Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-01
STAR ROUTE RING SECRETS.
The Percentage of Profits Which
Went TO General Brady.

The Indictment of Montford G. Rerdell
was recently qusshed on the ground of
misnOmer, his name being set forth as NJ.
g. Rerdell. He was a bookkeeper for
Dorsey, aud at one time let out some of the
secrets of the star route ring, but afterWard
cast In his lot with the others. In order to
obtain another indictment against him he
was arrested and brought before the Police
Court, the allegations of the former indict-
ment being presented as the charges against
him. The proceedings Wednesday were
made interesting by the fact that his own
admissions to ex Attorney General Mac
Veagh and ex-POstmsster General James
were testified to by those gentlemen as
proof OF his participation I'm the conspiracy
The star route counsel pursued their usual
dilatOry tactics, and compelled the reading
OF the charges, proceeding which con-
sumed several hours.
Mr. MacVesgh was then examined. He
said that in June, 1881, he had had two in
terviews with Rerdell in the presence of
Postmaster General James, ex- Senator CLAW
ton. and Inspector Woodward RerdeIl
said he was a party TO large extent in the
previous mail lettings. The names used
were J. W. Dorsey, Vail. Peck, and possibly
Boone and others. s. W. Dorsey's name
had not appeared because he was in the
Senate. Stephen w. Dorsey, after
his retirement from the Senate,
had purchased number of
these contracts, and he (RerdelO
was a general manager for him. He pre-
pared all the papers and was his book
keeper, secretary aud general assistant. He
had kept certain books and accounts, and
rad made entries therein at Dorsey's re-
quest. They would show the particulars of
the expedition Of routes and other informa-
ton. They wonld show what moneys
Brady and Turner had received. When the
Il 4 =.
great fear was felt by Dorsey at the probable
result, snd he (RerdelD pleaded sickness as
4 means OF delay, and meanwhile had pre-
pared a false set of books to be shown
The committee. Bradv and others in
terested in the Dorsey combination
knew all these details, and they
knew he possessed this information.
Rerdeli said the original books were in ex-
istence in New York, and he could and
would get them as a measure of self -protec
ZION. They would fully cOrroborste his
statements. He also produced papers iu ex-
Senator Dorsey's handwriting, and had said
they would fully connect Dorsey with the
schemes. It was regarded as necessary by
Brady to obtain petitions and sffidavlts as
q plausible excuse for the expeditions
Rerdell said man had been hired to get up
these forged papers, notably in Kansas. He
claimed to be in The possession of letter
book, with letters from Dorsey therein,
which would prove these statements.
Rerdell mentioned that Dorsey and others
had obtained a contract for So, ,0C0 in Colo
RADIO, which bad been decreased to $50, 900,
$50, eco, and finally to $4,000. When the
Congressional committee was investigating
these matters the contract price suddenly
dropped to $4,000. Mr.. James said that
ex-senator Clayton, of Arkansas, brought
Rerdell to see him. Rerdell presented books
and transcripts containing accounts Of the
transactions OF Dorsey and others. One of
the papers, transcript Of the balance
sheet, contained among other names that of
William Smith, which Rsrdell said was the
name under which Brady was known in
the combination. Rerdell said that in
the division of the profits for expedIting
and increasing the number Of trips Brady
received thirty-three or forty per cent; in
the division of remitted fines he received
fifty per cent. Rerdell said the money had
been paid to Turner, who was known on
the books as Jones. The money paid to
the post Office officials was carried in the
bogus book, intended to be seen, as profit
and loss. The original book was ia Dorsey's
Office, 10 New York. Witness had met Rer-
dell on q New York train afterward, and
Rardell told him he was going to New York
to get that book for the Attorney General,
by his direction. Rerdell said Stephen W.
Dorsey did not appear under his real name
in the combination until he had left the
Senate The first interview lasted about
three-Qu 4rters Of an hour. Clayton was
present then.
The second interview, Mr.. James said,
was the one in the Attorney Generals Office,
and the third was an accidental Que on the
New York train. The conductor delivered
70 Rerdell two dispatches from Dorsey,
which the latter showed. The first was about
as follows:
ssWe should not have parted in anger.
Get eff at Philadelphia and return"
The next was something like this:
"Don't ruin my wife and family. Get of
at Philadelphia and return"