Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 March 1884 — LIGHT ON THE STAR ROUTES. [ARTICLE]

LIGHT ON THE STAR ROUTES.

The Story of the Prosecutions Retold by Mean. James and MacVeagh. Ex-Attorney General MacVeagh’s Reasons for Retiring from President Arthur’s Cabinet. Before Mr. Springer's House Committee on Expenditures of the Department of Justice, ex-Fostmaster General James and cxAttorney General Wayne MacVeagh have been rehearsing their brief experiences as Cabinet Officers, and telling what they know about the star-route frauds and star-route prosecutions. From the mass of testimony elicited and wired from the national capital, we compress into a column the pith of the dual narrative.

As Told by Mr. James.

The ex-Postmaster General produced a printed statement of star route investigation and the alleged frauds brought to his notice by Senator George Spencer. Before the witness was. made Postmaster General he was called to Washington by Whitelaw Held. Together they called upon the President. James waa then informed that he was offered the Postmaster Generalship. Star route measures were talked over. The President said there was something rotten in the Postofflce Department, and he expected the witness ’to ■ “put his plow in beam and subsoil it. On March 9,1881, the President again brought the matter to the notice of witness.' 'He said He expected witness to cut -off frauds. If, upon investigation, he found any persons guilty, they would be turned over to the Department of Justice. Witness proposed to call Mr. Woodward Into the inquiry, and this met the approval of the President. John Swinton, one of the editors of the New York Sun, suggested the name Of A. M. Gibson as Inspector, and he was accepted and put to work. . Here witness entered into a lengthy narrative of the details of the work of Gibson and Woodward, all of which gre familiar to the country. Witness suggested to the President that civil suits be first instituted against the accused. The President thought criminsf-suits should be begun. The Attorney General warned the President that criminal suits might strike men in high official position and turn the political tide to the Democrats. Witness said Dorsey called on him to denounce Gen. Brady,_and demanded nis removal. Witness recommended Brady’s removal to the President, who took the matter under advisement. After concluding that Brady’s resignation would not be demanded, the President reconsidered, consented to it, and witness asked for it Brady immediately handed it in. Then Dorsey began to hedge. He cringed and crawled, and his brazen effrontery disappeared in his pleas for clemency. The story of Rerdell’s confession was rehearsed, and was directed especially at the alleged “deplorable character,” Dorsey. Witness related that upon visiting the President with ■William A. Cook he found Dorsey and Attorney Ingersoll in conversation. Cook warned the President that "something awful” was about to happen. James said that Bliss, Gibson, Woodward, and others retained in the case did not fix their own salaries. "Right here I want to say," continued the witness, "that what I say of the other Postoffice officials Includes Gibson.” The statement of the witness closed with the assertion that “had the President not taken the step he did against the star-routers he wouldn’t have fallen by the assassin’s bullet.” “Why da you state that the assassination of Garfield was the fruit of the star route prosecutions?" ihquired Mr. Stewart. "I do not state that," replied witness. “That's the inference drawn from your assertion. I think yon need to explain your situation.” Witness said he wouldn’t make that assertion because he didn’t know it. From ttte character of the newspaper clippings found upon the person of the assassin at the time the deed was committed it was plain that his head was turned by press accounts of the starronte prosecutions.

Mr. MacVeagh’s Story.

Ex-Attorney General MacVeagh testified that after President Garfield was shot he considered it undesirable to complicate the starroute cases, and he de-ired to do nothing to complicate the President who would succeed Garfield. He wished his successor to go in as little embarrassed as possible. “I had," said Mr. MacVeagh, “several conferences with President Arthur as to the general subject of the prosecution of the star-route cases, and he expressed a desire that 1 remain and continue responsible for the prosecution, first as Attorney General and subsequently as leading counael for the Government, but I felt 1 could not do so." Explaining the talk he had with President Garfield in tfie political effect of the prosecution of the star-routers. Mr. MacVeagh stated that he warned the President that it would strike some of his high political friends, men prominent in his election, who held letters from the President which he wouldn’t desire to have made public. Witness explained the great gravity of the step proposed, as there was at the time a division in the Republican party, and be thought the prosecution might hazard its future. Among those high in political position referred to were Dorsey, Brady, and Kellogg. Witntss told Dorsey’s attorneys that papers had been found in the department which needed explanation. He also told Dorsey that there must be an investigation by the Grand Jury, as he conld not be Injured if innocent. He said the matter caused Garfield great distress, but he consented. He was made aware of all the steps taken in the investigation, the issuance of warrants proposed, etc. He stated that it was not Garfield’s desire that the matter be settled by judicial investigation. Witness dwelt upon the efforts of Dorsey to of Rerdell’s affidavit waa referred to. The grounds upon which Dorsey demanded the removal ot witness were that he was generally a bad man. Witness entered into an account of the circumstances of his leaving the Cabinet He said it was attributable to President Artliur’s sympathy with the star-routers. Witness cited the intimate relations of Arthur with Hugh Hastings, George C. Gorham, and other friends of star-routers. They supported Arthur before the assassination, and.were cordially, received. afterward. He thought the gentlemen had great' influence with Arthur. Witness didn’t desire to remain in the Cabinet. He suggested to the President that he had better have another Attorney .General, as the citizens of the District of Columbia believed if he remained it was merely to administer to a dead man’s estate. Mr, MacVeagh testified that he] did what he could to oust District Attorney Corkhill, bat President Arthur was set in his desire to have Corkhill prosecute Guiteau. The ex-Attorney General’s testimony nqxt turned upon the subject of salaries paid to the Government's attorneys in the star-route prosecutions. The testimony on this subject tended to throw the rest onsibiiity upon Attorney General Brewster. In fact, fie explicitly stated that Mr. Brewster first recommended the payment of Slot) a day to the attorneys. Tfie only account witness * passed upon really was $2,5W to Attorneys 811-s and Brewster prior to the appointment of the latter as Attorney GtneraL He recon.m ndpd. however, that these two genmen should tie paid ffl.ooo and fS,(JOu, respectively, for services from the middle of December to the Ist of January; Mr. Bliss first suggested iIGO a day, and it was , insisted upon by Mr. Brewster, who wiote sev- ! eral letters upon the subject of salary, and insisted uion tue settlement of his Gill before he i entered upon the duties of Attorney General, aa he did not want to.pass upon his own bill. "Was not ti e .-a arv of sioo per day unreasonable?" inquired Mr. Stewart, of the comiiiitt-'e. "Not for a short time," replied the witness. "It might tie unreasonable if it should run a year or two years. For l.Vj days it would not be an excessive salary."