The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-03-07
STAR ROUTES,
Attorney General macveagh's story-His-
Connection with the Pr0secusion-With
drawal from the Cabinet.


committee to-day that the first information he
had relative to the proposed star route investi-
cation was when he was advised by the Presi-
dent to consult with the Postmaster General,
which he did. Investigation convinced Mr..
MacVeagh that there had been gigantic rof-
berry of the public treasury, unless ordinary
indications were at fault. Inspectors were
then selected and ordered to ascertain the ex-
act facts. On the records in the department.
and the reports of the inspectors, the govern
ment officials relied for the evidence in the
star rOuIe prosecutions. Mr.. MacVsagh cor
roborated the testimony OF Mr.. James relative
to the appointment of Messrs, Gibson and
Cooke to assist Mr.. Woodward There was
nothing else in these matters" the witness
said, "till the wounding of the
President / was with him until bis death
at Elberon. 1t was newspaper CONNIE Mt that
was the gloomy member of the cabinet. 1t
was my misfortune to think each day that the
President was much nearer his grave than he
was, and only regarded it as little time till
my duties in my Office would cease. I felt that
it was undesirable, and, from my standpoint,
grossly improper to complicate the s'ar route
cases by any act that / could avoid when
knew should not be responsible for the final
conduct of the cases. / desired to d. nothing
to complicate the President who wouid sue.
eeed President Garfield and wished s0ss success
sor to go in as little embarrassed as possible
Shortly before the President died, it was felt
by all the gentlemen having in charge the
star route matter that something ought to be
done TO select counsel. They knew that
prominent counsel had been engaged on the
other slde l proposed to retain Mr.. Brewster.
thought then, and still think, that it was
our duty to select member of the profession
who held cordial political relations with Mr..
Arthur. / knew that Mr.. Brewster sustained
those relations. He possessed the necessary
qualities to condnct the cases. / invited Mr..
Brewster and Mr.. James Invited Mr.. Bliss.
This was done a few days before the President
died Immediately upon the accession Of Mr..
Arthur, told him that my convictions of pub
lie duty made it unbecoming for me to remain,
and Injurious to the public interest But was
willing to do anything in my power to relieve
him OF embarrassment, and said / would re-
main 80 or 40 days if necessary, that he might
have time to select my successor. On my re-
turn from the funeral, the President asked
that say to the country that my eaving the
cabinet was on my own account. This did
through the Associated Press Subsequently
the President asked me if / would not reconsid-
or the matter and said no. I was convinced
that my usefulness was ended, and that my re-
naming would be injurious to the public in
terest. l said second time, through the As
sociated Press, that 1t was my deter
mination to withdraw, and again gave my
reasons. On November Ia, turned over my
office to the seic'tor-general. I had several
conferences with President Arthur as to the
general subject of the prosecution of Star
route cases, giving my own views of what was
necessary to be done. The President ex-
pressed desire that I remain and continue
responsible for the prosecution; first as Attor-
ney General, and subsequently as leading
counsel for the government. After my
resignation OF the position / occupied, which
was read TO the President, he asked me to
allow the matter to rest until his return from
Yorktown. On his return, he said he had
selected my successor whose name he was
kind enough to give me, but some difficulty
had occurred iD communicating with him. At
q subsequent interview the President said ha
had changed his mind and had decided to ask
another gentleman to take the, piac5, f0r some
months at least. Bis name was TO go to the
Senate with the name of the Secretary of the
Treasury. Accordingly, with the Presidents
authority, / fixed day for leaving for home
in Philadelphia. There received message
from his private secretary, asking me to meet
the President at the depot as the limited ex-
press passed through. did so, and talked
with the President on the Car steps. He asked
me to reconsider the question of taking the
Star route cases. suggested that we could
not talk on the steps of q car, and said would
see him in New York. l went there, and he
said that ought to continue to bear the re-
sponsiblity of those cases. explained that it
had never entered my mind that was to
prosecute them in person. The reason was
apparent why it would be fatal II l took the
responsibility of the c@sos ShorsIy aItef fnis
] resigned my office"
WASHINGTON, March g.
Ex-Attorney General MacVeagh, teslifying
tooay as to his connection with the Star Route
cases, detailed the difficulties which surround
ed the prosecution at the outset for the lack OF
direct evidence, making 1t impossible at that
time to secure the indictment of Dorsey, Brady
aud Kellogg. 1t was a source Of great anxiety
and distress to President Garfield, who favored
prosecution in the courts to counteract an effort
of Dorsey and othe to have me turned out OF
the cabinet. Ii replied at all, / said the OBJ
iect was not near enough to my heart to
shorten my visit, and did not come back until
expected to. When / returned was told
that vigorous efforts had been made to turn me
out on the ground of base conduct, it even be-
ing intimated that l had engaged in plot to
steal papers sent to the President. was only
interested to know If the President had seen fit
to receive such charges. He said he had de-
clined them. These charges had been made
by Randall.
"Where did he land at lasl?" Mr.. Springer
asked.
sin shame and everlasting contempt" re-
piled Mr. Stewart.
Witness continuing said: Efforts to remove
me were made by those implicated in the Star
route frauds. l could not impute their mo.
tives, 1 will just let the committee judge.
They would say that they wanted me to get
out because I wss a bad man. Until the
death of the President. l thought it my duty
to remain with him; after his death l thought
it my duty not to remain. A torent OF abuse
was poured upon me for declining, aud the
Star route men insisted day after day that
shonld remain. The reason of the change in
the attitude of the gentlemen was perfectly
apparent to me. ! was know 10 have been IN
very ardent political sympathy with President
Garfield on all questions ABOUT which the Re-
publican party was SO strenuousy divided al
most into two hostile camps at Chicago, and
upon every one of those questions had been
in as hearty accorj with him as I bad been
in hearty and strenuous oppositionto to President
Arthur.
Mr.. Arthur was we'll known to entertain
and to have given expression to very low
opinien of sentimental politicians, of whom
was one, and was known 70 have long enter.
tanned and frequently expressed very low
opiuion OF practical politicians, of which he
was one; and these gentlemen certainly must
have seen that the President who had called
me here and sustained me under the great
obloquy and abuse in these prosecutions being
now dead and buried, / was in no position
whatever to bring to these cases the requisite
moral support, and the opinion OF these gentle
men was intensified by the newspapers edited
by Hastings and Gorham. They had steadily
taken the side OF Arthnr and as steadily OPP
posed me with as mean words as their tongues
could express. When Arthur came here
found him in close application with these
editors. When you, gentlemen, consider
these things, and when You add the condition
of affairs as they existed in the arena Of the
District of Columbia, I think You will see the
impropriety of my remaining in the prosecu-
tion against such gentlemen. When l pub
lished my reasons for leaving, ] had no reason
to believe that had anything bpt the cordial
approval of the President In my ac-
zion. He made short visit to New
York and then I think came a
change in his views. Subsequently he be.
came more convinced that I ought to remain
thinking the cases ought to go on in the same
hands as they had started.
Mr.. Springer asked the witness to whom he
referred when he said yesterday that Presi-
dent Arthur bad selected man for attorney
general but afterwards changed his mind.
"The man was subsequently made MEM
ber of the cabinet" Mr.. McVeagh, replied
Witness was asked to explain the selection
OF counsel in the Star route prosecution and
compensation proffered for their services
Immediate before the death of President
Garfield" McVeagh said, "I asked Mr..
Brewster, and at the suggestion of Postmaster
General James, Mr. Bliss to be the govern
ment counsel. Mr.. Gibson had previously been
| employed as an assistant in the department of
| justice with special detail to work up the Star
| route cases. About June 1st Mr.. Cook was ap-
pointed. Brewster was brought into active
| work about September 15tb No letter was
| sent to Gibson it eeems concerning his appoint
ment but communications were sent to Cook,
| Bliss and Brewster. These communications
had the clause that compensation would be