Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-11-01

jury.
Sir:-I Was drawn Is q juror, upon the
regular panel, March term Of the criminal
court. and. at the sacrifice of my business
interest and personal health. reluctantly ac-
cepted the service, and faithfully performed
the unpleasant duty assigned me until the
end of the term. In June the star route
case came up for trial. and, Notwithstanding
my earnest protest, was sworn az = juror to
try the case upon the Law and evidence
During the progress of the trial was ap-
preached by an agent of the department Of
justice, named Henry A. Bowen, who rep
resented to me that he was authorized to see
me in reference to the case. He made a dis
honest proposition, offering to pay s25. 600
to influence the verdict. The following dav,
August oath, he mailed card to nv address,
making an appointment. Immediately re-
ported the transaction to Judge Wylie and
informed him OF what had transpired. The
crime is of that character which affects the
rights and liberties of the citizen and of such
Importance that respectfully, but earnestly
request that your honorable body should in
vestigate the charge and that NAV be sum
mOned before you to present the facts, sup
ported BY corroborating proofs.
am, sir, very respectfully yours,
WILLIAM DICKSON.
| His Honor read the paper through twice,
and then turning to the foreman said sharply
did you say that the grand jury received
this paper!"
eyes, SIR" he answered.
"Do you know by whom it was written?''
Nothing more than that it was received -
at is highly improper communication, "
said the judge, land you should take no no.
tice of it. 1t is paper coming from party
l no ipa isfa haiuu hraurht hofo for
the purpose Of indicating himself"
I'VE have no official knowledge as to who
signed it. The court will direct the clerk to
| file the paper in open court and that rule
issue to the person whose name appears to
have been written to the paper to show cause
why he should not be punished for con-
tempt"
when shall the rule be returnable?' '
asked the clerk.
Tomorrow A. NJ. at o'clock" sharply
answered the judge.
The grand jury then retired and the regu.
lar business of the court was resumed.
The first of the jury bribery cases-that
against Arthur Payne (colored)-came up in
the police court at noon Tuesday. Go,
Wells and Mr.. Ker for the government were
in attendance promptly. Payne was attended
by his counsel, Mr.. Padgett. q new man. and
Davis & Claggett. Mr.. Brewster, Cameron,
Cole. Col. Ingersoll, Juror McLane and
others who have been connected with the
star route trial were within the bar.
Ingersoll started the proceedings with q
statement to the court to the effect that he
had been subpGnaed to produce q number OF
atiidavits of the list submitted to him. He
said he had affidavits from Foot, VIM.
Brown and a man named Laws. These he
handed to the clerk, after explaining that the
complaint was founded upon sections "a, 4O4
and $500 revised statutes. Gov. Wells pro.
ceeded to read the warrant. and Browns
affidavit for the information of the court.
Defence entered plea of not guilty Gov.
Wells then offered in evidence a certified
copy Of record in the star route ease for the
purpose of showing circumstances connected
with the impsnelling of the jury. Juror
VIM. Knox Brown was called to the witness
stand.
| The witness said he had received note
from Payne which he had destroyed asking
him to grant him an interview. At the in.
terview Payne told him he was sent BY q
man named Fall, lawyer, on ID street, who
was prepared to offer him S25OO for his vote
in the star route case. Payne handed him a
written agreement for his signature. He re.
membered the language of this agreement,
but could not positively identify the hand.
writing. Geo. Wells then read the agree.
ment and shove it to the witness.
| Payne told him, he said, that it was q COPY
and that Fall held the original. He never
conversed with Payne again on the matter
while he was juror; never received any
other conversation with PayIe.
| Witness told Payne that it had come to
his knowledge that Fall was trying to have
him make an affidavit, stating that PAYNE
had gone to Fall by witness direction.
| He asked Payne if he would ado this
Payne answered that he would not make anv
such affidavit.
| In the course Of conversation Pavne nc.
know ledged that he had made his proposition
to him.
| Witness did not believe they had any in
tention of paying $4,000 for his vote He
did believe that it was job to sent him to
the penitentiary.
| Mr. Davis here made a searching examine
ton of the witness past career. He had
been a school teacher, he said.
The original affidavit known as the In
aersoll affidavit, was produced and the wit
ness was examined upon its subject matter.
Witness denied that Falls name had been
mentioned in the affidavit, and when the doc
ument was exhibited to him, containing Falls
name in iuterlineation, he said he thought it
was inserted after he swore to the affidavit.
which, he said, was in Col. Ingersoll's hand
writing. II was not true that he used Falls
name on that occasion. So much of the
affidavit xs stated that Martin, another Juror.
| was TO be Influenced was untrue. In his con-
versation with Payne witness made the ap-
pointment for the following Monday. His
object was to find out the man who vas be-
hind Payne. He regarded Payne a. a dune
| of this man. He believed the written agree.
ment had been destroyed. Witness denied
that he ever offered Payne el5O for the
| written agreement. The cross examination
! failed to bring out anything new.
A. B. Williams was called to the stand IN
answer to q subpoena calling upon him for
| the afidavits Of Nelson and others. He said
he had returned Nelson's affidavit to Nelson.
His reason for 90 doing was that he did not
believe this was an honest prosecution. and
for the protection Of witness (Nelson), who
would be called before the court if he had
done this. Witness acknowledged he had
deliberately for the purpose Of evadinr a
subpoena given the affidavit to Nelson. He
did this because he wished to compel the
government to bring Nelson into court.
Witness made his declaration in q cool. de-
faint manner, charging Gov. Wells with hav-
ing . dishonest purpose in calling for the
paper. He acted entirely upon his own re-
sponsibility in this matter. Ingersoll knew
nothing of his purposes. He declined IN toll