National Republican., 1882-08-25
THE sTAR-RouTE TRIAL.
MIR, MerriCk begins lIis Argument for
tho Prosecution.

In the criminal court yesterday Mr.. Merrlok be.
gan his address for the prosecution. He said that
III May last, when discussing the technical quci.
tions raised by the defense, hc had stated 1t was
the duty of prosecuting officer never to ask for n
verdict of guilty unless he believed the evidence
warranted II. In discharge Of bis duty he there.
fore asked the conviction Of John w. Dorsey, John
i. Miner, Stephen w. Dorsey Harvey NJ. Vale,
MohtiUrd G. Rerdell, and Thomas J. Brady. In
references to Turner he said he lIad his doubts. As
he hnd heard the sound of the p, n.tentiury doors
grating so close to him. the speaker urged him TO
take warning by 1t. lie aiiured the jury to come
up cnldiy and dispassionatcy 70 their high duty
OF adjudging this cause rlghtfily though teart
should How like rain, and not let the cdnkor of
Official corruption feed OH the heart OF the repub.
cd ,c Hmde. d .he protection OF iase ysrdiYt dhey
tempts
TO DISTURB THE VALIDITY
Of the document had been futile. The Indictment
set forth that tho defendants were charged with
coispriny 10 dcfraud the government by false
oaths, petitions. &c. Tho means certain COLI
trac,s, on which they were 10 obtain from the
Second Assistant Postmaster. General which he
was to render, knowing at the time that he was
betrnying his Official trust. As TO the relation OF
the means of conspiracy 10 the charge, his prop.
osition that where various means were alleged
whereby the defendants we're to accomplish lhe
criminal end, IL any OF the means were cStuD'
lished in proof IL was sufficient to establish the
charge; The charge was the agreement TO do
these things He then went OH TO discuss Mr..
the best bargain possible. Mr.. Brady,
continued Mi Msrrek was the 1En;,sS 1Tnsss
States to guard their property. III violating his
duty as trustee, brady uisgraced himself and
dishonorod his Office. Discussing the meaning
OF pro rata in the cnse of expedition, Mr. Mer-
rick said the meaning of The torn was similar to
proportion, but not exactly. Mr. Merrick gave rs
an example a route expedited from one hundred
to ffty hours, and asked what should be douc.
Judge Wylie said double the pay. A discussion
here ensued, in which Judge Wylie suid there
h rnI sNf
men and horses were increased. Mr.. Merr1ck
said the contact did not say anything about
horses and carriers. Mr.. Merrick dcclal ed that
THE FALSE OATH OF THE CONTRACTOR,
which Brady knew to be false, became one of the
quantities OF the proportion. They iound through.
ont the case the rate of travel increased half a
mile or So and tho additional stock represented as
incrensCd ten times, for which the people hud TO
pay thousands of dollars. Mr.. Mrrick argued
that the acts of the cOnspratOrs done before May
%, 1879, may all be considered If they tend to
show the existence of the conspiracy after that
dnte. They knew where the CON pirators were IN
1879 Bauy trampled the law under foot, aud the
to Representative Blackburns testimony, that
Congress appropriated s5gOO,OOO for the fiscal year
lSSO, all that was asked lor. and thai five months
after brady reported there would be deficiency
OF 81 100000 Down went the legal barricr, which
Mr.. To!ten said guarded the Treasury, and rob-
berry wns committed in anticipation.
ON SOME OF THE ROUTES
the amount allowed in addition to-the regular
contract sum was mace up Of sums al owed Tor ex-
petition and increase of trips; this in the face Of
Bradys declaration to Congress that in no case
should the expedition exceed 10 per cent. of the
contract. In difference to the theo advanced y
the defense that the Postmaster General shoulI
brought such nen as Genera sherman and Secre-
tnry Teller and placed them OH the and. These
gentlemen did not fix the laws regulating the SER
vice. Congress had provided that producliveness
should be tho chief thing considered. MIR. Mer-
rick asked the de.ense If all the propositions
which they intended to debate had been offered
MT Chandler and MIR. TOtlcn said they had
Mr.. herrick then discussed the law governing
conspiracy up to the time OF Adjournment.