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THE DAILY REVEILLE
AUSTIN, NEVADA:
WEDNESDAY............NOV. 21, 1883
SPENCER ARRESTED.
Hon. George E. Spencer, ex-Senator from Alabama, was in Nevada when the second Star Route trial was called in Washington last year, and the Government wanted him as a witness, but he managed to get over into Canada, and did not return to the United States until after the conclusion of the celebrated case. He returned to Nevada and United States Marshal Corbett immediately notified the Department of Justice. About ten days ago Attorney General Brewster telegraphed Corbett to arrest Spencer and bring him to Washington. The Marshal notified Al. Knuckles, his deputy at Cherry Creek, to "spot" Spencer and report. Upon ascertaining where Spencer was, Mr. Corbett sent out Louis Wardle to meet Knuckles, and the two repaired to Austin an arrested Spencer yesterday morning. Mr. Corbett will escort the gentleman to Washington, where Spencer is wanted for "contempt of court," and where Brewster will endeavor to give him the full limit of the law.―Reno Journal.
At the request of Senator Spencer made yesterday morning before he started for Washington, we said nothing about the business which called him to Washington. The above item, however, we think, will justify us in telling his side of the story, and we believe that he were here he would ask us to do so, Mr. Spencer was largely instrumental in bringing about the Star Route trials. His twelve years in the Senate enabled him to learn a good many facts which were placed at the disposal of Postmaster General James. Of course Mr. Spencer was subpoenaed as a witness and appeared in Washington at the time. But with the usual custom Attorney General Brewster kept dilly-dallying along, and three or four weeks passed and no Star Route case was called. Getting tired of this slow work, Mr. Spencer left Washington to attend to private business which demanded immediate attention. He has been in this State for a long time. He has mining interests in White Pine and Nye counties and has been attending to them without any effort at concealment. The REVEILLE has often mentioned his presence here and at no time has it been necessary to "spot" him. He cheerfully left for Washington yesterday morning and fully expects to return in a month. Senator Spencer is not a criminal like Dorsey, Brady, et als., and has nothing to fear from a bluff of Attorney General Brewster.
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The Star Route scandal involved a lucrative 19th-century scheme whereby United States postal officials received bribes in exchange for awarding postal delivery contracts in southern and western areas. Public disgust over the Star Routes graft served as an impetus for civil service reform and the passage of the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act in 1883. (Wickipedia, “Star Route Scandal,” November 30, 2020.) Spencer’s involvement is unclear. However, his tenure in Congress is remembered for corruption and abuses of office, including embezzlement, vote tampering, and political patronage that earned him the epithet of "carpetbagger." (George Spencer, Encyclopedia of Alabama.org., November 30, 2020) The Star Route scandal involved a lucrative 19th-century scheme whereby United States postal officials received bribes in exchange for awarding postal delivery contracts in southern and western areas. Public disgust over the Star Routes graft served as an impetus for civil service reform and the passage of the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act in 1883. (Wickipedia, “Star Route Scandal,” November 30, 2020.) Spencer’s tenure in Congress is remembered for corruption and abuses of office, including embezzlement, vote tampering, and political patronage that earned him the epithet of "carpetbagger." However, his involvement in the star Route case is unclear. Apparently nothing came of his return to Washington. A Union cavalry officer in the Civil War, Spencer died in Washington on February 19, 1893, and was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. (George Spencer, EncyclopediaofAlabama.org., November 30, 2020)
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