Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-10-20

Fall he had no knowledge of any al
tempt to corrupt the jury and defended
with much zeal Dickson, Olcott and
Martin, whose names were mentioned
by Fall as being under suspicion of
the Department. He promised, how
ever. that he would do all he could to
'ravel out any corruption he might
hear Of.
TAYLoRS AFFIDAVIT.
Col. Ingersell then introduces the
affidavit of Edward Taylor. "Taylor," /"
he says, twas, during the Star-route
trial, the principal agents of the Depart
ment of Justice. He was cognizant of
nearly everything that was done. He
was charged with the care and custody
of most of the witnesses for the Gov
ernment coming from a Distance. He
held the closest relations with the
Department of Justice and knew what
was done and who did it. In short, it
appears from letters and papers in his
possession and from memoranda
made by himself, he enjoyed to the
fullest extent the confidence of the de-
partment." Taylor's affidavit is to the
effect that he was employed by A. B.
Newcomb special agent OF the depart
ment of justice, July 6, 1881, as de-
tective, and continued in that service
up to Feb. 8, 1882, when he was en-
ployed by Brewster Cameron, general
agent of the. department of justice, in
connection with the star-route cases.
On June Il, Taylor, at Cameron's re-
quest, brought to the latter, Frank II.
Fall, and recommended him as good
man for detective work. Cameron, in
Taylor's presence, promised Fall S., 900
if he would produce evidence that
majority of the jury had been bought
by the defense. Fall said he would do
it, but thought that Merrick should not
know anything abour it. Cameron
agreed to keep it from Merrick. Fall
said Brown, the colored juror, was on
a bunko case and hung the jury, and
was paid for il; that James Nelson, the
man who paid the money, was under
his control, and would swear to the fact
if he were paid for it.
CoRRUPTING THE JURY.
Cameron at the latter interview
asked Fall if he was acquainted with
any of the jurors, and Fall replied
that he knew Juror Holmead intimate
ly. Cameron said: "See Holmead
and see what you can do with him."
Fall promised to do so, snd also have
Holmead sound the Jurors. Taylor
met Cameron and Fal. again a few
days later, when Cameron asked Fall
if he had seen Holmead. Fall replied
he mad not. Cameron said it was very
important that he should do so. If
Holmead and one or two other jurors
could be secured who would hold
out for the conviction of all they
might secure compromise by which
Brady and Rerdell would be convict
ed" Cameron also remarked that he
would prefer this to breaking the jury.
Later in the day Fall told Taylor he
had seen Holmead, and Holmead said:
Nothing had been proven against any
of the defendants, but he would con-
vict Brady on his face, and Rerdell be-
cause he believed him to be great
rascal" Several days Sfterward Tay-
lor received note from Fall in which
he said Holmead had told him, "There
was no case, and if it was given to the
jury they would acquit Without leaving
their seats" Holmead had also told
Fall that the jurors expected the de-
fense to try and bribe them, but they
had not done so. Later Taylor and
Fall met Cameron, who said the attor-
ney-general wanted evidence that the
defense bribed some of them, and then
with a hung jury, after the trial was
over, he 1.-THE attorney-gengaD would
use this evidence to prosecute the ju-
rors, and it would go out 10 the world
that the defense had secured hung
jury by bribery, which would be almost
as good as q conviction.
An affidavit of Foreman Dickson is
also introduced. the substance of which
has already been published.
Col. Ingersoll concludes The inter
view by saying that he thinks these
affidavits establish the Iact that the
agents and employees of the depart
ment of justice were for months en-
gagged in an effort to corrupt with mon
ey and the promise of official position
the jury upen whose verdict depended
the reputation and liberty of the de-
PENDANTS.