The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-03-22

Tho Testimony Ytsierdny About the Star
1SEREL0-s+ Z IHEl Route sy.l'.

~SoAHS A'H-si AoI the NiUSCIuIleut III tte
Star route prosecutions, continued his tes,i-
mony before the Springer Committee this
morning. Wilnes, did no. claim to be an
expert in drawing indiclments, aud 10
stated 10 Attorney-G General Brswster, who
employed Mr.. Ker, OF Philadelphia. "Was
he an expert?" veg psked. "He is very
expert in the framing Of indictments" re,
piled tho witneg1 "AIore expert, indeed,
than he who hes critioizsd his work."
(meaning Colonel CoOk). Concerning the
prolongation Of the trials, witnesu referred
the ;inatter to Judge Wylie, who heard lhe
cascs. lie was willing 10 let Judge Wylie
speak Of the causes ior pro!ong-
ing the csses. The verdict in the
first trial witness pronounced absurd. The
actions Of ex-senator Spencer in evadiny
the officers received the attention Of wit.
ness for some time. Witness though.
Spencer guilty OF ''doing little blowing"
Efforts were continually mlds to appre.
bend Spencer, who received letters in New
York under HI assumed name. Subse.
Quently he went to CauGdu, ."where that
immaculate counsel for the Government,
A. NJ. Gibson, was found with him." La.
ter Spencer went 10 Europe, where he re-
manned uutil he was cabled that the trials
were closed and he could return. Witness
was confident that whatever Spencer's in.
terest in tho casss for the Government
might have been at first, they were all for
the defense from the time witness entered
heservice.
Beyond writing one report which IVES
submitted to Solicitor Phillips, Mr.. Bliss
thought A. M. Gibson rendered no service
to the Government. In thatrepo Gibson
took to himself much uneGrned credit and
eulogized his own labors. The report
made by Gibson served no purpose 10 the
Government either and witnee3 did not
think him entitled to pay ior it. From tho
moment Gibson made q certain report, in
1851, whatever confidence witness had in
his honesty dir1ppeared. He believed
Gibson to be dishonest, and he had the
combination Of the safe changed, go that
Gibson could not have acce-s to tho papels
The defendants were answering queations
which could not have been answered with.
out information from the Governments
side. Mr.. Bliss believed Gibson and Cook
we're 'selliug OUT tho prosecution. The
connection Of Bosler with Dorsey and the
Star route men wal investigated. Bosler
asked MOTTO be dragged into the scandal sg
a witness. 2s;7. Ef::35-
Hosler's books were finally examined by
witness privately. A payment OF s., 500 to
Gibson was shown in tho books which
Bosler aaid was paid TO Gibson r+,inior-
nation. This information, Mr.; Bliss said,
was obtained while he (Gibson) wa3 in the
employment of the Government. The
books showed that Dorsey had paid half OF
the $500 to Gibson. The books also
showed payment OF moneyto Cole, partner
OF Col. Cook, at that time attorney Tor the
Government. There were indications
which led witness to believe that there
was an improper! arrangement between
Spencer, Gibson and the defendants es
early es the tjms MscVeagh wa, Attorney
General. Prior to the second trial there
wa1 a combined attempt, in which Gibson
was interc1ted, to procure the absence OF
the Government witnesses. @
"There arc indications in the testimony
OF Gibson" witness continued, 10 show
that he did not even eel ve tho defendants
faithfully" The committee wanted to know
the connection witness had with Samuel ].
Tilden in starting the Star Route inves.
legations. Witucss replied that it WIS
known that Tilden furnished the money
to carry on the preliminaries. Mr.. Mel Lean,
OF New York, law partner OF Henry E.
Knox, who was the friend OF James A.
Garfield, came here and started the inyea-
tigation. The information Tilden pro.
cured was not given to Gen. Hancock, the
Democratic nominee for the Presidency.
1t might have been made public early in
1850, had Hlden been nominated instead
OF Hancock. Easlis (; t;;.5s1 ~ -t.sf;3 +, ~