Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-28
STAR ROUTE CHICANERY.
MIR. KER CONTINUES HIS RECI
tai TO MIR. SPRINGER.

Col Bliss Success as a Clog in the Wheel
of Justice Further Described-HOw
the Newspapers Helped Keep the
COunsellOrs Somewhere Near the Right
Path,
WASHINGTON, May 27.-W. w. Ker
| continued his testimony to-day before Mr..
Springer's committee relative to the prose-
cution of the star route cases. He said:
"Some time before the time of the Mitch
ell grand jury expired Col. Bliss said TO
me that there was no use to bother with
the indictments in the Parker and Sails
! bury combinations, and that he was go
ing to arbitrate them. l said that he
could not do it; that was the end of it. /
had some indictments prepared and tore
them up. The reason for telling Colonel
Bliss that he could not arbitrate was that
! the revised statutes while allowing arbi-
| trati0n in certain cases expressly prohibits
| it in cases in the Post Office Department
/ Mr.. Merrick afterward spoke to me about
the proposed arbitration. He said that it
was singular that Col. Bliss did not inform
| him of it. Shortly afterwards Attorney
! General Brewster summoned the counsel
to him, and said that the press was COM
menting on the Salisbury cases not being
taken up. He represented that they be
| considered before they were barred by
the statute of limitations. told him that
/ Col. Bliss was talking of arbitration. He
replied that he did not want any arbitra-
| tion-that he wanted the guilty parties
| punished. The matter was then drOpped.''
NO RECORD KEPT.
Mr.. Ker then referred to the proceed
ings of the Mitchell grand jury, and said
| that there was not the scratch of a pen to
show that any record had been kept, and
that the other grand juries kept records,
| except the one which convened the fol-
| lowing June, and which considered the
Kellogg case. "WhOeyer was RESPONSE
bic for this omission" Mr.. Ker continued.
sought to be held accountable" Ref
! erence was made to the indictment of ex-
| Senator Dorsey and Postmaster General
Brady by the Mitchell grand jury. In
preparing the Indictment, Mr.. ker said
that he included Mr.. KellOgg's name, but
the jury omitted it afterwards. Mr.. Ker
said: "T'here was conference of Messrs.
I Bliss, Merrick and myself Mr. Merriek
said that Mr.. Kellogg should be
! indicted because he was a public
official but Col. Bliss thought
that it was not proper to proceed against
him In the trial until his term as Senator
should have expired, because if convicted
it would break the Republican majority
Of the Senate, but as the statute Of limita-
tiOns would bar the case if delayed. he
was of the opinion that it was absolutely
necessary to secure an Indictment. Mr..
MerrIck considered the case from the
standpoint of lawyer, not politician.
Col. Bliss showed no disposition to get
an Indictment.
GOADED ON BY THE NEWSPAPERS.
Mr.. Walsh had begun to ventilate him
self in the newspapers, and we saw that
we would be charged with derelIction of
duty if we did not proceed against Mr..
Kellogg. Mr.. Merrick said TO Col. Bliss
that his honor was at stake, that he should
bring the case before the grand Jury.
The jury had been dismissed. Mr.. Mer-
rick insisted that il should be recalled
Col. Bliss hesItated, but, finally, he was
induced to go to Judge Wylie and ask that
the grand jury be recalled to consider the
kellogg case. The Judge directed the
| jury to be rec0nvened. There was some
discussion as to who should 20 before it.
| Mr.. Merrick insisted that Col. Bliss should
| go, as the newspapers were indulging in
severe criticism. Col. Bliss said that he
did not care for newspaper criticism. He
| consented, however, to 90 before it. The
| jury was in session one day. Much to
| my surprise the members came out and
said that they had nothing to present.
| The Judge then dismissed the jury. / con-
sidered its failure to indict a mystery.
Col. Bliss never made any explanation.
/ think that he said if he had been the
grand jury he would have found a bill.
The matter went on until n new grand
jury was obtained. Col. Bliss was Op-
posed to bringing the case up. Mr.. Mer-
| rick insisted that it should be done.
BREwsTER's CONFERENCE.
"AbOut this time the Attorney General
asked the government counsel to meet
him at his house to consult about the
Kellogg case. Col. Bliss said that Kel-
! lOgg ought not to be indicted, Mr.. Mer-
rio hat ind ot oil, i
| found. The dispute assumed political
aspect. Col. Bliss accused Mr.. Merrick
| of being prejudiced politically. Attorney
General Brewster said that he did want
| politics considered, The Attorney Gen
eral gave orders to proceed with the in
| dlctment against Kellogg, and 1 was di-
! rected to 90 before the grand Jury. Messrs.
Price and Walsh were examined and a
! presentment was made. Mr.. Ker here
| entered upon detailed account Of the
! evidence against MI. Kellogg. on which
an indictment was found.
Mr.. Milliken objected on the ground
that the committee had decided not to
| take testimony touching upon Mr.. KeI-
| lOgg's guilt or innocence. A lengthy dis
pute between Representatives Milliken
and Van Alstyne followed, during which
the former said that he was opposed to
''sneakng evidence in.''
81 sneak nothing" retorted Mr.. Van
Alstyne.
Mr.. Ker said that he would not say
anything unless allowed to tell the evil
! dence by which the Indictment was Sc
cured. He did not propose to again be
placed in a false position. Mr.. Milliken
replied that he was willing to let Mr.. Ker
make a statement, but he would insist
that Mr.. Kellogg should have the right to
defend his reputation.
MIR. KER TELLS THE STORY.
The dispute was settled by the agree
ment that the question of Mr.. Kellogg's
testifying should be considered again at
some future time. Mr. Ker then retold
the story of the payment of $4,000 in
note and drafts by Mr.. Price to Mr..
Kellogg. He continued: ssWhile pre-
pairing the indictment Col. Bliss came to
me and asked me to put in the true dates.
l replied that did. Col. Bliss was in
dignant at an Indictment being found.
He went to New York and said that he
would not come back. He was induced,
however, to return"
Reference was made to the recent trial
Of Mr.. Kellogg and Judge Wylie's deci-
sion, by which the case was ended.
Representative Hemphill suggested
that the committee begin an investiga-
tion OF Judge Wylie.
Mr.. Ker continued: 'sMr. Kellogg told
Col. Bliss that he took the $40, 600 received
from MIR. Price and used it for political
purposes in Louisiana. Mr.. Kellogg has
also gone to newspaper correspondent
and said that he would take a shotgun
and blow my - brains out. All I'ye got
to say is for Mr. Kellogg to let me know
when he is coming, and Pll be ready for
him.
Mr.. Ker concluded his testimony by re-
ferring to his pay for his services. He
read letters from Philadelphia LAWYERS
who considered the pay (about So, ,0O0)
reasonable for the work done. He said
that he had received $3.50 for two hours
work on an indictment in another case.