Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-19
THE STAR ROUTE TRIAL.
Testimony i'm the Criminal Court To.
day.

Wnen the criminal Court convened this morn
ing, the star route trial was resumed, the govern
| ment submitting additional evidence respecting
route Al 49, from Toquervlle to Adairville Utah.
Mr. Borden OF the topographer's Office Of the Post
ONCE department, testified to making diagrams
OF the route, following the lines laid down by the
carrier.
Mr.. Bliss offered in evidence q letter from Rer.
dell and Peck to Brady dated March IS, 1879, ask
ing permission to withdraw their sub-cOntract on
route Al, 1,119
Mr.. Bliss submitted a sub-contract, executed
with a man named Nephi johnson, on route 4l,l19,
in 1874. and filed in the department In 1882
SUB CONTRACTOR ON THE STAND.
Nephi Johnson, the sub-contractor referred to,
was then called to the stand. He said he had car
ried the mail on the route since 1871 When he re-
contracted in 1878, his negotiations were carried
on by mail with Miner, Peck & Co.; that sub
contract dated in May, 1S7s provided for one trip
week and a compensation 70 the sub-contractor
length to show there had been no increase In pop
ulaton on the route, ard that In some places the
Identified three petitions being signed by per-
sons on the route. On one OF the petitions he re-
cognzed but three names as those OF persons
living on the route. When he made one trip
weekly. In 60 hours time, he employed two men
and six horses. When it was increased to three
trips week, in November, 1873, he employed two
more men and four more horses; when it was in
creased to seven trips week and the time reduced
to 33 hours he employed seven men and fifteen
horses.
Mr. Bliss offered letters from J. NJ Peck to john
son. the first dated October 1S7S stating that three
trips week had been ordered and that the SUBJ
mum; and the second, dated November s, 1879,
asking johnson to get up petitions on the route,
asking reduction OF time to 4S hours and promis-
ing him II the expedition was granted his compen-
Sation would be 5000 per year.
Another letter, dated In April, 1879, was from
OF the business as agent for Peck. Another letter.
dated April 18th, from Rerdell, enclosed form Of
Penar ~ was asheo 70 gee
and j. w. Dorsey were submitted
The witness testified to having
A CONVERSATION WITH J. ". DORSEY
in July, fS79 in which Dorsey spoke about getting
an increase OF trips. Dorsey told him that Miner,
Peck and Vaile were interested. He had no recol-
that he thought they had influence enough in
Washington to get the increase granted.
There was considerable discussion between
counsel before this testimony was brought out as
to whether it was competent at this time. Mr..
Bliss said he proposed to bring out Mr.. Dor
could procure the ordering Of the increase or ex-
ped1tion.
TESTIMONY RULED OUT.
Judge Wylie ruled out the testimony SO far as 1t
referred to Vaile as there had been no evidence to
connect him with the route.
"Of course" said Mr.: IngersolI, sarcastically,
after the testimony had been given, "if we had
known anything ,.a about this testimony we would
Mr. Totten again stated the general objection
made by the defence to testimony respecting acts
prior to May 10th, 1879, when the defence claim
the act under which the defendants are being pros
ecuted was passed.
letter, dated I'm May, 1879, from 8. W. Dorsey
to the witness, submitting new contract and an
nOuncing that he had taken charge OF the business
of the route as assignee, was offered in evidence
The witness said he had not written to Delegate
Cannon respecting the route, but w. b johnson
had written for him.
On redirect examination Mr.. johnson said that
the petitions he circulated were for forty-eight
hour schedule, but thirty.three-ho hour schedule
was ordered. None OF the contractors had ever
inquired OF witness how many men and horses
were needed to carry the mail on the route.
At half-paSt 12 the usual recess was taken.
AFTER RECESS
Mr.. Bliss put In receipts for warrants on route
A. A1l9 signed by the various contractors the latest
| receipts having been signed by n. c. Rerden as
contractor.
Mr. Henry NJ Wheeler, pay clerk OF the sixth
auditors oce, was called 70 the stand to identify
various warrants issued for the payment Of con-
tractors on route Al ,11a
ANOTHER CHANGED PETITION.
Mr. w. B. johnson, OF Kanab, Utah, was then
called to the stand and identified one OF the peti
tions as having been written by himself. The
words sseven" in the petition were not In the wit
ness writing and were not there when he signed
| the petition. When witness wrote the petition
tho words were s'stx."