Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-03-06
THE STAR ROUTE INVESTIGATION.

THE STAR ROUTE INVESTIGATION.
Nr. James Theory as to the Assassin.
alton Of President tsarfield-Ex-AttOr.
ney General MacVeagh's Connection
With the Prosecutions, &c.
EX-Postmaster General James was still upon the
sIand before the Springer committee yesterday af-
ternoon when TIE STARS report closed. He said
PRESIDENT Garfield directed Brady's dismissal. AZ
terwards, however, he sent note to witness. say
Ing that upon reflection he had concluded to allow
bfady 10 resign. A. N. Gibson was retained by the
Attorney General upon the recommendation Of In
Spector Woodward. and upon the earnest appeal Of
Gibson. WA. Cook was also retained:aS counsel for
Iile prosecution. Witness went through the his
Tory OF the affair which is already well known. and
silu tilat from the moment the table of the famous
three star routes given out to the press
Mr. Dorsey began to actively engage In efforts to
Snleld hlnSelf to bring the Investigation to naugh
10 disturb the relations OF the President with his
CaDlnet and to convince the country that persecu-
tlon was The primary motive OF the department and
OF the administration. Witness recounted the
tor Spencer. and which have been given to the pub
l1c The witness said he was glad of the opportu-
nity 10 appear before the committee to give true
nlStofy OF the caSe and do justice to the memory OF
the late President, Who had acted in the matter in
the most honorable and courageous manner. ''If
ne mad taken lower view OF his obligations as
Cnle1 Magistrate and as an honest man. said the
witness, ut Is my firm belief that he would not
have fallen victim TO the assassins bullet
"Your belief, Mr James, is that the assassination
OF Garfield was in consequence OF star route mat
ters?n asked Mr. Stewart, of the committee.
VI don't say that" replied the witness. II mean,
judging from the clamOr OF the people and the clip
pings found in the asSassins pocket that Guteau's
head was turned by these things"
EX-ATToRNEY GENERAL MACvEAGH
was then examined, and explained his connection
with the cases. He said that when he examined
the papers in the cases he found that there had
q Crro IN ne Tho
unless ordinary Indications We're at fault He said
That after President Garfield shot he was placed
IN delicate position, and his convictions OF public
duty made it unbecoming that he should remain at
the head of the prosecution under the new Presi-
Dent; and he did not want to go any further into
the matter, as it might be an embarrassment to
Mr.: Arthur. He declined to remain longer in the
Cabinet, and at sir. Arthurs request made this
oecllnatlon public. President Arthur afterwards
asked him to reconsider the question OF taking the
star route cases. saying that he should continue to
bear the responsibility. But he Nhe witness) eX-
plained why it would be fatal If he took the re-
sponSibility.
Mr.. MacVeagh's Testimony To-day.
Hon. Wayne MacVeagh, ex-Attorney General
was again before the Springer committee to-day.
He was asked if he remembered the conversation
with President Garfield to which Mr.. James had
referred, where the President was Informed as to
the gravity of the evidence in the star route cases
Mr. MacVeagh replied that he could not recall any
particular conversation, but he knew that he had
submitted to President Garfield all the facts de-
veloped, and had talked with him freely as to the
nature OF the prosecution. Witness remembered
that on one occasion he, with Mr. James, called
upon the President. and submitted to him all the
evidence procured 1t was useless to deny that the
star route prosecutions involved grave political
complications one OF the gentlemen accused had
Deen United States Senator. another was then
senator, and another occupied, or had until re-
Gently occupied, very important position. He
referred to
MEssRs DORSEY, KELLOGG, AND BRADY
There was Well marked division of opinion in
the republican party as to these cases The great
gravity OF the the initial steps neces
sary to prosecution laid before the President
The uniformity of the evidence, as obtained from
the records, showing at least gross carelesSness and
lnlSnanagement, II not worse, was explained. He
thought 1t his duty as confidential adviser of the
President TO submit everything to him In the fullest
ana clearest manner. There were many points
that witness had no personal knowledge OF. but he
had no doubt that the President at that time knew
every thlng that was charged, there were matters
daily presented In the newspapers; in fact the
President knew all that the prosecution knew.
The President and his advisers realized that the
prosecution would entail very dsagreeable work
1t was source Of great anxiety and even distress
to the President for besides the prominence OF the
accused one OF them had been very active in the
management OF the campaign that elected the
President. In reply to question witness said no
effort to 1adtct was made under his adminlstra-
t1On.
ONE OF TIRE MEsFoRTUNEs OF THE CASES
wasthat their magnitude, the extent of territory in
volved period Of time covered made 1t absolutely
impossible for an intelligent presentation OF them
to be prepared within the time some thought il
ought to be done. Documents had been found
which were exceedingly persuasive OF guilt but
agents had to be sent large part of the con-
try TO collect testimony. Mr. MacVeagh said he did
not then, nor at any time while Officially connected
Win the cases, express any opinion OF guilt. He
was averSe to any trial in the newspapers He was
satisfied from the records that prosecution would
pc necessary that 1t would be necessary to proceed
by Indictment He told Dorsey that sort OF in
vestigation snort OF judicial one would answer,
and that he did not see how any innocent person
could be harmed by a judicial investigation. on
one occasion, at the Post Office department. though
not by Encouragement with him, he met 5. W.
Dorsey Col. Ingersoll, and Mr.. James Some method
OF inquiry outside OF the courts was urged by Dor
sey and those interested with him. II WAS implied
that President Garfield favored an inquiry outside
the courts.
OWING TO THE GREAT ANXIETY OF THE PRESIDENT,
witness said that he may have at one time been
persuaded that possibly some method Of investigs-
ton different from those adopted could be pursued
but the President did not suggest this to witness
At the meeting referred to Dorsey asked witness
he was prepared or determined to disregard the
wishes OF the President and push the matter to
trial in the courts. Witness replied that he knew
OF no such wishes. Witness had assured the Presi-
dent that no indictments would be procured with
out first fully advising him (iarf1ellD. Nothing
came OF the conference at the Post Office deDart-
ment. Witness announced the determination OF
the prosecution to proceed in their OF prose-
cutl0n In June OF that year witness went to New
England, and While there received telegram from
Il Ilcuu urging Hlm W return llfl!neulltplY TO
Washington, as strong efforts were being made to
get him out OF the Cabinet He replied that tile
matter was not near enough to his heart to shorten
his vacation Upon his return he aScertained that
grave charges against him had been offered to the
President
CHARGES THAT HE HAD sUBORNED TESTIMONY
and stolen papers. He was only Interested In
ascertaining whether or not the President had re-
ceived such charges in his absence: but upon
inquiry, learned that when offered the President
replied that II he received them his only action
would be 10 OrGer the arrest OF the party making
them. Mr.. MacVeagh referred to the RerdelI am.
davit OF retraction as the charges he meant That
affidavit was offered to the President by Dorsey
VINO was accompanied by IngerSOll. He did NOT
care to define the motives OF the accused IN trying
to eXpel him from the Cabinet. The accused would
bad man. In that connection witness added that
those
EFFORTS TO GET HIM OUT
were ardently supported by the newspapers repre-
senting the accused; by their newspapers here and
the New York Commercials A dpertiSer He was
told of these publications, but did not read them.
81 have had" he said, ''a lifelong habit OF reading
only the agreeable things said about me. know
they are true, [laughterl, and the Others are not
But it was told about the abuse Of me-" Contin-
uing, witness said he thought 1t his duty to remain
in the Cabinet while the President lived, and the
accused thought it was his duty to go out, but as
soon the President died, they thought
1t was his duty to stay, and he again
differed with them, and concluded 1t was
his duty to retire He had never had
the pleasure OF agreeing with those gentlemen on
that question. They poured upon him an ava
lanche OF abuse because he refused to remain in
Arthurs Cabinet; that he was running away from
the star route cases. while he ought TO remain and
prosecute them. AS there were four special cOun-