Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-02
ROGUES AT THE BAR.
The Star Route Trials Begun-DOr-
sey's Last Straw BrOken-The First
Days Proceedings.

WASHINGTON, June 1.-The star route
trials began to-day. Colonel Ingersoll in
behalf of the Dorsey brothers opened with
a request for leave to withdraw their Flea
OF not guilty and enter a motion to quash
the indictments on the ground of informali.
ty In the composition Of the grand jury,
the fault being that the jury was not drawn
under the act of 1879, providing for non
partisan selection of the jury with the as
ststance of United States Commissioner.
The court ruled that it was not a
proper motion. even II made in
the first instance, because the Dis
trict having no place in politics, there
was no occasion for the application Of such
a law. The District had its special code,
and it had never been the practice to allow
the Intervention Of commissioners In the
selection OF jury. The selection of jury
was then proceeded with. Under the laws
affecting such trials In this District, the
prosecution were only allowed three per-
emptory challenges, while the defense were
allowed four for each defendant, making
twenty eight in all, there being seven de-
This placed the prosecution at
disadvantage, and the defense were
correspOndingIy aggressive. The challenges
on the part OF the prosecution we're soon
exhausted, and the selection of the greater
part of the Jury was IN the hands of the de-
Tense and the court, The challenges by the
defense exhausted the panel, when only ten
jurors had been obtained. Four talesmen
were summoned, and from those the rem aim
ing jurors were selected. The following is
the complete list:
VIM. Dickson, foreman; Mathew Nc
Nelly, John B. Mccarthy, Edward J. Nc
Lain, VIM. K. Brown (colored), Edwin d.
Doniphan, Henry A. Olcott, WIN. Holmead,
Thos. Martin (co' ored), George W. Cox, E.
T. Murray, aud Zlchariah Tobrierer.
Mr.. Merrick asked the court to caution
the jury against having any intercourse with
any parties relative to these cases. He also
desired them to abstain from reading news
papers, and he criticised severely attacks
made by local newspapers upon the prose-
cution. Undue influence, he said, had been
brought to bear by these parties, which he
would make the ground for future action.
Judge WYlie said that perhaps he should
consider it his duty to bring these newspa-
per attacks to the attention of the grand
jury.
Colonel Totten said the defendants might
claim the privilege. II anybody had been
vilified, he said, it was the defense, and he
made bitter attack on what he called the
lying newspaper correspondents who had
been sent here from day to day.
In answer to an inquiry from the prosecu.
tion, Judge Wylie said they should have the
opening argument, and it was arranged that
Col Bliss should give an explanation at
length to the jury Of the particulars of the
cases, and should state what the government
expected to prove. This argument will
probably be delivered tomorrow. The
court also added that the defense would be
allowed but one opening argument by one
of their counsel.
"It is my intention, 7" said JudgeWylie, "to
bring these cases to a close before July 4th,
even IL we have to sit at night and on
Saturdays to do it."
Still he thought the usual court hours
vuot1ld enfffoa