The Evening critic., 1883-03-15
THE sTAR-RouTE FEES.
An Investigation of the Conduct OF
the Trial 10 be Urged In Congress.

the Trial 10 be Urged In Cong ress.
wAsnINGToS, March 13.-Judge wylie Is
quoted as saying that the Star Route case VIII
probably last ''lnto the summer" and the
Government Will not DO likely, from all ac-
counts, TO get rid of Its heavily paid attorneys
before that time.
1t Is, perhaps, n matter of little moment how
much IL may cost TO bring criminals 70 Justice.
This is the opinion OF the Attorney General,
and he applies IL 10 tho Star Route cases.
But the Government having claimed, two
years ago, that frauds had been discovered
and that proof was at hand suffciont to secure
conviction by an intelligent jury, suspicion
cannot be hushed that the inclination OF the
Government counsel in respect to their OK.
travBgant daily fees may bear close relation
TO the time that has beon spont In bringing
these proofs TO light and disposing OF the
cases.
The defendants profess to be better salts
fed with this trial than with the former one,
claiming that the case of the Government has
been seriously impaired by the testimony of
the informer Rerdell, who was known to the
jury at the last trial only as n defendant. 1t Is
ernment counsel can expect the Jury to place
reliance upon testimony so seriously damaged
as was Rerdells by cress-examlnation and the
material allegations Of which arc already
doomed to successful contradiction. Suspicion
that the cases have been prolonged pursuant
TO the designs OF the special attorneys upon
the Treasury has been strengthened into be.
lief in various quarters that the act Of
putting Rerdell on tho stand was n
shrewd move on the part of these
attorneys TO cause another mistrial
and go Insure indonnite continuance OF tho
daily allowance. One gentleman, q retired
member OF Congress, who has been watching
the cases, expresses the belief that II Is the de-
liberate intention Of these attorneys to keep
their names on the payroll throughout the
present Administration. Such designs Will
certainly be recognized as not unnatural, but
1t is more than doubtful II they can be carried
out. Indeed, there is already promise of an
investigation Into the management Of these
cases by q committee of the next House. Mr..
Van Xyck has already broken the Ice In the
Sena0 and Mr.. Belford announces that he
shall plunge In at tho other end of the Capitol
and expose to the country how near the truth
all these suspicions strike. II is Mr.. Belford's
opinion, as well as Mr.. Van Wyck's,
that II Official leeches are at
work simply for big daily fee that tact can
not be proved too soon. Mr.. Belford thinks
that the case could have been disposed OF in
two months instead of two years were the
prosecution earnest and vigorous. He does
not complain because OF any outlay that may
be needed to secure Justice, but he thinks the
course OF the prosecution with respect to the
prolongation Ofthe case may reasonably be
suspected OF having for its motive private
greed at the expense not only OF the defend
ants-innocent or guilty-but OF the Admins
tration's disgrace. He is confident that n
Democratic House will probe the matter to
the bottom.- Wash. Cor. NelU York World.