The daily gazette., 1882-08-12
WIIMINGTON, DEL, SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1882.
THE STAR ROUTE TRIAL.
Mr.. Ker Finishes His Experiment in
VivisectiOn-An Attack on Nat Mckay.


WASHINGTON, August II, Mr.. Ker CON
cluded his three-day's argument before the
jury in the Star Route trial to-day. He
took up the route from VermiliOn to Sioux
Falls, Dakota, 50 miles long, according to
the advertisement. The contract was let
to John w. Dorsey, to perform one trip
week In IA hours. The route was actually
10 miles long. Brady had been notified of
that fact by postmaster before the letting.
On July 1, 1873, Brady included Brighton
on the route and added ~ miles, although
the stage always passed through that place.
In October, French, in violation of law,
made an allowance for the distance dating
from July |. The original pay ON this route
was 1898. 1t was increased to So, 1873. 80.
The receipts emitting the points supplied
by railroad were last year S240, and the year
before $430.
Mr.. Ker next considered the route from
Bismarck to Tongue river, Dakota. The
real length was 303 miles, but the adver-
tised length was $50 miles. 1t had been let
to Miner for $2,350. On April 20, 1878,
Miner filed a statement from General
Rosser, an engineer on the Northern Pacific
railroad, showing the real length of the
route, and on June 25 he applied for dis
continuance for the reason that hostile In
dians prevented carriers from going over
offices beteenn the termini. On July ,Rcr-
dell told the contractor that the route
would be expediated to 65 hours and the
compensation increased to S25, 900. Petit
tions were filed representing the country as
rapidly filling up with settlers, and the eX-
pedition and increase were granted.
At this point Mr.. Ker made depression
in order to pay his respects to gentleman
who has been assisting the defense. He re-
lerred to the charge of swindling brought
against this man by Col. Mcclure, of the
Philadelphia Times. The man applied to
the district attorneys Office, where he (Mr.
Kerr was an assistant, to have the editor
prosecuted for libel, but the prosecuting
officers, knowing that the complainant
would probably soon be prosecuted himself
for corruption, did not show as much
enthusiasm in his case as he wished. The
case went to jury, who did not see any
libel, and acquitted the editor. Then the
man came up behind the editor on the
street, struck him twice, and when the
editor tufped, ran away,
Day after day." said Mr. Ker, " have
seen that same fellow sitting in court here.
All the way from New York he has come on
to lend his sympathy and aid to these defend
ants, and his business has been to run
around the streets of Washington to tell
people with his villainous tongue that ! am
bad man and ought not to be believed.
1t was only the other night that decent,
respectable man, who is employed in the
House, was going to knock him down.
That is the kind of man they have brought
here to aid their libelous newspaper with his
villainous tongue. His name is Nat Mckay"
The Mineral Park route was next taken
up. The pay was increased to S52,033 for
carrying a mail bill over the route and the
service cost 1900. When a reduction of
g., 800 was made Valie, who received
song 600 on six routes, one-half of the whole
steal, cried and snivelled over it. He knew
that he could never have collected the 50 800
from Dorsey, for any court would have said
it was an infamous contract. In referring
to Judge Carpenters remark that there was
no evidence that Dorsey got the 80 per cent.
spoken Of In connection with the division
routes, Mr.. Ker said 81 don't believe he
| did. 1t went to Thomas j. Brady, and
Dorsey knew it. 1t was Brady's end of the
whack. It's was Brady's share. Don't
charge poor Dorsey with more than he is
guilty Of"
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Ker's argument
the court adjourned till Monday.