Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-04-10
MR.. WOODWARD,S REVELATIONS,
New Light Thrown upon the Star Route
Investigations.

! SERIOUS INVITATIONS CAST UPON MEssRs COOK AND
dlBSoN-cFARGES OF ''sELLING OUT" MADE AGAINST
THOSE GENTLEMEN-AR- COOKS TESTIMONY AS TO
HIS CONFIDENTIAL RELATIONS WITH PRESIDENT
GARFIELD coSTRovERTED-THE PRESIDENT SAID TO
HAVE BEEN DISPLEASED WITH HIS APPOINTMENT, &C
inspector +. II. woodward appeared before the
springer committee this morning and gave de-
tailed account OF his connection with the prosecu
| tlon OF the star route cases His statement was in
substance as follows: He accepted from Postmaster
General James the position OF confidential agent OF
the department In March. 1881. During the initial
stages OF the investigation ex-senator Spencer was
quite active, and early in Arrl brought to witness
Mr. A. NJ. Gibson. who placed in his hands lot OF
paper papefs containing @ memoranda made FROM the re-
cords OF the department. From the memoranda
| revised table was prepared which presented the
great increase OF cost In star route service In way
10 carry conviction OF fraud to the ordinary intelli
gence One Saturday evening Mr.. James came 10
witness room to examine the results already ac-
cOmpished. and was so amazed at the revelation
| that he hurried witness OF to the White House.
PRESIDENT GARFIELD's ESCAPE FROM TRAP
| On looking over the figures President GARFIELD
shared IN the astonshment OF the Postmaster Cen
eral. AT first he could hardly credit their genuine
ness. In reply to question from Mr.. James. re-
specting the policy to be pursued, he said in sub
stance, 81 have sworn TO uphold the constitution
and the laws; shall DO my full duty. My nStruc-
tlons TO you are: Cut the ulcer out. no matter who
! IL nurtS" With much impreSSiveneSS of manner he
referred TO some mysterious attempt 10 entrap him.
the meaning OF which was now first revealed TO
him. He added that by no wisdom or foresight OF
| his own he had provdentiaily escaped great
peril At this interview the witness said, he first
learned that the investigation was likely to lead 10
criminal prosecution. The next day Mr.. James and
witness had a conference with the Attorney Gene
ral and in the evening those gentlemen called
upon the President From that time the adminis-
tTation adopted a radical and aggressive po.icv
Witness advocated to MeSsrs James and MacIeagn,
and also to the President. the employment OF Glib
aSSjS In fhIpy -fapl Al
teagh directed that Gibson be teegraphed To re-
turn to Washington from New York. Gibson re-
turned and, accompanied by witness, went to the
Department of Justice. when the Attorney General
orally employed him.
BRoTTs DISCLOSURES
One OF the first persons to make important dis
closures was Geo. F. Brott He gave the informal
ton which led to the forced retirement from Office
| OF j. NJ. McGrew. sixth auditor and T. B. Lilley,
deputy sixth auditor. He told how, 10y the pay
ment OF fee OF 81 600 to VIM. LLley, father OF
F. B. Lilley. he had secured contract ON Pearl
river, Miss. at an annual compensation OF 800,
and how, through F. B. Lilley, he had procured a
steamboat contract from Doraldsonvllle TO Red
river landing at yearly pay OF S4i57s.
| In May, 1881, Mr. Gibson ardently urged the en-
ployment Of VIM. A. Cook, and his oral recon-
mendations were mildly and orally reinforced by
| PRESIDENT GARFIELD DIsP1EAsED WITH Mr. COOKS
APPOINTMENT.
Shortly after the engagement Of Cook was pub
ncly announced witness received summons from
President GARFIELD to be at the White House at
designated hour. Without much preface the Pres
1dent asked for an explanation OF how the appoint
ment came to be made, adding that the day before
Judge OF the Supreme Court had Informed him
berS OF the Washington bar and characterizlng the
selection as disgrace to the administration. Wit
ness endeavOTed TO justify the action OF the AttOr
ney General on the grounds of the necessity OF
having local lawyer in the cases, and the Presi-
dent seemed partially satisfied "a few days
later continued the witness, mir James invited
me. In the forenoon to ride with him TO the White
House, where he called In the routine OF bus-
ness. We found fifteen twenty people in the
me one side and asked II did not regard as conf
dental the conversation referred TO- replied that
| l did"
"Why then, he continued with some severity,
| "did you report it to Mr.. Cook?"
| assured him that had never mentioned the sub
He then said that Mr.. Cook had written him a
letter, making special reference TO the mputatiOnS
OF supreme Court judge, and defending his own
been disclosed through some other channel The
above letter ought TO be among the papers OF the
| late President.
Mr. COOKS RELATION WITH THE PRESIDENT.
The witness characterized as false the testimony
OF Mr.. Cook that he had several private interviews
with Gen. Garfield, by whom he was instructed to
| communicate directly with him the President on
| star route matters. "Mr. Cook was introduced to
General Garfield" he continued, 'by Postmaster
General James in my presence on the Wednesday
| evening preceding the assassination. The event
in carriage at twilight Thence we three drove TO
| the White House We were uShered into one OF the
lower rooms. and shortly after the President
| entered MIR. Cook was presented to him by Mr..
James. They met each other as persons hitherto
unacquainted cannot believe that the executive
OF this nation arranged JOB with man whom a
Supreme Court judge had only few weeks before
denounced to him as disreputable. for the purpose
OF deceivng an honOred member Of his own official
family. On that occasion other topics were brOached
| more pregnant with significance than comments on
! the progress OF the cases, or sensational warnings
In reference to dangers threatening the President
| or any OF his Cabinet.
| MR.. COOKS PLEA FOR DORSEY.
Mr. Cook insisted that immunity should be
| granted to Stephen W. Dorsey, On account OF his
great services to the republican party.
In answer modestly suggested that penal laws
and penitentiares were not devised for the eXclu-
Sive benefit OF democrats.
| To illustrate the total depravlty OF the star
reuters Mr.. Cook told the President that Gen.
| that he had been invited TO meet representative
OF that gentleman at the Portland; that fearing
trap he declined TO go thither' but DID receive the
IDENTIFY concealed detective under the bed TO over
| hear the conversation
the impression made upon his mind by these strange
outpourngs, but his impassive features gave no
sponse"
number OF local detectives to report to him per-
sOnaly, and the discoveries were not added to the
common stock OF inrormatiOn and not scrap OF
evidence FOR the benefit OF the prosecution pro-
| cured thereby.
When preparations were being made for criminal
| proceedings against F. B. Lilley, he was brought
before Commissioner Bundy for preliminary hear
| ing, Cook appearing for the government. He placed
! witness on the stand to establish the essential
points In the case by hearsay testimony. This was
promptly and properly ruled out. and the prosecu-
| ton broke down lgnomin1ouSly, amidst The laugh
| ter OF the crowd which had gathered
Mr. COOK CHANGED WITH SELLING INDULGENCIEs
"Wm. Lilley, the father Off B. Lilley," continued
| the witness, ''tod me after that Wm. A. Cook for
one thousa0d dollars, guaranteed immunity to his
before Commissioner Bundy $3.50 OF the fee had al
ready found its way into the pocket OF Cook"
| Mr. BrOtt. the main witness in the case, was not
allowed to testify before the grand Jury, but was
| himself indicted. Against the latter proceeding
the witness very bitter as he had promised him
immunity for the information given to the govern
ment.
In August or September, 1881, the attitude OF A..
| NJ. Gibson towards certain cOmbinatOns-no notably
| the SaliSburyS-underwent sudden change Pre-
vouSly he had been the Jealous advocate OF sweep
ing reductions OF service All at once he discovered
that the department was going too fast and too
far. He eXpOStulated with Mr. Elmer and Mr. Ly-
man against the policy he had formerly approved
to such an extent that they both began to suspect
him.
| A CHARGE OF TREACHERY AGAINST MEssRs COOK
| AND GIBSON.
After many hints, MI. VIM. Lilley, (since dead),
finally told witness that to his own knowledge Cook
| and Gibson were selling out the government that
| burglarious seizure OF the papers had been dis
| cussed, and that when the Catastrophe came it
possible. In December 1881. witness was informed
by Lilley that Gibson had become paid agent of