Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-13
WALSH SPINS HIS YARN.
HIS MONEY BAGS A PREY FOR
STAR ROUTE LEECHES.


Brady the Most AvariciOus of the Lot
Col. Bliss Alleged VilIainy in Shield
ing kellogg in the Jury Room Mi
nutely Described-HOw the Banker
Got Some of His sheI1efs Back.
WASHINGTON, May 12.-Mr. Springer's
committee to-day had before it Foreman
Hutchinson of the, third star route grand
jury. After testifying to the appearance
before his jury of Messrs. Walsh and
Bliss, he was asked by Mr.. Fyan: ''Did
you in that grand jury hear Mr.. Bliss say
that it was a very serious thing to indict
a United States SenatOr?''
Mr.. Hutchinson-''He said that it was
a serious NATTER He did not say very
serious. think the statement was made
during the testimony of Mr.. Walsh and
before our deliberations"
John A. Walsh, who gave his business
as a speculator, his age as 80 years, and
his residence as New York, was next ex-
amined. His style was graphic and en-
tirely free from hesitation, reluctance or
embarrassment. "You want to see me,
understand, in relation to my dealings
witk Mr. BlissY' he began. Mr.. Walsh
said that he became a contractor by dis
counting drafts of Mcdonald, Kirk & Co..
contractors on the route from Santa Fe to
Prescott He testified that he advanced
about $4,000, nearly all of which had
been advanced on the recommendation of
Gen. Brady, and the assurance that the
pay ON the route would be increased af-
terwards.
A ROW IN THE FAMILY.
Mr.. Walsh said that the members OF the
firm, consisting, besides Mcdonald and
Kirk, of j. J. Hines and L. W. Fisher,
disagreed. Mr.. Mcdonald asserted that
the only way to pay Mr.. Walsh for the
advances was to make him a sub-cOn-
tractor. The witness continued: "Mr.
Hines declared war to the knife. He de-
manded $4,000 from ME to placate him.
l said that | would not pay it. He began
to attack Gen. Brady and the Post Office
Department, and really threw them into
the greatest state of excitement. Messrs.
Mcdonald and Fisher went one way
and Messrs. Kirk and Hines the other,
and they proceeded to grind me. | took
the route finally, and Mr.. Hines put on
his war paint and hatchet and began ter
rifying the department. In. the mean
time the pay and service on the route had
been reduced. | was to get $1S.500. Mr.
Hines came to me again and said that he
wanted money, and said that if [ didn't
pay I'd get left. 'Well,' / replied, 'rll
get lett anyhow He wanted $4,000, and
he proposed to have the pay on the route
increased. / asked him how to get more
pay. He said that it would be easy
enough. l agreed to pay Mr.. Hines the
money, and almost simultaneously the
pay on the route was increased $135, 900
for the next three years, but the
increase did not last long.
THE FIRST INVESTIGATION.
GA regular whirlwind was raised. Mr..
Hines had gone too far in his war and an
investigation was begun. The news
papers claimed that there was fraud and
that l was in it. l was called before an
investigating committee with Mr.. Black
burn as Chairman. | told the committee
that it was making a mistake but the
committee went on. Nothing come out of
the investigation. After the investigation
was approached by Choice Andrews, a
nice young man, devOting his energies and
intellect to the Sixth Auditors office. He
handed me a list. l was glad to see any
list. He had me set down for $4,000.
what for?' l asked. That Congressional
investigations he said. We'll, l didn't
have any money for the Congressional
investigation, then. Mr.. Andrews said
that the old man wanted to see me:
Gen. Brady was the 'Old man. l went
to see him. He asked about the money.
| said: MIR. Andrews was not in earnest
yes, indeed,' he replied. My Godr l
said, Il have not any $4,000 Shortly after
the route was cut down one trip, and my
whole line was thrown into the utmost
disorder. Complaints began to come in.
A DECLARATION OF WAR.
81 felt things were eliminating and
growing quite serious. Mr.. Hines was an
noying me for money. / told him that
was being wrecked. Then Mr.. Hines
asked me if l did not have a temporary
arrangement with Gen. Brady. | told
him no, and he then said that l was being
prosecuted, and that he would go to
Washington and beard the lion in his
den. The war was begun, and l looked
on. About that time Gen. Brady wanted
some more money. He wanted to get
about $24, 900 from me. Really ! was in
quite an embarrassing position. He wrote
me a letter saying that he was
going to raise Chattanooga stock, and
said that he was in need of "ginger."
He said that he was little cramped, and
wanted to borrow my stock that l had
purchased the week previous. 1t was
really difficult to accommodate him, and
/ told him so. His manner was not very
charming, and he said that the stock was
going to the deuce. / concluded that
had better settle with Gen. Brady, and
wrote a note asking him to meet me. He
came. He-I might quote but l WON'T
he captured me. / referred to an increase
on my route, and he told me that he was
not making increases for amusement.
spoke of petitions. He said that petitions
were not good unless the fates were pro-
pitiOus. He wanted $4,000 for the Con-
gressional investigationfund. l asked
L. L,
faithful adherents to take the route off my
hands.
AMONG THE WOLVES.
SHE invited me to come round and see
him. l went the next day. Gsn. Brady
was not tSIkative, and was sent to the
Sixth Auditors office. There l saw young
Mr.. Lilly, and he said his father, the late
lamented, wanted to see me. / saw him.
Old Lilly said that he had been to see Mr..
Hines to stop his yawping. Mr., Lilly Of
fered me $4,000 for the route, and / want
ed $4,000. My stock had cost me $50, 900.
thought at one time that L could get
$50, 1000, but did not.
II concluded that could not make much
money in Washington, so l went to New
York among the wolves. | then asked
permission to sublet the route, and it was
granted. / tried to make Gen. Brady feel
bad, and told him that | thought that he
would be indicted. He said that there
was no danger of that, as he had a corner
in the grand jury. | went on performing
the service on the route as good as any
body. Gen. Brady said that it was not
being performed properly. Then came
an order revoking my permission to
sublet. / think that Gen. Brady declared
me failing contractor. That ended me-
The new administration came in. My
family were living here. 1 visited them
on Saturday.
TURNING THE TABLES.
"Once Mr.. Woodward called uDon me
and said that the department was in possess
sion OF facts showing that L had been badly
treated. He said that Postmaster General
James wanted to see me. l called and
the Postmaster General talked generally
and expressed the same opinion as had
been expressed by Mr.. Woodward. / was
told that the sum of about $4,000 was due
and would be paid me. was expecting him
to say: What do you know, Mr.. Walsh {?
What'll you testify TOP There remained
yet due to me fines ana penalties imposed
by Gen. Brady amounting to about SO. 900.
Mr.. Woodward asked me to set
forth the facts relative to the
fines. l did so and they were
remitted. That left me in good standing.
and entitled to all the privileges enioyed
by one in good standing. l asked
for an extra months pay. Mr.. Elmer.
then Second Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral, declined to pay it. About this time
Mr.. Bliss came into the cases. l did
not know him, and had nothing
to say to him. Mr.. Gibson
had had several conversations with me
about the suit for an extra months paw.
He formulated my conversations in writ
ing to present them to Mr.. Bliss. Mr..
Gibson asked me to say to Mr.. Bliss that
what he had written down was about
what / said. l replied that if it would
relieve him of embarrassment | would do
so. and did. There were generally many