Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-05-26

oTHKRsEwHAr MADE Mr.. MERRICK ANGRY
OTHER INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS
w. w. Ker, the assistant government counsel in
the star route trials before the Springer COM
mittee this morning, and reviewed the history OF
the star route trials He said that in January,
1882 he received q telegram asking him to come to
washington as soon as possible; that the Attorney
General wanted to see him He took the first train
for this city and had interview with the
Attorney General, who told him that he had a
great deal Of trouble to get counsel assist In
Quoting the star route cases, and asked IL he (ker
would not serve In that capacity. Witness said
that he told the Attorney General that he was q
democrat and did not know how his acceptance Of
such a position would effect him. The Attorney
General said that he knew that he was democrat
and was glad OF it; the matter was one OF justice
and not or politics: and he would be better calcu-
oeo 70 conduct the matter without favor or prel9-
ulce he then consented to take the case In hand,
ana made the necessary arrangements concerning
his private practice and entered into the case.
MR. KER INSTRUCTED NOT TO CONVERSE WITH COOK,
GIBSON OR CoRKHILL ABOUT THE CASE.
He was given to understand by Mr.. George Bliss
that there were certain persons connected with the
case with whom he was not to hold any communi-
cation. He was told not to converse with Col
COOK; not to let him know anything about the In
d1ctments he was to draw up, or say anything to
hlln good, bad or Indifferent; not even to let him
know OF his connection with the case. He was told
also that one Gibson was man with whom he was
to have nothing to do, because he had done some
thlng-w1tneSS could not understand what-that
made him an object Of distruSt. Col Corkhil, then
u s. district attorney OF the District of Columbia
was another man he was cautioned not to hold con-
versation with. On taking the matter in charge he
found that he
HAD TO TAKE HOLD OF THE WRONG END OF THE THING,
and must look into the laws In force In the Dis
tr1ct affecting the case.
He found that the common law obtained here to a
great extent, and then he began to study to make
20 1avy ovo6 rao
study the methods OF the Post Ofice department in
relation to contracts, etc. Meantime Col Bliss had
taken some OF the cases before the Police Court,
and he lker) had to wait until these cases were
olSpOsed OF In order to get the papers. Col Bliss
told witness that most Of the cases would be out
lawed by March 4th and unless witness had in
dctments ready before that time the accused would
escape Witness found the cases more complicated
and dimcult than he had anticipated. Bliss said
the indictments ought to charge conspiracy but
Witness found upon examination that
FORGERY RAN ALL THROUGH THE CASES.
The charge OF conspiracy, however, was adopted,
under section 5,440 of the Revised Statutes That
section, he said, had never been 1udicialy con-
strued.
that had to be considered in framing the fndict-
ments, such as what constituted an overt act etc
DE said the statutes did not provide adequate pun
ishment for defrauding the government except in
the matter OF the internal revenue that the laws
covering fraud We're defective except as against
revenue frauds He said Col. Bliss gave him the
names OF the parties to be included in the indlct
mentS.
Mr.. Van Alstyne-Do you remember the namesg
Mltness.-Oh, yes, sir: ought to; dreampt OF
them for two years.
The witness then named the parties included in
the Indictment. He named the DOrseys, Miner,
Vale, etc. He said he wanted to call attention to
the fact that he was furnished with the name OF
Henry NJ. Vale when in fact the name was Harvey,
and that he was not responsible for the error but
used the name given him witness said he also
endeavOred to get the Christian name OF RerdelI
but could not. He applied to Woodward, Shall
and fhnrc -Ilf,h
start, but none OF them knew it, They said Rer-
dell was an adventurer and nobody knew his
nan name e. so he indicted In the name Of N. c. Rer-
plOyed six stenographers and kept them busy by
working all night. He had to work all night in
order to get the indictments completed by the 4th
OF March, as he was told that unless they were
done by that time the parties would escape. AS
fast as he could get the indictments done he sent
Inem IN. Ihe witness here read OH
A LIST OF THE INDICTMENTS
and the parties accused, giving the dates on which
he completed them. Witness was from January
s1st to March 4th, 1882 preparing the indictments.
In the list OF indictments were number against
the Dorsey crowd for perjury. Witness said there
sci drew the indictments and sent them in for the
court to determine the question. AS to some OF
them he held there was not the shadow Of doubt
OF the right OF the government to convict the par
ties who had sworn that they owned certain prop
erty, and that the property was worth certain
amounts, when they did not own such property,
| ana such as they did own was not worth the value
sworn to. In reply to questions witness said moth
ing had been done with the parties who made these
false OathS, though there question as to ab-
ity to convict them Witness read from certain
afidavts oaths OF one Charles H. Dickson as to the
route contracts. He said Dickson swOre to differ
ent valuations for the same property, and that
nothing had been done with him.
"a CONFIDENTIAL CLERK"
"He is now," said witness, "a confidential clerk
In the Interior department."
Mr.
Witness.-"Yes, sir; the same Charles H. Dick
son."
witness claimed that in what he did in the mat
superiOrs In the cases. that he obeyed Instructions
In reply to question witness said an indictment
would have laid against Brady for receiving bribe
II evidence could have been found to sustain it.
Witness reiterated the statement that he knew
nothing about the evidence or the cases. except
what was handed to him. He was emplOyed to
prepare indictments and used such matter In the
preparation OF them as was supplied TO him by his
superiors- Witness said he was directed to get
ready to prepare indictments against the Sauls-
burys, ParGers and all the other big contractors
Mr. Bliss said he attended to the cases before the
grand Juries The witness went on to describe the
terms OF court, the changes in the government
counsel, on down to the beginning of the first star
route trial Witness had no idea he was to partici-
case, when the Attorney General told him he
wanted him (KeH to aid In the prosecution Up to
to prepare indictments.
Ne
The Attorney General told witness he wanted
him (Ker) to take and examine all the witnesses In
private; find out what each would testify and take
notes Of 1t. Witness went to Bliss and told him
what the Attorney General had said. Bliss re-
Piled: ''Never mind that; I'll attend to all that
and don't want any Interference IN examining the
witnesses" Then Mr.. Ker added: "Mr Bliss is
quick and nervous person, and when he Is
present nobody else can do anything He is
WILLING TO SHOULDER MORE THAN he CAN CARRY
had little to say to Mr.. Bliss. We had nothing In
common. don't say it unkindly that he is willing
to shoulder more than he can carry but it is true
Witness explained the quashing of the Indictment
against Rerde and said that at conference OF the
prosecuting counsel Bliss said SanderSOnS name
ought to be dropped out; that he (Bss) had talked
with Sanderson, and the latter said he didn't want
to be indicted with any such crowd. Witness had
was no evidence against him. Here the witness re-
ferred to reports that Sanderson had paid money to
get his name omitted, and he said that he Ker
wanted TO say he never got any money or any other
consideration, and any body in the case exacted
any money from SanderSOn on the ground OF letting
stood with all the government counsel that Sander
son was to be left out Witness had an understand
ing with Bliss that the question of SandersOn,s in
d1ctment would come up later In connection with
the consideration OF the routes In which he was In
terested Witness understood from Bliss that all
and Others-were being examined, and would be
considered In proper order. Therefore, 1t was
proper 70 drop SanderSOn and let his name come up
Later with the combination to which he belonged.
BLISS OPINION or WALSH
Bliss told witness that Walsh was bad man:
that nobody would believe him and there was no
use In paving any attention to him Bliss safd the