The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-10
sTAR-ROUTE DISCLOSURES.
How Mr.. Gibson Prevented the Gases from
Being Laughed Out of Court.

How Mr.. Gibson Prevented the Gases from
Being Laughed Out of Court.
WASHINGTON, March 8-A. NJ. Gibson was
examined by the Springer committee to-day
relative to his connection with the starroute in
vestigation. He said that he had received
So, 900 for his services as counsel, and that it
was a small compensation in comparison with
the service paid other parties. Gibson said that
he began special study of the Postofhce De-
partment in 1872, and became familiar with the
business of the department, especially in rela-
ton to awarding mail contracts. Witness de-
scribed in detail the meeting with ex-senator
Spencer in Washington, on which occaaion the
latter asked assistance in the proposed route
investigation. He spoke at length of his visit to
Woodward and of the table of ninety three ex-
pedited routes
THAT table was shown the President, and he
expressed surprise" Gibson said; that was a
little remarkable, because l had distinct recol-
lection of showing him the same table in 1880,
before the election, and while he was a member
of the House."
Witness gave brief account of his instructing
inspectors to make an investigation of certain
routes
In the meantime, he continued 'the Attor-
ney-general sent for me, and said that Dorsey
Il
contracts, which had been shown the President
and Secretary of The Treasury. That statement
was able and ingenious, and had made an i'm
preston favorable to Dorsey.
'Fhe Attorney general asked me to make re-
port on the star-route cases, which l did, then
left for New York. While there | was tele-
graphed to come to Washington, and doing so,
found at my report had raised quite a tempest,
the practical effect of which was that the Depart
ment Of Justice was arrayed on the side of the
accused persons"
DO understand you to say that the Depart
ment of Justice was arrayed on the side of the
accusedF asked Mr.. Stewart.
1.-The officers of the Department of Justice
caused publication to be made in the news
papers that had no connection with the depart
ment, the effect of which was to lead the public
to suppose that the department was on the side
of the accused"
Witness testified that in prosecuting the star
route men the government took the most com
plicated case, when it was its business to take
the simplest and plainest case. Continuing,
Gibson said:
After Brewster was made Attorney general.
he said the duties of his Office were so engross-
ing that he could not give time to cases of this
kind. He had been in the case before simply to
make argument as to the legality of filing an
information. That is all he did, and for this he
received $4,000. The grand jury found an in
dictment against j. B. Price, in the Corpus
Christi cases, and much to my surprise, no other
indictments were found and there was direct
the case was William Pitt Kellogg, then in the
Senate. Some time after while in the Postof-
flee Department found Bliss looking over one
of the papers in this case. had left purposely
some matters blind. Bliss, in reading the paper
over, asked to whom it referred. l wrote on
slip of paper, William Pitt Kellogg
This was some time in October, 1881. Price
had sworn that he had given drafts for $15 900,
and a note for S., 600 to William Pitt Kellogg,
and it was understood that one-half of this was
to be placed to the account of Brady and one
half to the account of Kellogg While the Brady
and Dorsey trial was going on, and when the
case was being about laughed out of the court,
Merrick called at my house and said that he had
tried to get Bliss to find Walsh l found him
afterward, and he consented much against his
will, to be a witness. His testimony saved the
case"
you said" remarked Milliken, that he saved
the case. He didn't get verdict believe"
He prevented it from being laughed out of
the court, replied the witness.
The hearing of Gibson was continued until
Monday.