Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-21
STAR ROUTE RASCALITY
Brewster's Reply to the COmmittee-The
Horrible Fate of the Thieves-The
Counsel Fees.

Counsel Fees.
Attorney General Brewsters letter,
which is given below, and which was
read to the Senate to-day, regarding
counsel fees in the star route cases, saws
a Washington special of the 18th inst. to
the st. Louis Republican, was listened to
with mingled amusement, amazement
and chagrin. Senators who heard it read
are surprised that such a document
should come from a Cabinet officer. His
efforts to Offset the failure of star route
prosecution by declaring that Dorsey.
Brady Il Co. "are now at large, objects of
scOrn and obilOquy," was received with
laughter on the part of Senators, and the
reference to ''the wholesome terror
Of those trials" brought smiles
to both sides of the chamber. The Senate
resolution Of inquiry called upon the At
tOrney General for cold facts relating to
the employment of counsel and the fees
paid to them, and his sermon on the moral
effect of prosecutions, resulting in the ac-
qulttal of men whom he calls ''thieves
and robbers is receiving very unfaVOr-
able comment. 1t might dQA'or stump
speech, but for an Attorney8$ neral in an
Official communication to Congress to
brand as thieves and robbers men who
have been acquitted by United States
juries, though they are looked upon by the
public as guilty, is regarded by Senators
as new departure in the administration
Of the Department Of Justice.
The following is part of the Attorney
Generals letter:
Had it been originally supposed that
the cases would occupy the time they did
probably the rate fixed would not
have been asked or given. When how
ever, the trial was tediOusly prOtracted
Inv oIi e l1F IL.
total paid for the services OF Bliss did
appear excessive, and | accordingly urged
that some abatement be made by him, as
did alsOto other counsel. Ker's bill [ re-
duced and Merrick made reductions at
my request, but Bliss insisted upon a
full compliance with the requirements
OF the original contract, in one
instance claiming it allowed him to
charge Tor arguments a sum in excess of !
500 per day, which ] refused to grant,
and on the 4th of November. 1889. he !
wrote a letter threatening to withdraw
from the case If his account was not paid. |
While the cases were in progress l |
thought it injudicOus to insist upon con-
cessions which would bring about the
Withdrawal of Bliss. / don't think the
amount received by Merrick and Kerr
excessive or out of proportion to that paid |
IN cases OF even less magnitude between |
private parties. In the first trial of the |
cases against Dorsey ct al, personally |
appeared in court as often as my other |
duties would permit, followed the case
with care from day to day, and |
made the closing argument be-
fore the court and jury. Two |
of the defendants were convicted |
on the first trial, but the irregularity and |
jncOngruity Of finding subordinates |
guilty and failing to convict the organic |
ers and general conspirators-those who |
made the whole gain and those who had |
set on foot the whole scheme to rob the |
government-was so manifest that the |
verdict was set aside upon motion of the |
government. On the second trial thew |
were acquitted. The public men who |
were involved in these cases were not on |
their trials before these Juries alone.
They were on their trials before the peo- |
pie Of the United States, and they were |
convicted by the common judgment of the |
whole country. They are not punished by |
imprisonment, but they had better |
be in prison than now at large, |
objects of scorn and aversion. These |
prosecutions have not been with |
out their usefulness either. | have
been informed by the Post Office Depart |
ment that they have saved the govern
ment in that department alone, $2,0O0,000 |
per annum. The effect has been to deter |
all adyenturers to throng about the de- |
partments in Washington. The same Off |
cials have assured me before these cases
were begun the halls of the Post Office |
Department were swarming with these
dishonest jObbers. They are there no more. |
The wholesome terror of these trials have
expelled them. The thorOughness of
these investigations has made it plain
that there was no place so high that it
could not become the sanctuary for
thief or public robber.
BENJAMIN III ARRIS BREWSTER