The Evening critic., 1883-06-30
COOK ON BREWSTER.
A scathing Reply to the Charge
Made by the AftOrney.GeneraI.


A special to the Philadelphia TIMES en-
braces the following letter from Colonel VIII
liam A. Cook to Benz. II. Brewster, Attorney
General.
"sIR; on the 9TH instant 1 mailed you let
ter, of which the following Is a copy, viz.
'"S1R: My attention has been called to an
interview. with you. published in the Phlla-
delphia Press OF May Oath ultimo. 1t appears
that among other things you stated to the COR
respondent of the Pres that 'rhe defendants
In The Star. Route cases not only used the pro-
ceeds Of their robberics to pay counsel, but
the money was expended In spiriting away
witnesses, In buying up ex.counsel OF the
Government and in hiring newspapers to de.
fend their rascality. The Government has
paid for all this 1t also appears that the
following question was asked you, viz: what
ants bought cx-couneei for the Government III
these casesr To when you responded: 4
mean that J.w. Bosler, Of Carlisle, Pa, showed
Mr.. Bliss his books containing record of pay
ments made by him on account OF expenses
incurred In the defense OF these suits, among
other thinge, and Mr.. Bliss told me that Bos-
ler's books contained entries of several thou.
Sand dollars paid the law partner of Mr.. Will
lam Cook and Mr.. A. NJ. Gibson. Both Mr..
Cook and Mr.. Gibson were originally retained
by the Government In these cases and l dis
missed them because felt that their services
could be dispensed with Allow me TO In
quiro whether you are correctly represented
In these extracts from the Press. You Will OBJ
serve that they contain, first, a strong and
plain implication that as one Of the 'ex-coun-
sci IN the star Route cases was 'D0ugnt by
the defendants, and second, positive asser
tlon that you dismissed me ms one OF the or
iginal counsel. will be pleased to receive an
early reply. ,,,r..
'"wILLIAM A. COOK"
GAS you have not seen fit to reply to this let
ter am compelled to conclude that your ut
terances to the correspondent of the Philalei-
phia Press were correctly reported. Indeed,
this was reasonable presumption, but
deemed 1t proper to afford you n fair oppor
accustomed to notice misrepresentation or
censure which the uninformed or malignant
may circulate or publish against me. have
neither time nor inclination to DO 30, but your
accidental position as Attorney-General OF the
United States imparts 10 your accusation an
Importance which they would not possess II
ual and, therefore, both public and personal
respect require that they should receive q
proper denial from M.
"First-It is utterly false that the defend.
ants In the Star-ltoutp cases bought me rs one
OF the ex-counsel. No ono OF them had the
audacity to attempt It. believe that Mr.. Cole
l am credibly informed that he gave a receipt
for his fee, which was turned over to the Gov
ernment. II is to be presumed that you knew
this fact. Moreover, You were not ignorant
Of the truth that Mr.. Cole and 1 were only
limited partners In civil cases. This iuforma-
tion you had twlco from my lips, so that your
assertion was not only untrue, but made with
full information of the actual facts.
"Second-The declaration that You dismissed
me as one OF the original attorneys In the Star
Route cases could not be surpassed in the
| realm of bold and audacious misstatements
| on March ID, 1882, 1 sent you a written and
| unsolicited resignation of my appointment as
| special attorney. On the 17th of that month
| you transmitted me reply, in which you said
| that my letter of resignation was q surprise to
| you and that you could not see the necessity
| for 1T that my retirement was the conclusion
| Of my own judgment, and that had continued
| In the cases and Iabored In them my useful.
| nese would have been appreciated 1t can
| not, therefore, be doubted that when you made
| the assertion that you had dismissed me you
| knew 1t was utterly untrue.
"The Intellectual and moral depravity VIII lcll
| tempted and impelled you to malign and
| misrepresent me, as you have done, am un.
| able 10 comprehend. You probably can. II
| only remains for me to state that / will pub.
lish this reply 10 your manifestly malignant
| falsehOod In the public press and pursue any
| other plan of vindication may deem proper
| An Attorney General of the United States can
not assail my professional or personal charac
ter with impunity, especially one who at
| tained his distinguished position amid the
| smoke OF an assassin's pistol, and possibly by
means which reflect little or no honor on ex
| halted manhood.
| ''Yours, &C.,
| CIVILIAN A. COOK"