Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-02
THE STAR ROUTE ARGUMENT,
Strong Points Presented by NIr Hiss

Strong Points Presented by Mr. Bliss.
Mr.. Bliss resumed hls address to the Jury In the
star route case this morning. Reviewing the cir
cumstances attending Brady's application for q
deficiency appropriation he said that the only
wonder was that Congress had given him even
the qualified approval OF appropriating little
more than half the sum he had asked for Con-
gress in doing this however, had declared that it
did approve his acts.
AN EXAMINATION OF THE oArHs
made on these routes showed that all had been
altered by erasures, or else they showed on their
face that they had been sworn to in blank There
might be case now and then where 1t would be
necessary to change an occasto figure but 1t
was beyond the bounds of probability that these
parties should make such innocent mistakes in all
these cases. Yet Brady claimed to have accepted
these oaths as the oaths OF reputable people.
Mr.. Bliss read the statute making it crime to
present
FORGED OR FRAUDULENTLY ALTERED PAPERS
to the government
The jurors appeared much Interested in the
papers, and Mr. Bliss ceased speaking while the
Jurors looked over them.
"They have seen them fifty times," said Mr..
Carpenter.
II don't care" said Mr.. Bliss. "if they see them
nfty times again. want them to see them to-
gether In the aggregate"
Juror Shields asked by whom the papers were
signed; and MI Bliss replied by John R. Miner
1.-THE re ason asked" said Mr.. Shields, twas be-
cause the handwriting is SO different"
PROOFS OF AN ILLEGAL CONSPIRACY.
MI. Bliss argued that in the case OF these affda-
Wits crime had been committed and the condi-
tlons OF an illegal conspiracy were complete. They
were not only intended to defraud the United
States, and the fraud was successful. Referring
to the altered petitions he said Mr. Miner himself
would not deny having written names to the So
called Utah" petition Miners own chosen wit
ness familiar with his handwriting-Mr Waugh
0ectare1 Ton hvA
ner. In the case of other petitions the men who
wrote and signed them declared that the words
when they signed tbem These alterations were
made by John X. Miner. Such false, forged and
altered petitions were filed in the department. and
were the basis OF orders made upon them. Miner,
however, came here and On the stand claimed that
connected with these caths and affidayits estab-
1shed beyond dispute case OF
GROSS, PERSISTENT FRAUD
up TO this point Mr.. Bliss said he had confined
himself entirely to the record evidence. Leaving
out OF view all the testimony OF Rerdell OF Moore
and OF the men from the west, 1t was interesting
to stop ana see how the case stood on the uncon-
tradicted record evidence. They found that Brady
resorted to expedition as rule, not as an excap-
ton. that he paid large sums for expedited SER
vice where 1t Was not needed, aud there were was
no increase OF speed, shOwingthat
THE MONEY WENT TO THE CONTRACTORS IN WASH
INGTON,
he paid large sums OF money for expedition which
were useless; that he expedited routes on which
there was no mail that he made supposititlous
additions to routes that In every way dIsregarded
the interests OF tho government, and had regard
only for the conractor;tha he had d.sregarded or
Ignored the question OF productiveness; that in
almost every case he had paid for expedition the
extreme amount called for by the fraudulent af1i-
davis which he took as the basis OF his orders;
that he had even after the passage of the law
limiting expedition to so per cent made large
orders granting SIX or eight times as much
as the law allowed, and covered it under
They had shown that Brady, instead or declaring
these contractors failing CONTRACTORS, had waited
and then made an order for expeditlon before the
service began; that he had made these expeditions
s aesplte the protests OF postmasiers and other
routes, but paid Obsequious attention to recon-
mendations OF members OF Congress SO long as
their fulillment put money in the contractors
pockets After reviewing what Mr. Bliss claimed
was demonstrated by the record testimony, Mr.
Bliss said that the defendants, other than Brady,
would have them believe that these thugs were
they were simply lucky people who stood under
the tree
WHILE BRADY SHOOK DOWN THE FRUIT.
Was this or could this be true? Mr.. Bliss having
shown the reductions Of time made ON the various
routes said the question was how Brady had
arrived at the figures he used. In not one OF those
routes, excepting one, was there on file a paper
suggesting the number OF hours which was finally
named In the order. He referred to the cfrcum-
stances on the route, showing that the contractors
In their affdavlts, sometimes months before made
affidavts knowing at the time Just TO what figure
Brady was to reduce the time. This, lie argued
showed collus.on. John W Dorsey, in Vermont
In april, knew what Brady 7vyuld want to know
IN June following, and made his af1idavit accord
tngly.
He referred also to the testimony of Bennell and
others respecting the Bismarck and Tongue River
route. showing that John W. Dorsey had declared
10 them that the route was TO be expedited and
told beforehand precisely what Brady would do.
AT thlS point The usual recess was taken.
STAR ROUTE NOTES.
Counsel for defense still talk OF submitting the
case to the jury without argument, though Mr.
Wilson, Who it is expected will follow Mr.. Bliss,
remains constantly In court, and is taking notes
industriously. "lf the Attorney General speaks
at all, said one or the counsel for defense to-day
me Will have to speak in the opening, for he won't
to submit"