The Portland daily press., 1883-03-26
WALSH VS.. BRADY.
James B. Price on the Witness
Stand.
He Acknowledges Placing Certain
Drafts in Brady's Desk.

WASHINGTON, March 25.--Before Commits
sioner A q. Bradley was taken the deposition
to-day OF James b. Price, Ia suit Of Walsh
VS. Brady, for the recovery OF money alleged
TO be loaned tho defendant by palntih, tho
witness, j. B Price. was sworn and said he
was citizen of Missouri, He knew Thomas y.
Brady aud also John A. Walsh. He said that
he never had any financial transactions with
Walsh. AT this jareture, counsel for Walsh
presented to witness for Identification snndry
drafts, amounting In the aggregate 10 SIT 900.
These drafts were in the custody OF Mr.. Black
man, an employe OF government, as they are
part of the records OF the Post Office Depart
ment. These drafts are as follows Two pos
tai drafts OF vi ,250 each, the Goth drawn al
Washington July 18th, 1880, toIthe order OF J.
b. Price, and by himself ndorsed against the
pay on route No. 81, 10, from Indianola TO
Corpus Christi Texas, for the quarter ending
Sept. S0th, 1880, and Dec. 81, 1880. Witness
j. b. Price identified these two drafts as hav-
ing been drawn and endorsed by himself.
Witness identified the following additional
postal drafts, each being drawn Tor $4,000, and
dated Washington, July i6, 1879, against bis
pay ON the following named quarters on the
following mail routes from Corpus Christi TO
San Antonio. Texas: For the quarter ending
March 81, 1880; for the quarter ending June
3oth, 1880; Tor the quarter ending Sept. 30th,
1880; for the quarter ending Dec. 81, 1880; for
the quarter ending March 81, 1881. These
drafts ali bore, in addition the endorsement OF
j. A. Walsh.
Witness being asked as to whether or not
that was Walsh 3 Endorsement, replied that he
was not familiar with Walsh's signature, and
that Walsh could testify on that point On
being asked 90 whom he had gven these seven
drafts, he declined 10 answer on the ground
that he did not leieve any one had right 10
pry into his private affairs. Being pressed for
a reply, he said that he declined answering on
the ground that 10 was under indictment
mainly, as he was informed by Mason, ON teati-
mony given by Walsh, aud further, his answer
might tend to cFiminate himself,
Quite a discussion ensued between counsel
at this juncture, as TO the relevancy Of this tee-
timony in an action brought by Walsh 70 re-
cover money alleged 70 be loaned by him 20
Brady. Counsel for Walsh maintained that
the relevancy would very soon appear II the
witness would answer the questions. Price be-
traJed some excitement at this janeture, and
said that as far as he was concerned be would
not have testified ia this case at ali, bnt for the
request made by Senator Coekerell, (his coun-
seil and ker. Counsel for Brady, asked him
what Ker he referred 70. lie replied, Ker OF
counsel for government Price, on being asked
II II was not fact that the plaintiff had Tor
over year been trying 10 get his deposition In
this case, admitted that 1t wa, aud further
said that IL the indictment against him price,
WAS mol pressed he would tell all the facts re-
lating 70 the drafts in question: lie did not
deliver any of them 70 Gen. Brady, nor had he
done any thing that he would not do again to-
morrow Counsel for defendant BRADY then
asked Price whether he had ever given Brady
&. 500 Ia postal drafts, and 81, 800 10 cash. He
said he had not. Counsel for plaintiff then
asked witness If 1t was not fact that he had
placed on the desk OF the Second Assistant
Postmaster, Gen. Brady, an envelope contain
ing s., soc in postal drafts and 81 800 IN cash
Defendants counsel vigorously objected to the
question, but the witness said he would answer
ii in his way, which he did as follows
He admitted that lie had placed on Brady's
desk 10 the post Office an envelope containing
81, 800 10 postal drafts and $500 In currency
addressed TO A. III. Brown, and asked Brady 10
see that Brown received the same
He was asked BY plaintiffs counsel who
Brown was, and replied that be was mail
contractor and had been formerly a clerk in
the Post Office Department.
In answer 10 a question as TO what Brady
said to him in reply 70 his price . request that
Brown should get the envelope, he said that
Brady simply "gruntcd after his usual man
ner.m He was next asked II IL was not fact
that the Brown referred 10 was treasurer Of a
fund raised by mail contractors to defray Alieg-
ed expenses incidental to the passage OF the
star route appropriation bill, and IL the pay
ment OF the sum enclosed In the envelope aud
placed by witness on the desk OF Brady was not
for corruit purpose Witness declined an
swering the question: for the same reason as
before given. Witness having declined to an
swer the question, ths counsel for plaintiff
asked that the commissioner certify the same to
the court, with the view OF compelling the
witness TO answer. The commissioners declined
to do this on the ground that he had no right
TO do so under the Law. Thus the matter
closed, Price declaring his intentioa TO leave
the city this afternoon.
The friends OF Gen, Bsady. commenting on
to-day's proceedings in this case, contend that
they we're an outrage upon him. They assert
that the government is party to IL: that the
testimony has not the slightest bearing on the
case OF Walsh vs.. Brady. aud that tho only
purpose OF its introduction is TO injuFe the de-
fence 10 the pending star route rial. They
say also that Mr.. Price refused to answer the
above mentioned questions not because hts tes-
timony would actaaly criminate any one, but
because be believed his answers might be
twisted and contorted 10 his prejudice and APP
pear TO cTiminate him.