St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-09
ON THE STAND.
Gibson Before SDringer's Committee
in the Star Route Cases.
He Shows that the Cases were Managed
So as to Defeat the Government.
President Garfield Should not have Been
Surprised at the Table of Charges,
Having Seen Them Previously.

WASHINGTON, March S.-A. NJ. Gibson was
examined by the Springer committee to-day,
relative to his connection with the star route
investigation. He said he had received
SIS, 900 for his services as counsel, and that it
was a small compensation in comparison for
services as paid other parties. Gibson said
he began the special study of the postofiice
department in 1872, and became familiar
with the business department, especially in
relation to the awarding of mail contracts
Witness described in detail his meeting with
ex-senator Spencer in Washington, on
which occasion the latter asked
his assistance in the proposed
star route investigation. He spoke
at length of his visit to Woodward and of the
table of the SO expedited routes. ''That
table was shown the President and he ex-
pressed surprise.' Gibson said that was "a
little remarkable, because had distinct re-
collection of showing him the same table in
1880, before the election, while he was a
member of the house.
The witness gave a brief account of his in
structing the inspectors to make an investi-
cation of certain routes. In the meantime,
he continued, the attorney general sent for
me and said Dorsey had made statement
of his connection with the contracts which
had been shown to the president and secre-
tary of the treasury. That the statement was
ingenious, and had made an impression
favorable to Dorsey.
The attorney general asked me to make a
report on the star route cases, which did,
and then left for New York While there
I was telegraphed to to come to Washington,
and doing so, found my report had raised
ita 70, tba Of oh
was, the department of justice was arrayed
on the side of the accused persons.
'Do understand you to say that the de
partment of justice was arrayed ON the side
of the accused?' asked Stewart.
''The officers of the department of justice
had caused publication to be made in the
newspapers that had no connection with
the department, the effect of which was to
lead the public to suppose the department
was on the side of the accused The
witness testified that in the prose-
cution of the star route men
the government took the most com plicated
case, when it was their business to take
simple and plainest case. continuing Glib
son said, "after Brewster was made attorney
general, he said the duties of his Office were
so engrossing, he could not give time to cases
of this kind. He had been in the case before,
simply to make an argument as to the legal
ity OF the fling of an information. That's
all he did, and for this he received So, 900.
The grand jury found an Indictment against
j. B. Price, in the Corpus Christi case, much
to my surprise. No other indictments were
found, and there was direct evidence.
Among the other persons interested in the
case was VIM. Pitt Kellogg, then in the SEN
ate. Some time after, while in the postoffice
department, 1 found Bliss looking over one
of the papers in this case. I had left pur-
posely some matters blind. Bliss in reading
the paper over, asked to whom it referred. 1
wrote on a slip of paper, VIM. Pitt Kellogg.
This was some time in October, 1884. Price
had sworn that he had given drafts for $751;
600, and notes for S., 900 to VIM. Pitt Kel-
logg 1t was understood that one-half of this
was to be placed to the account of Brady and
one-half to account of Kellogg. While the
Brady and Dorsey trial was going on,
and when the case was being about
laughed out of court, Merrick called at my
house, and said, he had tried to get Bliss to
find Walsh. found him afterwards, and he
consented, much against his will, to be a
witness. His testimony saved the case.
You said, remarked Milliken,'' He saved
the case"
''He did not get the verdict believe. He
preventend it from being laughed out OF
court" the witness replied. The hearing of
Gibson will be continued till Monday