The Evening critic., 1883-02-23
SHAMELESS CORRUPTION
IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

In the Payment OF Per Diem and
Mileage TO the witnesses i'm the
Star.ROufe Cases Co., Their Allow.
ances Governed by Their wiling
ness 90 Swear as the Prosecution
Want Them TO.
The manner in which the prosecution
and Government deal with and compensate
their witnesses in the Star-R Route cases
shows marked partiality and unfairness in
some instances also that the rate of pay is
measured large extent by the willing
ness of the witness to testify and the worth
of hise tstmony Those who meet the Gov
erment expectation get well paid while
those who do not are cut off to a small
figure, and where it can be done,
Cheated Out of Their Per Diem En-.
tircly.
In order to show how these schemes are
manipulated few instances will be cited
with more held in reserve, il the prosecu-
tion wants second installment. Many
of the witnesses used by them and paid
mileage were summoned in this District.
Others had business here and found out
that pretended knowledge of Star Routes
or anything against the defendants was all
that was necessary to secure them q trip
here with an allowance of mileage and per
diem. The project worked admirably, and
certain parties are in high feather over its
success, and the money received from the
Government for attending to private
affairs. But
All Did Not Fare Alike.
MrsR. NJ. Dryder, of Maiden, NJ. T., came
here six weeks ago, en- route to New York
on business. One of the spoilers for the
prosecution thought that he had struck
bonanza witness, reported the fact, and i'm
1iofa 1x, wi
subpoena to appear. He went to Mr.. Bliss
and informed him that he knew nothing
about the case, and wished his release, that
he might proceed with his private matters.
This was not accorded until few days
ago, when he was dismissed and allowed
Only Per Diem. without Mileage.
Knowing that other Western men had
been caught, like himself, in this city, ION
the fly" but when discharged allowed
mileage, the same as if brought from home,
and more too, he did not know why ex-
cepton should be made in his case, and ac-
cordingly applied for it and met with re-
fusal On Wednesday last he wrote Mr..
Bliss stating that he claimed the same
treatment as other gentlemen and the
rights of witness in the STAR Route cases.
He went further and said that he was thor
oughly acquainted with the fact that all of
the witnesses were
Getting Mere Than Belonged TO
Them
in mileage and days; that he knew of wit
nesses drawing mileage for 225 miles
further than their respective homes, and
known to be the fact by Mr.. Bliss when the
allowances were made. As an instance of
corrupt allowances, it is stated that Mrs. A.
S. Powers came here with her husband,
from Baker City, Oregon, he having been
summoned as witness, and brought her
with him for company and a visit. Itwas
quite an expensive trip for the husband to
stand, and as he was
willing and Important Witness
to the Government on The Dallas and Baker
city route, MI. Bliss to requite him as
much as possible, had the wife summoned
as witness after her arrival here, and she
was allowed mileage and per diem
amounting in all to over 500, enough to
pay the expenses of both. 1t is true that
she went on the stand and testified as to
the manner in which the mails were car
ried. 1t is also true that her testimony
showed that as assistant postmistress she
worked and succeeded in getting the con-
tractor off, and
A Contract Made with Her Hus-
band,
and, as one of the counsel said at the time
of the delivery of the testimony, it was a
conspiracy against the contractor Joseph
Adams, of White River, Colorado, was sub
penaed in this city and not only paid his
per diem, but allowed mileage to and from
his home.
The postmaster at Fargo was not sub
penaed at all. He was here, however, and
was not only allowed mileage, but paid for
225 miles more than entitled to. These are
few instances of the manner in which wit
nesses are paid and the corrupt allowances,
and more can be furnished.