The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-05-01
THE srAR-RoUTE SCANDALS.


Ex-Attorney-Genera Brewster in
Bad Way---The Trial of Dickson
for Exposing Attempted Bribery.
! News and Courier.
/ A dispatch dated Washington, April
/ %, says William Dickson, appointment
citizen of the District, and Democratic
politician of more than local reputation,
was foreman of the first grand jury that
tried Brady, Dorsey, and those indicted
with them in the Star Route cases. The
jury failed to agree as to the guilt or in
nocence of the leading defendants Just
before the close of the trial Dickson Gre
ated a sensation by announcing in Court
that an attempt had been made to bribe
him.
After the jury had been discharged
the whole story came out. a man nam
ed Bowen, claiming to represent Attorn-
ey-General Brewster, and showing an
appointment from Brewster to place
under the department of justice, had
sought Dickson out and told him that
Brewster was anxious to secure con-
viction, and it would be worth s., 800 to
procure a verdict of guilty. Dickson
wrote down all that was said by Bowen.
After the jury retired, during the dis
cussions in the jury-room, several Jurors
having stated that they had besn offered
brides, Dickson read this paper. He is
now, nearly three years afterwards, on
trial for corruptly endeavoring to intiu-
ence jurors. His offence consisted in
reading this paper
A great deal has been written of the
Star-route scandals, both of the original
swindle and the infamous methods at
tending the trial. Now, however, in the
Dickson trial statements are coming out
which, if left uucontradicted, place a
stain upon the boosted escutcheon Of the
Brewster family, which several genera
tions OF spotIess purity can scarcely eff
face. 1t is claimed by the defence that
the department pursued and bounded
Dickson as a criminal in order to hide its
own infamy. Dickson sought every
means to bring Bowen to trial, but was
prevented by the department, which
controlled the machinery of the District
Courts. Instead of Bowen, Dickson
himself was arrested on the charge de-
scribed above. The grand jury at first
refused to indict him.
Ex-District Attorney Corkhill testified
to-day that he was notified by Mr.. Kerr,
one of the attorney generals assistants,
that if the scheme to indict Dickson fail
ed, he would be held responsible by the
department Corkhill thereupon talked
the matter over with the grand jury and
secured an indictment. The Govern
ment, however. has neglected to bring
the case to trial before jury. Dickson,
however, continued to demand a trial
and at last the Court interfered and set
the case for trial peremptorily. Mean
while Bowen and his accomplices have
disappeared.
Capt. Charles f. Henry, bluff Ohio
farmer, who was appointed marshal Of
the District by Garfield and suspended
from office by Brewster on account, as
Brewster alleged, of Hsnry's sympathy
with the Star-route defendants, gave to-
day an interesting piece OF evidence, at
tributing to Mr.. Brewster an attempted
crime of startling character. Brewster
Cameron, Brewster's confidential man,
came to Marshal Henry, so the latter
says, with a list of names Of persons
whom the attorney general wanted put
on the jury. Henry fatty refused and
was subsequently suspended from office.