Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-05-04
Dorsey and Brady.

EAstAHiNbl btlitihlb EAILAlN 10 \ IU-
LICE COURT POINTS or THE STAR ROUTE
CONSPIRACY.
WAsnINCToN, April 26---The case Of
NJ. &. Rerdell, against whom an indiot.
ment connecting him with the Star
Route conspiracy was quashcd a few
DAYS since because his Christian name
had not been used, was to-day before
the Police Court for a preliminary hear
ing with n view to his indictment again
by the Grand Jury.
The warrant upon which Rerdell was
arraigned before the Police Court con
sists of the original indictment, which
was quashed by Judge Wylie, with an
affidavit attached to the fact sworn TO
by Charles =. Blackmar, clerk in the
Contract Office of the Post Office Depart.
ment. The affidavit places the date Of
the alleged conspiracy as upon May !,
1879, instead of March ], as was charged
IN The original indictment.
After the reading Of the warrant
Hon. Wayne MacNeagh was sworn.
II said Rcrdell told him that eK-Sena.
tor ClGyton, OF Arkansas, was present
when he had made his former statement
to the Postmaster General and Mr..
Woodward. Rerdell said he was a part.
ty to large extent in the previous mail
lettings. The names used were j. w.
Dorsey, Vail, Peck, and possibly Boone
and Others. $. w. Dorsey's name had
not appeared because he was in the
Senate. stephen w. Dorsey, after his
retirement from the Senate, had pur.
chased "A number OF these contracts,
and he tRerdell) was a general mana.
ger for him. He prepared all OF the
papers and was his bookkecper, secre-
tary and general assistant. He had
kept certain books and accounts and
had made entries therein st Dorsey's
request. They would show the partic-
ulars of the expedition OF routes and
other information. They woulu show
what moneys Brady and Turner had re-.
ccived. When the Congressional in
yestigation WAS in progress great fear
was felt by Dorsey at the probable re.
suit, and he lRerdelll pleaded sickness
as a means OF delay, and meanwhile had
prepared false set Of books to bc
shown the committee. Brady and 9th.
ers interested in the Dorsey combina.
tious knew all OF these dctails, and
they knew he possessed this iniorma-
ton.
Rerdell said the original books were
in existence in New York. and he could
and would get them a. a measure Of self
protection. They would fully corrobo-
rate his statements. He also produced
papers in ex-senator Dorscy's hAudwrit-
ing the contents OF which witness did
not remember, and had said they would
fully connect Dorsey with the schemes.
Ii was regarded AZ necessary by Brady
TO obtain petitions and aifidavIis a.
plausible excuse for the expedition.
Kerdell said a man had been hired to
get up these forged papers, notably in
Kansas. lie claimed to be in the pos.
session Of letter books, with letters from
D0rscy therein, which would prove the
truth Of these statements Witness Faid
that Rerdelll told him onehalf Of the
fines remilted went TO the contractor
and the other half 10 Brady and the
other Post Office officials connected with
him. lie had also said there were
routes whcreupon the lawful service was
| not performed, and Others upon which
absolutely no service was rendered.
When cross examined Mr. MacVeagh
said he had no personal knowledge Of
I the eKisisncc Of a conspiracy IN these
cases beyond the records aud Rerdeli's
statement. Neither had he any knowl.
/ edge Of any fraud upon the Government
committed By defendants except what
! he bad been told or had seen from the
records The only other information
/ given by Rerdell was that Dorsey and
others had Obtained a contract for 5000
in Colorado which had been increased
TO $4,000, $4,000 and finally TO $1,000
When the Congregational Committee was
investigating these matters the contract
price was suddenly dropped to 10000
7 Rerdeil said he had told this to the
committee. and also that Dorsey and
Bosler we're making $1,000 O month
profit from one route.
TX Postmaster General James testi.
fed that Clayton had come TO the Ar.
lngion Hotel with Rcrdell, and had
shown witness books and transcripts
containing accounts OF the transactions
OF Dorsey and others. One OF the papers,
= transcript oi the balance sheet, con
tanning among other names that Of
William Smith. which Rerdell said was
the name under which Brady was known
in the combination. Rerdell said in the
division Of the profits for expediting
and increasing the number OF trips
Brady received 33 or 40 per cent in
the division Of remitted fines he receiv.
ed 80 per cent. Rerdell said the money
had been paid 10 Turner, who was
known on the books as "Tones.' The
money paid 10 the Post Office officials
was carried in the bogus book, intended
10 be seen, rs nfoht and loss. The