Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-04-19
FROM WASHINGTON.
THE STAR ROUTE.
The Evidence All In-The Important
Part Of the Case.

WASHINGTON. April Is
In the star route trial this morning Bliss
called John A. Walsh and asked if he ever
had any money transaction with Brady. Viii
| son objected and the court called for state
| nent.
In response Bliss called attention TO Brady's
denial upon this point and offered to contra
dict him.
After argument bv the counsel, pro and
| con. the court overruled the offer of this evil
dence.
Merrick-well, Your Honor, that closes
the governments rebai;al
The counsel for the defence announced
they were all through.
Now we come to the important part of the
case, the talk. said the court, smilingly.
TIE question arose as to the procedure 10
| be adopted.
In presenting the prayers, Merrick aivo-
Gated adherence TO the plan followed in the
former trial.
Heukle thought the court should limit the
! argument by defining the Law upon disputed
points.
Dayidge believed the Arguments would
consume the rest of the year. unless some
such plan should be adopted.
In order to allow time for the preparation
| of the arguments on the legal points, Bliss
suggested recess until Friday.
The court decided To hear the arguments
after the recess.
| When the court reassembled. some dis
| cussion was had in regard to the order to be
followed in the delivering of the arguments
TO the jury.
Judge Wylie appeared to attach some
weight TO an English authority allowing the
government counsel to open the argument
| in one or two addresses and to close with the
same number of speeches.
| Ingersoil vigorously protested against the
adoption of aDv such monstrous, absurd
scheme 1t was proposition to allow the
government to make several closing arsu-
ments after the defence had closed and he
| did not believe that criminal history would
| disclose any such case. Ii the court decided
| to make such an order he would absolutely
refuse to make any argument and leave the
case to the jury without any definite ar
rangemeDt.
| The court said that a fair division of the
| time would be had. 1T the counsel could not
agree among themselves the court would al
| low the government to open and close but
| would not now say il would be allowed more
than one argument in closing. The court
| did not know that the government desired
more than one closing argument, but had
heard limitations that the attorney general
might wish to speak
| | don't know that would call that two ar
guments, said Ingersoll sneeringly, but l
object to precedent. If the attorney general
wants to made closing argument | should
! be delighted, but to two closing arguments |
object.
, The court remarked If there were two
closing arguments i. would not allow them
to cover the same ground. The court said
| it would be better to sleep over the matter
and arrange it in the morning.
| The grand jury came in during the discuss
ion and returned the following indictments
William Pitt Kellogg for receiving money
whilst United States Senator for services
rendered in relation to a contract with United
States witnesses. John A. Walsh, James b.
Price, Joseph Cochrane and }. NJ. Brady.
| Against Thomas ]. Brady for receiving
money whilst second assistant postmaster
general, for services rendered in relation to a
contract with L. S.
The same witnesses are named in the two
indictments The indictments are volum-
| nous. apparently as large as the Indictment
| in the star route case. There are five charges
| in each Indictment of five separate payments
| of $500 tor one service rendered the eXpe-
dition of mail schedule on Prices rontes,
from San Antonio to Corpus Christi, Texas,
and from Monroe to Shreveport, La.
| After some further debate upon the pend
| ing question, the court reserved its decision
until tomorrow and listened to argument
I by Davidge upon the question raised by him
regarding the statute on which the indictment
| is founded. The court said that the question
had been disposed of at An early stage of the
trial and the court would not reverse that de-
| cision.
The court then adjourned until tomorrow.