Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-01-03
STORY OF PLEDGE.
What Ex-senator Spencer Has to Say
about Col. Bliss and the Star.ROute
PrOseeutiOns-A Cruel Raking.
He Did Not See Dorsey Pay Money to
Brady and is Willing to DepOse in
London, Whittier He has Gone.


-
NEW YORK, December 3I.-The Herald
to-day publishes the following interview with
ex-senator Spencer, OF Star-route fame.
Mr.. speneer's Statement.
81 was somewhat instrumental in placing
Mr.. L. L. James IN the position OF postmas-
ter-geRersl in Mr.. Garfeld's cabinet, and
after his going into Office l said to
him that he had the opportunity that few
men in their lives ever had for making a
reputation; that he could make the POstofiee
self-sustaining during the first
and in the second reduce postage to
two cents. He asked me how such "a state OF
affairs could be brought about.
AN ALLEGED PROMISE
81 told him that l had no lime TO devote
TO effecting any reforms in the department
named, but that / would, in a general way,
give him certain ideas, provided he would
pledge ME his honor as an official aud a gen.
tleman that under no circumstances would
my name be connected with the matter. l
had no desire TO obtain a position OF any
kind, as my business occupied all my lime
A promise to the effect named was given by
mr. u hmtbt dLu dhnO " 0Cu. 0dIhcld, VIM
was then present. The former then went 10
work TO investigate the SIar.Toute service,
the result OF which has appeared in print.
Up to the day that Garfield was shot, all the
information that has been developed in the
recent trial had been in possession OF the
Poslofice Department, and a great deal
more, too.
THE MINOR OFFENDERS.
"After the shooting of Garfield, Col.
George Bliss and Attorney General Brewster
were employed to take charge OF the prosecu-
ton, but they apparently dropped the more
important ones and COMMENCED the smaller
and more trivial. Ali the individuals, with
one exception, who were employed in max
ing the investigation and who knew a great
deal more Of the ins and outs Of the matter
than any others were quietly edged out and
dropped from the service. The newspapers
of the country were teeming for months
about the terrific frauds perpetrated by Mr..
BoCAe, but he never belonged TO the ring
and never had any large contracts; in fact
had always been fighting the ring
Boone was prosecuted vigorously for some
months, but suddenly the prosecution was
dropped and then the case OF all the others
(who should have been defendants) except
those of Brady and Dorsey were ignored
Win the e4CcptlOu Vi Ihdt VI IlOCs 3
"After the employment of Bliss and
Brewster / met them a great many times,
but neither asked me a single question con-
the Star-route matter. Early in
March last I went to Nevsda-after having
spent the winter in New York-to attend to
my mining business. On the 9Th Of June last
/ went to Cherry Creek, New, 10 take the
stage for Boston on a flying business visit.
On arriving there j met a postofhce inspector
who was subpenaiug witnesses to go to
Washington in the Gilmour and Salisbury
cases, and as / had been told that Bliss
threatened 10 make me a witness, | inquired
of the Inspector ii he had a subpoena for me.
He examined his papers and replied that he
had not. The next morning l took the
stsSe, In which thHre we're three or four vii.
nesses on their way to Washington. 81 &
A sUBPENA.
81 arrived in New York late on the even
ing of the 18th of June, andI had not been
in the hotel twelve hours when a person.
named Newcombe called aud handed me a
document, of which the following is a copy:
SUPREME CouRr OF THE DISTRICT OF CoLUMBIA, /
June 3, 1882. I
United States Is. Thomas ]. Brady ct ai.-The
President of the United States to G. f. Spencer, OF
New York:
ness for the United States before the criminal
term Of the court orthwith on the 10th of June,
1882, at loo'cloGk An; prrvp cut. 1n.,,,.
R. ]. MEIGs, Clerk.
1Your reporter examined the subpoena and
found that apparently the date had been
tempered with; that the old date hao been
erased and a new one written.
MEETS COL. BLISS.
"Mr. Newcombe offered me no fees or
H. .,stbnto,lta. that t0ll hsr, II
was 5000 miles away from home and had
never resided in the State of New York since
my boyhood; therefore 1 thought the man.
ner in which l had been served was rough.
However, 1 went TO Washington and stopped
at the Arlington, being given a room adjoin-
ing that Of Col. Bliss. / met Bliss in the
office OF the hotel and told him what ]
thought about the way / had been served,
when he said that he would like TO have a
talk with me over the matter, and +hat-on
Tomorrow Sunday he would give me an in.
lerview at 2 o'clock. / sent my card to his
rooLa at that time, but he was not in, nor was
he on several subsequent occasions. l met
him the next day in the Office and referred
TO his not keeping the appointment, when he
made a trivial excuse and looked much con-
fused. 1 threw myself in his way several
times after that to give him an opportunity
TO talk to me, but he never embraced it.
MR.. BLISS DECLINES TO TALK
81 remained in Washington Two weeks
visiting the court daily. After being about
ten days in that city l went TO a personal
friend, who is in the Cabine', and told him
my grievances, stating that / wanted TO Sc.
cure an interview with Bliss and have him
present at the time. We proceeded to the
hotel, but did not find the colonel there, and
it being a nice evening we took a walk in the
direction Of the White House, and on the
way met the private secretary OF the presi'
dent, whom we asked concerning Bliss. He
said that the colonel was not at the White
House, and that he did not go there often
leaving us TO iufer hat he was an unwelcome
visitor there, and we walked back to the
hotel and waited till Bliss arrived. He
walked up 10 my friend and said: Il found
your card in my box Mine was there also
but he did not allude 10 it. He and the
member Of the Cabinet then left me and
held an interview which lasted till / o'clock
am, and during which Bliss acknowledged
that he had avoided me for the reason that
he desired to put me in the witness-box. BE
also said that if 1 did not answer questions
to suit him he would say TO the court that he
was not satisfied with my testimony and then
ask leave TO cross-questiou his own witness
The court adjourned till after the Fourth OF
July, and while the colonel was settling his
hotel bill I stepped up to him and asked
him when he wanted me, and he replied.
looking very much confused: Not Tor a
week or ten days, at the least
OFF FOR NEVADA.
"The next day 1 vent to New York, where
l found letters and dispatches from Nevada
which contained matters that required my
immediate attention. L went to bo.h Bliss.
Office and private residence, but could mo-
fud MIN, so the next day / left for Nevada.
WHY HE DID NOT sEE.
"At Council Bluffs, however, / wrote s
letter to my friend in Washington, ~relatine
fuuy my position with regard to the Star
route matter, and stating that l regarded the
manner in which i was subpenaed ss ar
outrage, and thatsthe whole transaction wal
nothing more nor less tia a breach OF good
faith. l also said: Now Pam to be dragged
away from my business and kept for months
to tell Whist? That I saw Dorsey paysRrady
money? / never saw anything OF the KIND
done, and will so swear, If called upon.
This letter, l have every reason to believe
was shown to Bliss, and l think that he hal
it now in his possession.
sPENcER's ODYSSEY.
"Now, it has been stated by Bliss that largf
sums OF money have been spent in searching
for me, and that / have been secreting my
self. To show how LIuch truth there Is in
the statement / will give you an account ol
my movements since my return 10 Nevada
Alter arriving at my home l received two
dispatches. One was:
Compelled to issue attachment. At best you
may be late. If you have started attachment VIII
be countermanded by telegraph.
G. BLISS, Assistant Attorney.
THE other was from my friend at Wash
ington, as follows:
Bliss declines to release you and insists on you
coming at once.
LEGAL LooPHoLE.
81 went TO Cherry Greek intending 10 start
for Washington, but on reaching Ogden ]
was informed by a prominent lawyer, who
had no connection with the Star-route mat
ter, that my subpoena was illegal and that !
was not guilty OF contempt OF courts that II
was entirely discretionary with me whether
7 want hacl in WaahiuOtau. kent on 10