convict Brady, Dorsey ct AL
upon the evidence that has been produced in
this trial it will be patent that they cannot
hope to convict Brady ard kellogg on evil
dence confessedly not one-tenth so strong,
and the special counsel for the government
will lay themselves open to the suspicion that
desire to prolong this per diem arrange
nant with rho oovnrnnent bod CANA
thing to do with the returning of the
afterthought indictments. Kellogg has not
been free from a faint of suspicion but in
this instance there is a strong reason to be-
lieve that politics is mixed up with the fight
that has been waged against him. A gentle
man who has opportunities of knowing in
side facts connected with the star-route pros
ecution, said this evening:
at has been limited that Messrs. Merrick
and Ker, both of whom are Democrats of the
most rabid type, have been casting about for
an excuse for drawing out of the case
after this trial, feeling certain, doubtless that
they would not be kept much longer any
way. They have threatened unless Kel-
logg was indicted they would go before
blS SOulllly WIFI u SldltlntuJ lndL Tue dQ-
ministration had tied their hands by pro.
tecting him from. punishment, and that q
failure to convict the defendants, should
there be such failure, would be due to such
interference in behalf of the senator from
Louisiana. That they might not have ar
excuse for the illumination of charge like
that, Merrick and Ker were given free swing
and they went before the grand jury, and on
evidence that had been ignored by two grand
juries previously procured an Indictment
kellogg has been made victim to political
necessity in measure. He has been engi-
neering powerful independent movement
in Louisiana, and the Democratic manager:
concluded this would be a good way tc
destroy his influence in that State. They
may or may not succeed. Time alone can
tell"
This statement is given for what it is
worth.