The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-14
THE SPRINGER COMMITTEE.
Walsh Shows How SkiIIfuIly Government
officials Contrive to Evade Their Duty.

Walsh Shows How SkilIfuIly Government
Officials Contrive to Evade Their Duty.
WASHINGTON, May 13.-John A. Walsh ap
peared before the Springer committee again to
day. He stated incidentally that while the gov
ernment was engaged in the prosecution of the
star route contractors the spectacle was pre-
sented of press owned by General Brady and
gentlemen connected with the government and
the prosecution joining hands to libel witnesses
for the government. He thought George Bliss
went into print against him because he Bliss
was in sympathy with General Brady.
Now, tell your experience before this grand
jury" said Representative Springer
81 wouldn't go before jury with Bliss.
would rather have gone to Jail Ker represented
the United States before that jury. 1presented
the same evidence that I had presented to the
second grand jury. l had evidence before the
first jury, but was only there fifteen or twenty
minutes and the jurymen said they had enough;
thai they didn't want to see any papers The
thru jury returned an Indictment on the same
evidence presented to the first jury. The rea-
son was that George Bliss was before the first
jury and was not before the last"
AT this juncture Mr. Springer picked up papers
~
loeg. They consisted of a small package of
drafts and letters
These are dangerous papers," the witness
said. They are dynamite. | gave testimony
before juries on which Brady and Price were
indicted and that same testimony implicated
Kellogg. You can't play Hamlet with Hamlet
left out very well.n
a lengthy discussion T,lative to the admission
of testimony rejecting on Kellogg followed du
ring which Mr.. Van Alstyne said, referring to
the action of the committee in refusing to inves-
tigate Kellogg: 1--WE were cowed out of doing
our duty" The witness continued: ''MerricR
and Ker drew the indictment against kellogg.
have heard great deal of abuse of the unfor-
tunate Ker. Merrck said the other day the in
dictment was good"
But it couldn't hold Kellogg" interposed
member of the committee.
1T would hold man who would steal loaf
of bread" Walsh replied.
Mr.. Van Alstyne moved the Walsh papers be
The motion was lost ''That finishes the record
with me-" said Walsh, when the result of the
vote was announced
Referring to why he did not appear in court
last December Walsh said, II did not especially
avoid the government officers, yet did not go
around hunting deputy marshals who might
have been looking for me. ! was around on the
streets, and have no doubt if they had sent the
usual class of men that serve the government
and not men who loiter around beer saloons
would have been found very readily l went
down in elevated train one morning in the
same car with George Bliss; sat directly opposite
him and didn't notice that he was frantic in his
desire to see me, although it was reported that
he was. He must have known me-"
In speaking of the trial of Kellogg the witness
said Merrick told him that Secretary Chandler,
Bliss and Kellogg had had conference at the
residence of the frst-named person
some time before the trial. Walsh
then related the circumstances under
which he recently appeared in Washington and
said that when he met Attorney general Brews-
ter, he (the Attorney generall apoogized for
what he had done unjustly to him (Walshl max
ing full reparation. He said lie had been
preiudiced against me by the studied and per-
sistent efforts of Geo. Bliss"
The committee adjourned till tomorrow,
when Walsh says he will make "a pleasant allu-
sion" to BGss's testimony before the committee.
in other words, he said Il will proceed to de
molsh the government counsel"