Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-13
TEE SS-.l...: ga. ::1UTE TRIAL.
Testimony for the Government To-.
day-SenatOr Saunders on the Stand.

Testimony for the Government To-.
day-SenafOr Saunders on the stand.
There was but a small number OF spectators in
the Criminal Court room at 10 o'clock this morning
when the star route trial-under the indictment
against the Dorseys, Brady, Miner, Vale, Rerdel
and Peck, for conspiracy-was resumed. Among
the new faces in the court room was that OF Sem
ator Saunders, of Nebraska, who sat by Mr. Mer-
rick.
Mr.: IngersoIl asked the court II it was under
act
TUNING THE FIDDLE
"No, sir" said Judge Wylie, who remarked, In
effect, that this was he understood it. intended
to show that there was some subject for conspir-
"Then," said Mr. Ingersor, "they are only
tuning the fiddle now. They haven't struck
Mr.. Totten having objected to evidence relating
10 the acts OF one person. Judge Wylie remarked,
Nobody is to be found guilty I'm this court unless
| the guilt is brought home TO him."
=, Vel, that is some comfort, your honor" said
81 think the counsel might have found tnat
comfort BEFORE" said Mr. Merrick.
SENATOR SAUNDERS A WITNESS.
Senator Saunders was then called to the stand
AMI sworn. The petition from citizens OF Nebraska
regarding the route from Kearney to Kent (34,lsg
was handed to him by Mr. Bliss and he Identified
an endorsement on the back as having been made
by himself. He could not recoiect who IL was
that presented the petition TO him. Assuming
that the paper was endorsed by him on the 9th OF
February and presented to the department April
9th, he would not have kept the paper In his pos
session SO long. He did not remember having seen
the words schedule thirteen hours" In the petit
ton He did not write them, and thought IL they
had been there they would have attracted his at
tentiOn.
AN "EXPEDITIoN" INSERT IN THE PETITION
A discussion having sprung up as to the rele-
Vancy OF certain questions, Mr. Wilson re-
marked on the nature OF the mail service and the
absurdty of asking, for instance, for a daily mail
on 4S hours schedule.
Mr.. Bliss said the government proposed to show
OF the contractors it contained no word about ex-
petition and between the time Senator Saunders
placed his name upon it and the time when IL was
presented to the department, the words asking for
eXpedltl0n were inserted In it.
THE NEXT WITNESS
was Charles II. French, who testified that he re-
sided In Loup City, Neb; was a sub-mail con-
| tractor, and on the 5th OF June 1s7S made sub
contract with John NJ. Peck, by his attorney. J.
w. Dorsey, on the route from Kearney to Kent
The witness identified duplicate OF the sub-con-
department.. The terms OF the contract were that
French was to be paid 500 for one round trip per
week; 1890 for two round trips. 81 500 for three
round trips. s. 300 for six round trips per week. and
in case of expedition Frepch to receive 65 per
cent OF the amount received for such expedition.
neS f th sad the I'll pay Of @
1879, he had received 81 5S7 40 he did not make
trips clear through. He received payments from
John r. Miner as agent for the contractor. He
generally made a trip from Kearney to Loup City
In twelve hours, and had never changed the time
directed to expedite mis- timefrom Kearney to Loup
City, and had never received any IS per cent for
expedition. ped M
route he employed five horses and two men; from
Loup city to Kearney he employed three horses
and one man. In August, 1873, when the trips
Increased emnOye1 horses
men, two horses being required to go to Cedar
Vile. He did not add the horses because II was
required In order to carry the mails faster.
The witness helped circulate the petition to get an
increase of mail facilities on the route. copy OF
ness took it to Mr. T. s. Nightingale, who prepared
the copy in court the original having been Ootted
by the spilling OF bottle of ink upon 1t. The
words schedule Is hours" were not in the petition
when witness circulated it or when he gave it to
Nightingale. The petition when it came to him
was In the same handwriting OF the letters he had
always received about the service, signed ''John
R. Miner" his replies being directed to be returned
to "Lock Box f14," Washington. Witness was
never asked by any OF the defendants how many
horses were required to carry the mails on the
route. The witness had never seen the affldavit
be required to carry the mail on a schedule Of IL
hours.
At half past l2 O'Clock recess for half an hour
was taken.
Upon the re.assemblng OF the court Mr.. French
was recalled to the stand, and identified number
Of letters that passed between John w. Dorsey
Co. and himself The first letter produced, bear
ing date In 1878, MeSsrs. Ingersol1, Chandler and
Totten objected that the letters written prior
to the amendment of the Revised Statutes, under
which this Indictment was laid. The amendment
OF 1879 changed the law regarding conSpiracies as
to the degree Of punishment.
Judge Wylie said as to conspiracIes the range OF
testimony was very wide. They were receiving
evidence connecting the parties together in busi-
ness relations. For the purpose OF showing the
peent even If it referred to acts prior to the pas
sage of the law.
WITNESSES BEFORE THE GRAND JURY
in the star route cases were sworn to-day as fol-
lows: c. s. Croker, Daniel r. Collins, Erastus
Woodruff, R. p Hamill, John Crocker, Frank May,
Milo Andrews, Harry Fetherstone, John B. Cowger
and Albert j. Gray to route 1912 Wells to Ham,
1lton, Nevada; w. Buckley as to route 46l20, in
California, and James C. Blair, as to route asoa4,
Venita, Indian Territory, to Las Vegas, N. NJ.