Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-11-29
WASHINGTON NOTES.
The Spencer Case-A Story About the
Late j. w. Forney.

WAsHINGToS, Nov. 27.-The trial Of ex-
senator George Z. Spencer, Of Alabama, for
contempt Of court in running away from
subpoena to appear as a witness in the star
route trials Is likely to prove a farce. Very
many people believe what Spencer says. He
tells the tale that it was he who first gave to the
Garfield administration the information upon
which the scandalOus star route trials were
b4sed. He says he told Garfield all about
What was going on, with the understanding
tnat he was not to be called upon as a witness.
or IN any way brought INTO the matter. He
then went about his business in the West.
" hen the first star route trial was on he came
here and made no attempt at cOncealing his
identity. He could have been summoned then
he had been wanted. This part of
his story is certainly true. l saw him
here at that time and spoke to him. He
called upon the Attorney General.
lie was even seen one day coming out of that
officials room. Spencer evidently thought,
however, that the compact which he saws he
made with Garfield was not to be kept by the
present administration. So he quietly
skipped to Canada, after refusing to honor
subpoena of the court here to appear as a wit
ness. When the trials were over he returned
70 his mining interests in Nevada and has just
been brought on here to answer a charge of
contempt Of court. His defense is
mainly that the court has no jurisdiction
over an act Of contempt committed
at previous term, and in case already dis
posed Of; and that when subpenaed no fees
for his expenses to Washington were paid or
rendered him. have heard sound lawyers
say that the nrst part Of this defense is strong
" taken. Certain it is that bearing on the
second part the law says distinctly that wit
ness summoned outside of 100 miles of the
jurisdiction Of the court must be rendered his
fees and expenses. II Spencer can prove that
no such tender was made it would seem that
he cannot be held for contempt. That there
should % evidently be such apparent
ceEs defense, is very suggestive. Their
existence certainly affords sufficient basis for
a pretty widespread impression that it was
never intended that Spencer should appear as
a witness; and that the present proceedings
against him are more in the nature Of a farce
aud an attempt to keep up public appear
ance of vigilance than of any real desire to
punish him. There are more little things yet
under the surface in connection with those
star route cases than are dreamt of in our
philosophy.
THE LATE JOHN ". FORNEY,
Of Pennsylvania-Eiit iitOr FOrney-was a Grant
man of the strongest convictions. A Phila-
oelphla editor was, AT the date of the story he
told ne to-day. a reporter on the old Daily
Chronicle, Of this city. FOrney was Its editor.
Anna Dickinson was 10 lecture in the Ma
tonal Theatre one night on public topics.
This was a few months before Grants first
nomination. FOrney thought she was a
Grant man-beg pardon, wOman-and would
just ill the surrounding atmosphere with rea-
sons why Grant should be made President.
He sent the new Philadelphia editor-then
Washington reporter-to make report of
Anna's lecture. He told him to write
out "a full account. "Give her a col
Umn or a column and a half" he
said. FOrncy also attended the lecture. But
Miss Dickinson was not for Grant. She
wanted no man for President ''whose opinions
were hidden behind a cloud of tobacco smoke"
She wanted Schuyler COlfaX, ''that good and
pure Christian statesman" to have the first
place on the ticket. The reporter went back
t0 the Office and wrote out his notes. BY aud
by FOrnev whistled from his sanctum below
for the reporter, two flights above. "Have
You written out that Dickinson lecture?'' he
asked.
''Nes. SIR"
Glow much did YOU make of itt''
About a column and half" was the re-
ply.
'-Oh. d-n it," yelled FOrney. 'give the old
girl half sJickful. That's all the space she
deserves. POTOMAC.