Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-05-12
STAR ROUTE REVELATIONS.

SOME CURIOUS DEVELOPMENTS.
Walsh and His Documents and Fore.
man Hutchinson Before the Springer
Committee To-day.
Mr. Hutchinson, the foreman OF the last grand
jury that failed to indict ex-senator Kellogg was
examined by the Springer committee this morning.
witness said that he had taken advice and believed
ne was ready to answer any questions the commit
tee was likely to ask. He said that the case of ex
Senator Kellogg was presented to them. Mir. Bliss
asked them to use all possible expedition, so that
the statute OF limitation might not become opera
tive In the case. The witnesses before the grand
jury were Walsh and two three clerks OF the post
Office.
WALSH AND HIS DOCUMENTS.
The chair asked how long Walsh was before them.
witness said that, during the session Of two days
Walsh was probably before them several hours each
day.
"Did he have any papers or Documents" asked
Witness replied that he believed there were some
chechs or Drafts something OF that kind: some evil
uence OF Indebtedness, and dispatch addressed TO
NaiSh aIu signed ~" He said That his memory
might be somewhat at fault. as it had been TWO
years ago, and he had tried to forget as much he
COULD He thought that the checks were payable
to Mt Walsh banker and signed by Sir. kel-
!osg: They all amounted to about $1,000. he
tuOus,nU.
did you consider the examination OF Mr. Walsh
10 nave been thorough" asked one OF the commit
tee.
"Yes. thought his examination was very ex-
hauStlve,' the witness replied.
VINO conducted the examinations"
"Mr Bliss
THE TESTIMONY NOT SUFFICIENT TO WARRANT IN
DICTMENT.
"It is known" said Mr.. Springer, "that the grand
jury failed to convict Was this because the grand
jury thought there not sufficient evidence, or
On account Of the statute OF liinitation7"
Witness replied that the statute OF limitation
was not considered He thought that the testi-
dictment.
He was asked if he was aware of any effort on
the part OF any government Official to suppress
evidence. He Said he knew OF no such effort To a
question as 10 whether any effort had been made
to improperly influence the grand jury, he gave
the same answer.
MODEST BUT EFFECTIVE DEFENSE OF THE CHARAc-
TER OF THE GRAND JURY.
Mr. Stewart asked the witness opinion Of the
character OF the grand jury, saying In explanation
that there had been much said that reflected
upon the character Of the Washington Juries.
Witness answered, with some degree of modesty,
that he thought the jury Was OF good character,
being composed Of representative business men.
He then named as some OF the jurors Messrs. ROose,
Stephenson, Henry Willard, keyworIh, Truesdell,
EdlnundS &C.
Mir. Stewart suggested that those names were
sufilcient to give color OF respectabilty to the
grand jury.
SERIOUS THING TO INDICT A c. 8. SENATOR
Witness was asked il he remembered OF Mr.. Bliss,
making the statement, attributed to him by Mir
Walsh, that it was very serious thing to indict a
T. S. Senator.
Witness said that he did not think Bliss had said
very serious but had said 1t was serious thing TO
indict United States Senator. This was said be-
fore the grand jury got through their deliberations.
He could not remember just what was said nor how
1t was brought about
PRICE NOT BEFORE THE GRAND JURY.
Witness said that Mr. Bliss had told them that
Mr.. Price would be brought before them but he did
not appear. Mr.. Bliss had seemed to think that
Prices testimony would be clincher.
In relation 10 the record of the Spoford- Kellogg
case he said that some OF the jury had asked that
the book be sent for, and, being In doubt ht wit
ness had asked MT Bliss If 1t would be prorer 10 do
SO, and he sand that there could be no objection
John A. Walsh Examined.
Mr. John A. Walsh. aged 3S years and specula-
tor, was The next witness. MIR. Walsh said he be-
came mail contractor through discounting drafts
for Mcdonald. Kirk & Co. He had the mail route
iN0. 40l0l) from santa Fe TO Prescott. The Nc
Donald firm told him they had the Santa Fe-Pres-
pedited and the pay increased. They wanted con-
siderable amount OF money advanced on this route
Witness had already discounted $1,000 or s5 000 on
postal drafts for the firm. and lie refused advance
more unless satisfied that their pay would be in
creased. Witness went 10 Brady and made in
quiries. Brady assured him that he could advance
with safety. as there was no doubt that the route
from Santa Fe to Prescott would be -Xpedited and
the pay Increased. Witness
SAW BRADY TO MAKE SURE
OF the matter, because he unwilling to advance
unless satisfied that the expedition would be al
lowed. Upon Bradys assurances OF coming expedi-
ton, witness advanced the firm about $4,000. To
be more secure witness did something very unusual
He wrote to the Postmaster General asking that
the Mcdonald firm be not allowed to sublet with
out witness consent, and the Postmaster General
replied granting Walshs request.
The witness submitted a mass OF papers, which,
he said. were the notes, cnattel mort cages etc,
given by the Mcdonald firm to secure the loans ad-
vanceG to them. The witness also produced letter
from Brady, saying Mcdonald & Co. should not
make sub-conIractS without Walsh's assent In
connection with the documents witness incident
ally complained that he had been spoken of and
treated as a conspirator by George Bliss and he
submitted these documents to show that all his
transaction with the department were regular and
straight.
Witness said everything ran along all right untIl
A FALLING OUT
occurred in the Mcdonald firm, and witness refused
to advance them any more money. Subsequently
Mcdonald advised witness that he had arranged
with Parker, Cluggage Co. to advance money and
that the latter firm would pay Walsh the $50 900 he
had advanced to Mcdonald & Co. This arrange
ment was OverthrOwn by the conduct OF jerome j.
Kinds, member OF the Mcdonald irm, who had
fallen out With Mcdonald and others OF the firm
and who was making war on his former partners and
on Walsh To save witness Mcdonald turned over the
Santa Fe and Prescott route TO him tWalsh) as the
SuU-COulTdctOT. lie contract price OF tQo route
was $4,000, and Kinds objected to this arrange
ment. He made ''war to the knife" against it. and
demanded SIS 900 his share of the proceeds OF the
old firm OF Mcdonald e co. Unless this was paid
Kinds
DECLARED HE WOULD CRUSH WALSH.
Witness refused to pay the $4,000 S. B. Elkins
and Kerns called upon witness and urged him to
pay Kinds demand Of SIS 600 Witness refused,
saying he could not see why he should pay member
OF firm that was largely indebted TO him. Elkins
and kernS advised him that he didn't understand
those things: that he had better pay Kinds to save
trouble, as Kinds could get up Investigation and
brake him up unless he got the money he demanded
Witness still refused and Hinds kept up the war
and finally "ground witness out very fine" His
contract was annulled and the route was turned
$13 800. They wouldn't perform the service. While
witness had the route he PERFORMED the service
all right, but Kinds had
MENT,
and the officials seemed to fear him. Finally,
when the bondmen offered to perform the service,
and when the contract was about to De let to the
next highest bidder, at $4,000, witness had talk
with Brady and said he wanted to save his money.
He told Brady he (witneSS) had the stock on the
route and was willing TO take the contract for
$4,000. He talked TO Brady about the chances OF
his getting the route expedited, but Brady gave
him no satisfaction. Witness got up petitions for
expedition, having taken the route for $4,000 In
the hope OF getting expedition; but Kinds kept up
the war land witness was advised that he could never
get along unless he placated Kinds. He protested
that he didn't owe Kinds, etc; Kinds had threat
ened to have an investigation, and charged that
witness had paid money to Brown for Brady.