National Republican., 1883-06-05
A DIG AT BRADY.
Mr., Merrick Charges That He Did tho Lions
Work and Got the Lions Share.
\ Fierce Denunciation OF tho Ex-AssiatAlit
Postmaster General.

In the criminal court yesterday hearing the
star route trial Mr.. Merrick resumed his adj
dress to tho jury. He quoted Brady's policy,
looking to daily mail on every star route,
and producing tabulated statement, showed
that daily service might have been put upon
each of the routes mentioned in the indict-
ment for a sum much smaller than that paid
for expedition. Ho declared that a frequent
slow service was far moro valuable than an
infrequent expedited service.
The foreman said that perhaps the length Of
tho route would make difference.
Mr.. Merrick replied that the proposition
was true, regardless Of the length Of the
route.
The Tongue River route was instanced by
the foreman, in support of his assertion, and
the court and counsel discussed the evidence
upon that point. Mr.. Wilson charged Mr..
Merick with unfair dealing in the case,
which charge was promptly repelled by that
gentleman. Mr.. Merrick said that three trips
per week on the Tongue River route, under
tho expedited schedule cost $20,9 per year
more than daily but slow service would
have cost. A motive for this-Brady's act
the jury must find. When they touched tho
motive that threw flood Of light upon tho
act, and made it as q pure as heaven or as
black as hell.
If there was any scheme for defrauding the
genius or rascality could conceive that had not
been practiced he had been unable to learn of
IL. He was amazed at their fecundity in
schemes of that kind. All is changed now.
No more robberies in the self sustaining Post
office department; no more deficiencies
The people are satisfied, and the mail is
carried with the regularity of the suns
course. The prosecution has not poisoned
public opinion through the public press. When
the people learned Of tho facts In this case
they were aghast, and the wild shout
had gone out, "Let justice be done, al
though tho heavens fall. 1t was not
poisoned public opinion but long settled
conviction of the guilt of these defendants.
People listened Mt the end of the electric
wire to see whether IL wss possible to get
jury In Washington to convict man who
had been great and was still rich. They
were anxious to learn If this city was indeed
the center Of iniquity if the tribunals of
justice were all poisoned, and If iniquity
might hold high carnival unwhippod by the
lash of the law. Mr.. Merrick fercely de-
nounced Brady, saying that he had had the
audacity to threaten to destroy the
star route service IL his demand
for deficiency appropriation oftwo millions
of dollars was not granted. When his let-
ter-that extraordinary piece of dynamite
exploded in the house of representatives,
fifty men sprang at once TO their feet and de-
manded an investigation. The committee
WAC uppululSuj DldChDuEu Mho luS
but 1t was impossible to get at the facts.
They just scratched the service, for these
officials were SO slippery that IL needed
well sanded hand to hold them. But they
got at enough to learn that the whole atmos-
phere Of the Postoffice department under
Brady was impregnated with crime Brady
had caught congress in tight place, and
they let him have some money TO save the
service. But they resolved to stop the wild
est filings OF his wild dance Of extravaganza.
They told him that they knew of the fraud,
and ordered him to mako no moro expedition
during that year,
Mr.. Merrick next turned his attention to
Walsh's evidence. He said that Walsh stood
unimpeached md had not been cross-exam-
ined, which was most unusual circumstance.
All that man had would he give to avoid
crossing the Threshold ofthe penitentiary,
and these defendants had not hesitated to
swear to anything to save themselves. Brady
was the only man to contradict Walsh, while
the latter was corroborated by other wit
nesses and by their failure to cross-examine
him. They knew from their experience at
the former trial what witness to drop and
what witness to take up. He stood amazed
at the skill that admitted the truth when it
could not be shaken. Brady's orders could
not be accounted for by any theory consistent
with innocence, and Walsh made his motives
all plain from Brady's own admissions to
Walsh.
Mr.. Ingcrsoll had called Walsh gladiator,
and asked why he did not assault Brady if
he robbed him of his notes.
Walsh was fine figure Of a man, but so
was Brady, and the average American of
gladiatorial instincts who undertook to
tackle Brady, n man of 300 pounds weight
Not 800 pounds, quite" demonstrated the
court
II am expediting," said Mr.. Merrick. al
have got into that habit
Judge Wylle, Three hundred pounds would re.
tard instead of expediting.
Mr.. Merrck, Two hundred and fifty pounds
then; say strong and brave-pretty brave to do
what he did.
Mr.. Merrick continued: Walsh know that
he was helpless. Brady had the notes Walsh
still had his route, and the hand guided by
malice could have crushed him down to ruin.
lie let Brady take the notes; he tried COM
promise, and when ruined brought suit in tho
tribunals of Justice The "Singer letter :"
was then read, and Brady's sudden and un-
explained accumulation of wealth was scath-
ingly commented upon, There never had
been such vfllification of court counsel, and
witness as in this case said Mr.. Merrick
Newspapers had been bought by Brady to
help him in tho perpetration of his frauds
upon the treasury and to abuse the men who
sought to expose him,
Miner had admitted that he lied to Post
master Hayes, and q. man who lied in his
business transactions would commit PERJURY
on the stand. His carcass should be thrown
beyond the court limits" said Mr., Merrick
passiOnately, shaking his finger at John r.
Miner, who sat quietly looking him in the
eye and showing no sign of emotion.
Mr.. Merrick continued Brady got the
lions share and it was right, for he did the
lions work he was the lion. long expla-
nation of the legal definition of conspiracy
followed, and Mr.. Merrck asserted that he
had brought the defendants together within
the meaning of the law.
Tho court then adjourned.
Mr.. Merrick will conclude his address on
Wednesday,