Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-06-20
Government Defrauders.
STAR ROUTE TRIALS.


WASHINGTON, June 19.-In the star route
trials to day johnson, sub.contractor Of tht
route originally held by Reerden and Peck
identified letter from Peck requesting him
to get up strong petitions for increased ser
vice and promising him $1,000 per annum If
the increase WIS secured. A letter from Reer-
dell informs johnson that the writer has
assumed charge of Peck's mail business and
directs his letters 10 be sent to box 7O6, WASH
ington. In April, 1880, Reerdeh
informed the subcoutractor that
be would be allowed 1856 additional pay if
he stopped trying TO have the schedule re-
stored to the original time.
Witness SAID John W. Dorsey told him that
Miner, Peck, Vale and himself composed the
company. Nothing had been said about Sen
ator Dorsey. If petitions were prepared Dor
sey told him they had enough influence in
Washington to secure their objects. Judge
Wylie said so far as Miner and Vale were
concerned he should exclude the testimony of
this witness.
When court reassembled, Il NJ Wheeler,
pay clerk of the auditors office. identified
warrants upon which payments were made
for service on this route. They show en- eX-
pen9Iture upon the route during the last four
years, after deductions of all kinds, Of 81, 954
Net earnings from all stations, same period,
ST6S.
W. D. johnson, of Kanab, Utah, cousin
OF the sub-contractor, Neph. johnson, testi-
ned that he prepared one OF the petitions
handed him by Bliss but did not remember
having written the words, "seveu trips"
They were not in his hand writing. He had
written ''six trips" The petition after being
ccitically examined with magnifying glass
by the defendants counsel, was passed over TO
The jury for their inspection.
Ctoss-examined by defense-The petition,
fsa hoI IN Id
non, at Washington. He could not say when
the words "seven trips had been deserted.
Possibly the insertion was made before the
petition lef; Kanab. They had asked for six
trips, believing that would be the most they
could obtain.
a-direct-They had asked for forty, eight
hour schedule, sitter consultation with the
sub-contractor, Neph johnson. They had
been given thirty-three hour schedule in
stead, and had petitioned to have the original
time (sixty hours) restored, because the exDe-
dited time worked great Injustice to Neph
johnson. That gentleman had often been
tiaed for failures, and the people, sympa-
timing with him, had sent protest.
The testimony of this witness closed the
evidence for the prosecution on this route.
Up to this point the government has pre-
scented their evidence upon three of the nine
teen routes set out in the Indictment.
The route now under consideration, that
from the dalles to Baker City, Oregon, was
advertised as being 275 miles in length. 1t
was at the beginning opersted twice q week
upon schedule of 1913 hours, Peck being the
contractor.
The prosecution called Cooney, clerk in the
second assistant postmaster generals Office,
for the purpose Of proving the contract and
other papers they intend TO offer upon this
route.
The defense raised the objection that Bliss
was only introducing partial record and
long discussion followed. The court
finally ruedit was only nee
essary for the government TO
present their own side Of the case. Ii the de-
tense knew of any paper which they believed
would help their case they could get 1t
through an order of the court. The proper
way was for the prosecution to restore to
the file OF the department all of the papers
they did not propose using, where the de-
Tense could secure any of them applicable to
the case.
The controversy continued at length and
great deal more feeling was shown by counsel
than the occasion seemed to warrant.
Wilson inquired why Bliss, who WAS not an
officer of the department, should have access
10 papers to the exclusion of Others.
Judge WylIe answered: "That Is one Of the
secrets of the postoffice department"
Bliss added that the gentleman did not
speak from his own knowledge when he had
asserted that he was not an officer of the de-
partment.
Adjourned until tomorrow.