Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-08
SPENCER ON THE STAND.
HE DESCRIBES HIS CONNEC-
TION WITH THE STAR ROUTES.

James Ambition Used as an Incentive
in Getting Him to Push the Investi-
CATION - Revenge the Ex-Senator's
Motive-His Flight to the West
DOrsey's Gifts to Brady not Seen.
| WASHINGTON, March 7.-Ex-Senator
| Spencer. of Alabama, now resident of
Nevada, was examined to-day by the
Springer Commission concerning the star
route investigation. Ex-Postmaster Gen
eral James in his testimony on Wednes-
day testified that the first knowledge that
actual frauds existed in the star route
service was gained from Mr.. Spencer. He
also described the circumstances under
which he became a member of President
Garfield's Cabinet. Referring to these
points in Mr.. James testimony
Mr.. Spencer said: Early in January,
1851, went from Nevada to New York ON
business. One day while walking on
Broadway / met Mr.. James, then Post
master of New York, and he asked me to
accompany him to his office. did so.
and when at the office he told me that he
wanted to go into President Garfield's
CaDlnet as POSTMASTER General and asked
me to aid him. l said that I would assist
MN, and afterwards did render what aid
l could. When he had been appointed
postmaster General / said to him that he
had an opportunity that few men had in a
lifetime to make great reputation.
sPENCER's EYE-OPENER TO JAMES.
He asked how, and l replied that he
could make the Post Office Department
self-sustaining the first year, and that the
next year he could reduce postage to two
cents"
"How?" he again asked.
hQ 70. I
replied.
! took pledge from him that what l
SAID should be strictly confidential. Seve-
raj men connected with the ring lived in
the west and were almost neighbOrs of
mine, and l desired that my name should
not go to the public as an informer.
Afterwards | went to President Garfield
and received a pledge from him that
What l should say to the Postmaster
General should be confidential. He gave
me the same assurance that Mr.. James
mad given, that my information should be
secret.
Mr. Spencer then told how it was at
MS suggestion that Mr.. Woodward was
made Inspector and given general charge
OF the investigation. He related an in
cldent where fraud was denied by Gen.
Brady in a specific case, but was proven
by the Inspectors report, and how Rer-
cell came into the case through Il sugges-
tion from ex-senator Clayton, of Arkan-
sas, to himself
sPENCER's FLIGHT.
Mr.. Spencer then said: 81 remained in
Washington until President Garfield was
shot. | made up my mind that beyond
saving the government two or three
million dollars year the investigation
would be failure. The service would
be reformed, but there was no evidence
which
KecelYlng no pay for what was doing,
paid little attention to the subject, and
In the latter part of March. 1882, went to
Nevada and remained until June" Mr.. |
spencer then gave an account of his ar
rest in Nevada, in November last, for con-
tempt, and of his acquittal in Judge
Wylle's court. 81 want to state,v he
said, THAT of my own knowledge | knew
OF no material fact that would be admit
ted as evidence that would tend to
convict. Through Secretary Chandler
this was stated to Col. Bliss"
DoRsEY's PAYMENTS TO BRADY.
The witness referred to the testimony of
eX-Postmaster General James, in which
be said that according to Mr.. Spencer's
statement that Mr.. Dorsey had gone to
Senator Spencer's room and said; ssSee
how do business" Whereupon he placed
hVe or SIX thousand dollars in an envel-
OPC, PuO IL Ou d IdDle ana zen. Brady
came in, took the envelope and money and
left. did not say that I had seen Gen.
Brady and Mr.. Dorsey in room together.
never saw MIR. Dorsey paw Mr.. Brady
any money. Mr.. James was mis-
taken. We have talked so much
on these star route investigations
that ne may have got things mixed. III
made such statement | must have been
drunk, and am not in the habit of getting
drunk"
MIR. Spencer said that he was anxious
10 Oreak up the star route ring to vindi-
cate Mr.. Hinds, formerly a contractor. .but |
now resident Of Decatur. Ala. He had !
been prosecuted while CONTRACTOR, the
witness asserted, and the latter was
anxious to see the prosecutors come to