Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-04-07
THE SPRINGER uNyESrlG ALTON.
Detectives Sargent and McElfre~h on
the Stand.

WHAT THEY KNOW OF THE STAR ROUTE MATTER,
the HoWGAFE prsAPPEARANcE AND THE oTTMAS
eASE-oTHER TESTIMONY TO-DAY.
John l. Sargent. the washington Independent
detective, was examined before the Springer COM
mlttee this morning. He said he was employed as
detective In the star route cases by Mr. Cook for
the government His employment was from July
1891 10 January, 1882 His instructions TO as
certain the Names residences habits and associates
of ali the members OF grand and petit lures In the
District at that time This he did. and reported
verbally to Mr.. Cook every day He also pointed
our Lilly and Brodt. when they were arrested
DuTing about the same time the signal service
look into
THE CASE OF CAPT. HOwGATB,
who was supposed to be detaulter. MI. Neweombe
was placed In charge of the case, but. he (Mr Sar-
genD looked into the matters, and Howgate's
second arrest was made by him He then de-
scr1bed the arrest and subsequent escape OF How
gate. when allowed to visit his home in charge OF
connected also with
THE oTTMANCAsE
He recounted the details OF this case as they have
ofton been rected. 1t was through a statement
made to witness by the colored messenger at Po-
lice headquarters that the money was discovered
In the bank at Alexandria, He worked up the case
ana was perfectly famlliar with all lis bearings.
He sad that the government lost its case by plac
ing detective in the cell with Mr. Haileck In tail
TO eXtort from hlm a confession.
EMPLOYED FOR THE STAR REUTERS.
MI. Fyan asked the witness II he had ever been
employed by any Of the star route defendants He
answered that he had been employed by A. b. VII
lalns, Wnom ne understood represented s. W. Dor
sey. His services to A. b. Williams were during
the frSt star route trial His duty was to get all
The general information that would be OF service
10 MS employers, particularly TO government
witnesses.
Mr.. Fyan questioned the witness very closely as
to whether he learned or had heard anything about
any
HONEY BEING PAID BY OR DEMANDED FROM THE
SATLSBURYS,
and Parkers, to prevent Indictment being gotten
out against them. To all questions Mr.. SARGENT
answered that he knew nothing and had heard
nothing OF the matter
He was asked ii he got thousand dollars for ser
wees rendered Tor that purpose. He said he had
not gotten that or any other sum. He had he said.
been paid by Mr. Mckibben ior any general infor-
matlon he could give him.
Mr.. Williams paid witness for MS seryi es about
500 or 800. Witness treated directly with A. B.
Williams, and not with Dorsey. Witness saw Cook
nearly every day during the trial but he did not
see any papers relating TO the trial. Witness
SUPPLIED M'KIBBEN WITH INFORMATION.
but was not regularly In his employ though when
he wanted a little money from Mckfbben he went
and got It, He got about s10O altogether. Witness
heard a rlmOr that Salisbury and the ParkerS
were arranging or had arranged to settle their
matters With the government. He heard Williams
mention that, but he did not have any real ntor-
nation. IL only amounted to rumors. WltaeSs
SaulsburyS: he had no knowledge 70 that effect
Witness knows \. 2. Wilson. ii Wilson was an
attorney for any Of the parties involved witness
dld not know IT. Witness assisted Williams in the
firSt star route trial He had nothing to do with
the second trial
With regard to the Howgate matter, witness dis
covered some land OF HowgateS in Florida, and
Col. Cook had iJ attached
TESTIMONY OF DETECTIVE MELFREsH.
George w. McElfresh, an Independent detective.
was next called He was metropolitan detective
officer for ten years, until about year ago The
bondsmen or Howgate employed witness to have
HoWgaIe watched. 10 keep him from running away;
did not know any OF the Iacts connected with his
escape.
Witness was sent to New York With McDevitt,
! nected with the ottman case ana brought him to
washington. Haileck was not then a fugitive from
| justice. He absent on leave Witness had
nothing TO do with the arrest OF Ottman Coming
over on the cars from New York witness talked
with Haileck. On the train Halleck took out a
memorandum book and added up some figures.
Witness and McDevitt took the book and ascer-
tained that the figures added up amounted to
exactly the amount that was stolen. Halleck's
figures were divided into two parts. and the aggre-
gate sum Of the two sets OF figures made the pre-
else SUM OF money that was stolen
ABOUT HowGArE.
Witness said that last summer he was with Finder
and they got out circulars, Offering a reward OF
$1,000 for Howgate, and sent them all over the
country. The reward was by authority Of Gen.
Hazen. Witness knew OF no papers or anything
else showing the Whereabouts of Howgate. In
the latter part OF the last star route trial witness
was employed by A. Is. Williams. TO give him any
information he might get as 20 that trial. He never
gave Williams any information; never bothered
himself about the matter.
Mr. BLISS FEES.
Chairman Springer read letter from Col George
BsA giving his opinion on the system OF paying
T. S. district attorneys I'm fees In this letter Col
Bliss stated that while district attorney In
New York he received more fees than any other
official in the country. His Judgment, based upon
experience, that the Zee system Is a bad one,
and liable 10 great abuse.
THE CASE OF FOREMAN JOHN e. MITCHELL
| Chairman Springer said that Mr. John T. Mitchell,
foreman Of the grand jury In the star route eases
had called upon him and expressed dissatisfaction
that criticisms or comments had been made
| upon the action OF the jury. He wanted 10 know
| how far his oath as a juryman would close his
mouth; whether 1t would forbid him testifying be-
fore the committee. Mr. Springer said he had not
| then examined the law, but had done so since
Messrs Fyan and Mlliken, Of the committee. held
that the oath was binding, and it would not do to
Mr. Mitchell complained that Col. Bliss had cast
mputationS upon the jury and upon himself as its
go in telling what occurred in the jury room In de-
tense OF himself and tine jury. Mr.. Mliiken
said he regarded The oath as inviolabie, and
to tell what occurred in grand jury
room. Mr.. Van Alstyne was Inclined to think
/ that Mitchells testimony cold be heard The
|
tiles, and he was satisfied that for the purposes OF
public justice the rules OF secrets OF the grand jury
rom could be made public. Mr.. Fyan thought Ii a
matter not worth While TO go into. He never saw
lawyer who would admit that failure to win case
| was his fault. 1t was only Mr.. Bliss opinion that
| the grand jury did not do its duty In refusing to
| tndicU certain parties That was no impuJation.
'Ii We" continued Mr.. Fyan, ''go into all these
outside matters we Will never get through. hon
eStly and cOnsC1entiously believe, from Information
| laid before me, that
PARTIES HAVE BETRAYED THIS GOVERNMENT,
| have sold 1t out and got the money, and want
that dug out. Idon't want to waste time looking
| up matters about Tom, Dick and Harry" Mr.
| Fyan then added, don't much like TO talk here,
hut since the matter has come up I'll say this
plain to that these different parties shirking
my information Is that in certain Of these star
route cases experts were placed before the
| grand jury, papers submitted and explained and
tine accused parties Indicted while In the case OF
other parties, the experts and the damaging dOcu.
mentS We're not permitted to go before the grand
| dlcted" Mr.. Fyan, who is leading lawyer OF his
section, and has been on the bench, said positively
| that he had Information going TO show that some
| or the accused star rOuterS had been shielded.
| Al 1890 the committee adjourned until to-mor-
| row morning, when an executive session Will be
| held. The only other witness to be examined this
| week Is Mr.. Woodward he win testify Wednesday
| or Thursday.
Rev. DF. Newman Still Holds the Fort.
| CHURCH MEETING CALLED FOR TOMORROW
| EVENING.
The Ranney party over two weeks ago served q
notice on DR.. Newman. the pastor OF the Madison
| Avenue Congregational church, In New York, that
his services could be dispensed with after March 81