Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-05
rHE STAR ROUTE JURY SCANDAL.
THE TRIAL OF FOREMAN DICKSON.
PROCEEDINGS BEGUN IN THE POLICE
COURT TO-DAY.

| promptly with Mr.. Brewster Cameron ana Mr.
her. All the members or the star route Jury were
present. The defendant, Mr.. Dickson, sat at one
side with Mr.. Geo. w. Driver. His counsel, Mr.. c
Maurice Smith and Judge Cuppy, occupied tabl
together, near the government counsel When the
case began there was a good attendance In the
court room. Mr.. Wells first called up the case
charging Mr.. Dickson with trying to influence the
jury, based on the afi iavit OF Juryman McNelly,
which he read.
Upon the conclusion OF the reading Judge Cuppy
pened Mr. Wells said that he had summoned Su
MeSsiS Iobriner, Cox. McLain. Donph an, Nc
de s ana 1iGott MI Wells then offered Ia cyl
| read.
PLEA OF NOT GUILTY.
plea OF not guilty was entered
Mr. wells wished to call Mr. Moore to Identify a
| certineo copy OF the Dickson affiiavit. and Mr.
Smith objected and said that he wanted the orig
mai copy. He asked the court to order the gov
eminent to give to him the afldavlts made by the
| Moore.
| THE COURT SAID
| that 1t would be time enough when the afridavits
were offered in evidence.
| There was pause in the proceedings while the
| defense examined the certified copy 81 the Dick
son affidavit subscribed to before Assistant Dis
| trict Attorney Moore. Mr. Dickson read 1t through
| carefully.
Mr. MOORE, THE FIRST WITNESS
| Mr.. Moore was called, and testified that as as
sistant district attorney, on September l2th 1882
Mr. Dickson subs cribed before him to a state
ment
Mr.. Smith asked the witness II there was any
thing peculiar In Mr.. Dckson's conduct when he
| brought the statement to him.
The witness said he observed nothing peculiar
about Mr. Dickson. Dickson said he wished to
Make a statement, under oath, in regard to
bribery, as he understood that the witness was In
charge OF the case. He then went with witness to
'ne iatters mouse, In company with Mr.. Kennon
| JUROR A'NELLY ON THE STAND.
Mr.. Wells then called Juror McNelly to the
stand, and he testified that he had known Dickson
Tor SIX or seven MONTHS and knew personally
most OF the other members OF the star route Jury
| Mr. WeuA-"What occurred In the Jury room In
regard 70 MI. Dickson reading certain paper"
| MIness.-"M MI. Dickson brought out a paper
about Bowen and wanted TO read 1t, and OBJ
lecGea. vote was taken and the paper was read
A certified copy of the paper read by Mr. Dickson
| In the jury room was submitted to Witness and he
Was asked TO state II it was The same as read BY
Mr. Cupply objected to having the witness state
anything about the paper. He could state nat
room; but this paper was only a certified COPY OF
so i1g purporting to be in the hands or the
The Court ruled that the witness could NOT be
asked asked TO identity paper that had been read to
| Dim.
Mr. Wells said that he expected that the mem.
bers OF the jury could testify that the contents or
the paper purpOrted to be an offer from Bowen to
ana ne SIMPLY wanted the witness to say
heard there being some objection to the receipt or
| certlned copy. Mr.. Wells asked to be sworn,
MIR; Smith.-"You had better take the witness
stand" 0''
Mr.. Wells.-"Certainly."
Mr.. WELLS wITNEss
He then took the witness stand and testified that
he placed the original paper in the Department of
Justice, and 1t purported to be the paper that was
read In the jury ROOM
Mr.. smith.-"Why did you not have the original
paper, Mr.. Wells? You have had time enoughp
MI. WellS-"I did not want it."
| The court admitted the certified COPY and
| JUROR NC NELLY RESUMED THE STAND.
Mr.. Wells then read the Dickson affidavit, taken
before Mr.. Moore, which recounts the approach
made by Henry A. Bowen at Drivers
Mr.. Cuppy.-"There is nothing In that AFFIDAVIT
which states that he read it to the Jury, Is
there?"
Mr.. Well.-"We will see." To the witness:
w Nv n,. was the character OF the paper read by
The witness said that 1t was about the bribery
and the attempt made by Bowen. told him that
Old not take any stock In Ii, and said that IL was
ANOTHER SAFE BURGLARY AFFAIR.
he cautioned Mr. Dickson about it. The witness
fore this that he did not believe that it was an at
tempt to bride him but simply to ind out where
he stood.
Mr.. Cuppy objected to admitting as evidence the
opinion OF Mr.. Dickson.
The Court said that it was part OF q converse
ton and was admissible
Mr.. Wells said that he wanted to show that Mr.
Dickson at the time he read the paper In the tury
room he did not believe it to be true and 80 it was
corrupt attempt to influence the jury.
hat hof nlh Mr.
he read the paper before the jury on Sunday that
he had remarkable memory to go home and
write up this conversation after it had occurred
The.reading occurred on the first day tnat the
Jury Was out, and after one or two votes had been
Mr.. Wells-"Do you know whether this paper
was ever offered during the trial allowed BY the
Judge to be taken with the jury"
| WitneSS.-"It was not" He then went on tn
testify that the judge had forbidden them to take
their notes In the jury room.
| HNALLY CR0SS-ExAMINED.
| Mr.. Smith then cross-ex amined the witness. and
asked him when he nrst thought that Dickson
tried to corruptly influence him
Witness-I never said that he did
| Mr. Smith then asked what actually occurred In
| the interview on Louisiana avenue, and the wit.
ness repeated what he had before testified to.
MI. Smith.-"Did you ever say any one tried to
Witness.-"I did say that one man approached
me In the course OF our conversation"
MT; smith.-"When was the subject of bribery
Witness-"After his or their votes had been
taken and Mr.. Dickson read his paper, but not
! before"
Mr.. Smith.-"Are you willing to swear that Mr..
Dickson was the first to introduce tho subject!"
| WttneaA-"Yes, he was"
MI. Smith.J'How do you come to remember 90
well about Mr.. Dickson and not about the otherssD
| Wftness.-"I saw che papers In Mr.. DcKson,s
pocket when we were going out, ana thought he
| was going to read, and 50 was ready to object
| Mr.. Smith.-"Did Mr. D0niphan, Oicott and
others make any statement"
Witness" Yes. sir, they did; and 50 did I After
Mr. Dickson read the paper Mr.. Cox said II those
papers were true he did not want to be any longer
| an American citizen"
| Mr. Smith.-"Did the reading OF the statement
| affect your mind7"
WitnesS-"Ir did not"
Mr.. Smith.-"Did IL change q single voter
WitpeSs.-sI don't think 1t did"
| Mr.. Smith.-"Were you on friendly terms with
Mr. Dickson during the trtal?"
WitneSS.-"YeS Sir.n
Mr.. Smith.-"Then why did you make this state.
ment7"
witness.-"Because thought it was my duty.
That paper was read to influence the 1uryD
Mr.. Smlth.-sThat is your opinon?"
Witness-"Yes, that is my opinionn
The witness then went on to say that he made
his afi1dRyit because he was friend OF Mr., Dick.
SOn and wanted whole thing tn coma nN