The Portland daily press., 1882-12-06
THE BRIBERY CASE.
Examination Of the Ex-Foreman Com
menced.

examination of the Ex-Foreman Com
menced.
| WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-To-day was set for
| preliminary examination of the Dickson case
In the police court. There are two charges
| against him, one of attempting to improperly
influence the Star route jury and the other Of
conspiracy with Geo. W. Driver to illegally
obtain money from the United States.
| Nearly all the members of the Star ronte
! Jury came into court in a. body. Dickson and
| Driver sat side by side.
GOV. Wells opened the hearing by reading
| the warrant in the case and the attached affi-
| davit of Juror McNely in which he accuses
Dickson of reading to the jury paper charg-
ing the department OF justice with attempting
to bribe him, the object of its introducing be-
ing. to unduly influence the jury in the case
under consideration. After the pleas of not
guilty had been entered Gov. Wells offered in
evidence certified copy Of the record in the
Star route case.
Assistant District Attorney More was called
for the purpose of identifying the affidavit
made by Mr.. Dickson, but defence objected to
the certified copy presented and demanded
the production of the original paper. Mr.
More meanwhile identified the paper as cor
rect copy of the original affidavit which he
said was in Dickson's handwriting and had
been given to him by Dickson Sept. 18th last.
In compliance with the orders from the Dis
trict Attorney the witness had sealed up this
particular affidavit with others and addressed
The witness could not be certain that Dick
sons affidavit was among those which he sub
sequentiy turned over to Gov. Wells. The
cross examination elected nothing new
Matthew McNely, the next witness, in
describing the proceedings in the jury room
said that Dickson pulled out paper relating
to the Bowen matter and proposed to read it to
the jury Witness objected and believed an
other juror objected, but the jnry took a vote
and the paper was read. The paper was offer
ad in pvidanca q This n0int hut ohiaotion xuoa
made by the defence.
A certified copy was allowed to go in evil
dence and was read by Gov. Wells. 1t has been
published before and IS recital by Dickson of
his conversations with Bowen in Drivers
restaurant.
Juror McNelly then resumed his statement.
He had paid much attention to the read
ing of the paper in the jcry. room because he
had previously been informed by Dickson that
be had been approached.
George W. Cox, another jurer, was called,
he thought the jury had taken one vote when
Dickson drew the paper from his pocket and
asked permission to read it to the jury. The
witness asked for vote which was taken and
the paper was read. The witness said that
after the reading of the paper he did not want
to be a.citizen of the Uaited States if the
statement made in the paper were true.
Dickson and the witness did not vote the
same way on tue question of the guilt or in
nocence. He was not in favor of taking the
paper into account in making up verdict
Judge smell remarked that the safety of a
trial by jury would certainly be destroyed if
such proceedings were allowed in the jury
rooms. The paper ought not to have been
read. No verdict that might be rendered
could stand after that paper had been read.
Juror Edwin ID. Doniphan corroborated the
testimony of the other jurors in most instances.
The paper did not influence his opinion a
particle for he did not believe work in it. He
did not see why the government should try to
brihe jurors.
Judge Cuppy-Did Dickson ever try to in
fluence your decision by anything in regard to
arguments based upon the testimony?
Witness-No, it would not have been worth
while.
Judge Cuppy-Did you not publicly state
that you gave Dickson credit for acting ON his
honest convictions?
Witness-I did. said they were his honest
conyictiors but I had some doubt whether
they were.
Adjourned until tomorrow.