National Republican., 1884-12-02
THE STRAW BOND CASES.
Trial OF Thomas w. DOnohuo for
Perjury In Regard to tho Value of
Land.

Trial OF Thomas w. DOnohuo TOT
Perjury In Regard to tho Value OF
Land.
The only case assigned for trial in the
criminal court yesterday was that Of
Thomas w. Donohue, charged with per-
jury. Shortly after tho star route in-
vestigation began tho department OF
justice instituted inquiry into what was
termed the STRAW bond" furnished by
contractors for mail routes, and this is
one of the indictments tho result of
that examination. Mr.. Donohue was one
Of tho bondsmen for Samuel q. Cabell
and A. L. Boone, and went on over 1000
bonds. To mako him competent bonds
man Mr.. Cobell transferred to him 375
acres Of land in Morgan county, Ky. Mr..
Donohue swore that the land was worth
s35, 900, while 1t is claimed that he knew
it was not worth over $4,000.
District Attorney Worthington repre-
sented the prosecution, and Messrs. A. X.
Browne and Charles Pelham the accused,
George NJ. Sweeney, chief clerk of the sec
ond assistant postmaster general, was the
first witness called, and testified rs to the
oath required to be placed on bonds and
form of interrogatories to be answered by
sureties going on bonds. Kate N. Arm
strong was the contractor at $4,000 per
snnum, and the bond was $12, 900, with
check deposit of 5000 at the time the bid
was put in, George f. Graham, notary
public, testified that Donohue appeared
before him Dec. 2, $780, and made oath
to the bond bearing his signature.
Thomas. p. Shallcross, who in 1881 was
an inspector in the postotfice department,
testified that Donohue made statement
under oath before him. 1t stated that
Donohue knew Samuel G.. Cabell and
wife, and that ne decided to him the prop
| erty in Morgan county, Kentucky,
for 81. At the time of tho
conveyance there were lawsuits pend
ing against Cabcll. Subsequently he con-
veyed it, at the request of Cabell, to John
| NJ. Minnix. Later Charles ii. Dickson
and wife conveyed to Donohuo certain
property in Morgan county, KY, and paid
nothing for 1t. After this, at the request
of Cabell he went surety on some 25O
contracts, and owned no other property
except that which had been conveyed to
him, and which he was to hold until the
contract was completed.
John w. Hazelrig, of Kentucky, testi-
fed that he knew the land in Morgan
county, and it was timber land and min
eral land. The value of it was about S.
per acre.
Othor witnesses from Kencutky though,
So per acre high price for tho land.
With this testimony tho government
rested.
Albert L. Boone, for the defendant. tes
tilted that his present business wa
building railroads and working Goa
lands; that neither Donohue nor jack
son was present when Armstrong signeC
tho bid and Graham attached hi
certificate. Capt. Samuel .. Cabell testi
fed that tho bid on the Armstrong rout
was made up for Mr.. Boone. The witness
wanted Mr.. Donohue to 20 on the bon,
and give him deed in fee to secure him
Witness purchased three blocks of lane
in Morgan county, for which he paid s
per acre. Tho land was represented t
be valuable, full of coal, covered wit
timber and railroad running nigh Il
it, and the witness made the same repre-
sentation to Donohue as had been mad
to him. Donohue was not paid cent TO
going on tho bonds. B. w. Webb testi
fed that Donohue consulted him in re
gard to going on the bond, and the wit
ness said there was no impropriety in il
James w. Donohue, the defendant, ties
titled that when he signed the Armstron
proposal they had already been signed b.
Miss Armstrong and Mr.. Jackson. ii
never made an oath before Notary Ora
ham in his life. When the witness signe
the contracts at Boone's.the notary wa
not thore. When the land was turne
over to him by Cabell the latter said
: was worth 5000 an acre.
AT this point the court adjourned ur
ill this morning.