The Portland daily press., 1884-04-02
STAR ROUTES.
MIR. Bliss Continues His Narrative of the
Trials.


WASHINGTON, April 1.--George Bliss to-day
continued his testimony relative to the Star
route trial before Mr.. Springer's committee
He said that Cook kept in his possession
number OF weeks abstracts of 16 routes pre-
pared by Wood ward. In nv opinion Bliss
said, these abstracts were retained for the
other side to copy. Witness continued Cook
has testified that Brewster told him secure d
his appointment as attorney general Brewster
is a truthful man, and don't believe hs said
such thing. My knowledge of his appoint-
rnent came from this: / was with the Presi-
dent one evening and said that wished that
things we're in snch shape that Brewster could
be appointed attorney general. To my SURF rise
the President said things were in such shape
and that Brewster would be appointed. Bliss
referred to the position of the district attorney
He said Cook wanted TO be made district attor-
neY and did pot want him to be- Afterwards
he recommended that Cole, his partner be an
pointed but did not bite. Edmunds, chair
man OF the Judiciary Committee, had said that
be would not consent to CQrkhill's removal
until the end of the Guiteau trial At one
time got the story that Corkhill would not
sign the indictments; [ recommended his re-
moval but withdrew my recommendation the
next day and withdrew it because it was
necessary to have the indictments signed by
District Attorney, and thought we might not
get the immediate confirmation in the Senate
of q new Attorney. There was no question of
fidelity or intidelity on the part of Corkhill
after came Into the case, because he had
nothing to do with them, / do not think he
wsain entire sympathy with the prosecution"
The witness gave in detail his reasons for not
favoring the prosecution of the Prescott and
Santa Fe route contractors, which was recon-
mended by Mr.. Gibson. He said: "There was
no other testimony but Walsh's against Brady
In the Santa Fe case. Walsh might testify Of
corruption on Brady's part; Brady would deny
it; regarded is that if Brady was guilty Mr..
Walsh would take trip TO some place when
we wanted him."
Where is Wa|sh?" asked Mr.. Stewart.
Mr.. Springer is in correspondence with
him" the witness replied.
Dorsey routes wert: 'tThe increase was not
teen. Some OF these were increased on bogus
petitions; others on false sffldavits. On all the
routes except one the contractors had made
the contracts. In some cases the mail was be-
ing carried as rapidly under the old ratio as I'M
der the new; on one of these routes the rate
was Increased to $4,000; the emoluments of
the oIAces aleng The route before the increase
amounted to S760, and after the increase they
ran GOWN to $507, and then went up, but never
reached $76O. On one route, Mr.. Bliss con-
tinued, mot letter or paper went over for 20
days; aud that route p. i'd $40 600 or $4,000"
on showed all these things on he trial
and what Gid the jury fnd?" Mr.. Milliksn
inquired.
They found Rerdell, a clerk, guilty; they
coulo not md the men guilty that got the
swag; we proved that subcontractors knew
"here Increases we're TO be madel one man.
We found, carried the entire mail across the
mouhgalns In the leg of his boot"