Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-17
MILLER. JOHNS CASE
Defendants. Gut Loose from
Bach Other.
LATTER: BEARS BRUNT
PROSECUTIONS INSISTS THEY
WERE IN, coLLUsIoN.
lsr
Johns, He Declared, Delivered the
Goods and Did the Col
Letting.
LATTER; BEARS BRUNT

Letting.
CINCINNATI, Ohio. October 17-Argu-
nents were in progress today in the bribery
trial of D. v. Miller and Joseph M. Johns.
The families of the defendants were pres
ent
Informal conferences indicated that the
case would go to the jury about pm.
Assistant District Attorney Darby insist
ed that the letters and kilograms that
passed between the defendants and others
showed an understanding between Miller
and Johns. and all that Attorney Johns
knew that could be of service to Ryan &
Company or any one else came from D. v.
Miller. He said Johns could not have
known of the troubles of Ryan & Company
with the Post Office Department except
through Miller who had charge of the case
for the government
In closing Darby insisted that Johns '1n
delivering the goods and collecting" rep
resented Miller, who was at the time
federal official. ~
Hiram D. Rulison, attorney for d. v.
Miller. followed. Attorney Rulison con-
tended that not one cent of money from
Johns ever reached Miller, and that there
was no understanding between the defend
ants in the nature Of a conspiracy If
Johns buncOed Ryan, Miller had nothing to
do with it. Rulison said that there was
nothing to show bride to Miller.
During RuliSOn'S argument 1t was evil
dent that the defense of Miller had cut
loose from that of Johns RuliSon declared
1t might be said in defense of Johns that
when he "buncoed'' Ryan out of 500 he
buncoed one who had been "bunco-
ing" others for years. but 1t was I'M
just to connect Miller with Vt, when the lat
ter knew nothing of it. He reviewed con-
ditions in the Post Office Department under
Tyner subsequent investigations by Bris-
tow, Robb and Cochran, with IAN army Of
inspectors and clerks" and then held that
the conspiracy established was that of
making scapegoat out of Miller, in whose
trial gamblers and thugs had been used
as witnesses. RulisOn insisted that Miller
had been treated unfairly in the sweat
boxes at Washington, and held that he
was not then given an opportunity to pre-
sent his own case. He reviewed the betting
schemes OF John J. Ryan & Co. and i'm
peached Ryan and other witnesses against
Miller 49,.
He said Christiancy was the Judge who
passed on the Ryan cases. and that Miller
simply appeared as the governments at
torney. The article in Washington paper
for which the. data was furnished by Clerk
Huebner of the Post Office Department was
reviewed to show that Chrisdancy passed
on the Ryan case favorably instead of
Miller
Miller's Interviews With Johns.
Miller. the former assistant to the Attor-
ney General for the. Post Office Department,
yesterday afternoon testified that when he
returned to Indiana last September on
legal business. and again in October for
campaign work. he met Johns and talked
freely with him, but there never was any
reference to the Ryan case or any other
matter before the department until after
the election and he had returned to Wash
iDgton November 20 he received a telegram
otf
for Ryan & Coz This was the day after
Ryan and Johns met at Terre HATTIE.
Miller told all about the hearing Of the
Ryan case November II, when Christiancy
sat as judge, Miller appearing for the gov
ernment, assisted by a clerk. and Judge
Outcalt of Cincinnati as counsel for Ryan.
was also present
Miller then urged a fraud order issue
against Ryan. but the representations
of Outcalt that Ryan & Co. would eliminate
all Objectionable features of the turf COM
mission and guarantee enough deposits 10
pay all certificates, Christiancy allowed the
concern to continue on the observance of
certain stipulations that were made in
writing.
Miller testified about all the subsequent
proceedings up to the report made to
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Bris-
tow on November IA, and then to the clos
Ing Of the case November 20. when Chris
tiancy's attention was called to all that the
witness had done.
Miller testified that the much-disputed
supplemental report of the post office in
spectors on the Ryan case was delivered to
him December o. when Christiancy Was
with him in their office, and that the latter
read 1t and said there was nothing new in
1t and directed Miller to write a letter on
the Ryan case similar to the ruling in the
Arnold case, but to write 1t with "a string
to it."
Nature Of the "String."
Miller read the letter and explained that
the first part was the ruling and the last
part was 1.-THE string" He explained that
Ryan was not then paying on demand, but
on thirty days notice, on account of being
ruled off the turf at New Orleans He said
1.-THE string was intended to prevent Ryan
from using the letter for promoting or ad-
he had never advised Johns of the Ryan
case pending In his Office. When he re-
ceived telegram from Johns to enter him
as attorney in the Ryan case he did not
show this telegram to Christiancy, as the
latter was bitterly opposed to friends an
pearing as counsel in the department and
the nephew of Tyner. He did not advise
Christiancy when he got a letter from
Johns wanting to be notified Of any decision
answered Johns letter in the usual Official
way and gave no special information
About that time all in the Office were exer-
cised over a magazine and other articles on
Barrett, General Tyner's nephew, appear
ing in cases under Tyner. Miller said
Christiancy expected to get Tyner's place
and had promised to advance the witness
to his place.
Sent Ruling to Johns.
Miller testified to ordering Ryan's mail
held up at St. Louis for violations of postal
laws after the Christiancy ruling had been
mailed to Johns, and produced copies of
those orders. :. He said he had mailed the
ruling to Johns because the latter had so
requested as Ryan's attorney, and thought
it the same as sending those documents to
Ryan. He denied receiving anything at any
time from Johns that would influence his Of
cial action. He also denied any understand
ing with Kyang Johns or any one else as to
his official action. %
The stenographic notes taken by Watson
when concealed in-Bristow's Office during
the Robb-Cochraag interview with the wit
ness were again produced, and the witness
was closely questioned about his statements
that he had sent the decision to Ryan and
not to Johns, -and-many other Statements
differing from subsequent replies. Miller
said the notes of Watson were not COM
x<rixr, I,;~