Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-08-07
THE STAR ROUTE TRIAL.
COLLAPSE OF THE DEFENSE
THEY CLOSE THEIR TESTIMONY THIS MORNING
GOVERNMENT TESTIMONY IN REBUrT.1

sumed, Mr.. Wilson opening the proceedings OF the
day by reading petitions and letters asking for In
creased mail facilities route 1921, from Reddiug
to Alturas, Cal.
MI Wilson offered in evidence table OF de.
ductiops, fines and renssons on the routes in
ciuded In the Indictment, but IL was not admitted
as 1t was not properly certified or proved. He Of
fered In evidence then the report OF the Second
Assistant Postmaster General for the year 1877,
covering the transactions OF the department for
the fiscal year ending June so 1877. Mr. Wilson
said the part he wished to refer to especially was
the part recommending legislation for the pro-
lection of sub-contractors. The testimony was ex-
cluded. Mr.. Wilson called attention TO another
part OF the book which he desired to use In ev!-
dence, and II was also excluded Mr.. Wilson made
a similar ofrer with respect to the report OF Mr.
Brady for 1872 and 1t was likewise excluded as in
competent testimony. Exceptions were noted.
Mr. Wilson then offered In evidence a table I'm the
Postmaster Generals report for 1881, showing the
postal receipts and expenditures for that fiscal
year; also, n table showing receipts and expendi-
lures of the department from 1896 to 1881. These
were excluded as well as similar tables from the
report OF $780, Exceptions were noted.
. Mr Wilson then offered the power Of attorney
september 26, 1879
After some discussion as to the admissibIlity OF
tne paper. Judge Wylie admitted IL.
The paper empowered Rerdel TO collect moneys,
&C, on routes SS.1I9 40105, 4lll5, 4l,l9, 44,l40,
EX-CHIEF CLERK FRENCH RECALLED.
Mr. John L. French, ex-chief clerk OF the con-
tract Office, was then recalled and made some cor:
rectlons OF his testimony, not materially changing
1t. Mr. Wilson asked the witness why il was that
route y, lib, from Rawlings to White river was ex-
pedted TO 45 hours instead OF 81 hours asked
IN the petitions. The witness said he had no dis
tlnct recollection, but his impression that IL
was thought In the office that the department
should not pay for any reduction in the schedule
unless IL secured fast time.
AARON BRADSHAW
was then called to the stand by Mr.. IngersOll He
testified that In 1880 he lived part OF the time in
Colorado. He said he had In that year been over
the country along the Rawlings and White River
route. Mr. Ingersoll asked the witness what was
the price OF hay along that route. Mr.. Merrick
having objected, Mr.. Ingersoll sad that he pro-
posed TO o1Se the charge that extravagant sums
were paid for the service by showing the price OF
forage and OF labor on the route Mr. Merrick said
that IL contractor mlSStated the number horses
needed On his route, the price or forage would not
mitigate his offence Furthermore, there were
two s1ieS TO the question: and the Introduction OF
the testimony would call into question the price
OF proauce on ali the routes. Mr. Ingersol said he
wanted TO SHOW that they cost about so ton;
corn from - to s6 buShel, and labor from - 10 s3
per day Tney wanted 10 show also that 1t actually
cost the contractor more to run the route than he
received from the government which would show
tnat The contractor was honest
JUDGE wYLIE RULED OCT THE TESTIMONY,
saying that no testimony such subjects had
been offered by the government, and that this
evidence did not tend TO disprove the charge that
the orders OF expedition were made unnecessarily.
H M eif @ hf e stand @ ne stated IN
rorarily in Washington, and was summoned from
this city and not from Colorado
TESTIMONY FOR THE DEFENCE ALL IN.
After Mr.. Bradshaw left the stand there was
pause for few minutes. Judge Wylie, then ad-
dressing the lawyers Tor the defence, said: "Wel
gentlemen. have YOU ANYTHING mOra9r
80 far as my Client IS concerned" said Mr.. In
gersoll, 'we are through"
$50 Say you all, gentlemen" asked Judge Wylie |
There was chorus from the lawyers OF the de-
fence, 'We are through"
Mr.. Merrick said that the government had some
WITNESSES IN REBuTTAL,
some OF whom were in attendance. He thought
they would be able to go after recess. Mr. Bliss
who had been confined to his bed mad the memo
randa. He had received telephone message from
him that he would be here after recess. He asked
the court 10 take recess until one O'Clock.
Judge Wylie then at IL AS, ordered recess until
one O'Clock.
AFTER REcEss-GovERNMEST TESTIMONY IN RE-
BUTTAL.
When the court reissemblej at O'Clock, Mr A..
bert E. Boone was called to the stand and exam
amined by Mr.. Bliss, VINO was present He said he
saw Mr.. Vale in 1873 when sub-contracts were
made on routes in the Indian Territory. Questions
having been asked respecting the Fort S.ll route,
Mr.. Hine objected that the route was not Een-
toned In the Indictment. Mr.. Merrick said he pro-
posed to show that Vaile had met John w. Dorsey
and transacted business With him before July or
August, 1873, when Vale said he first met linn
After some argument the suocontract on the
Fort Sill route WAS allowel to 20 to the witness,
simply as data. TO refresh his recollection. He
testified that John r. Miner met Vale at ex-Sena-
tor DorSeyS house on the Both or April, 1880.
on cRoss-ExAMINATIoN
by Mr.. Hine, the witness said he kept no letter.
book. 81 conducted the business On graveyard
principles the witness said; kept no booksn
The witness was asked If he were not under in
dictment here for offences connected with the pos.
tai service, and he said the records would speak
for themselves
"We will take time, said Mr. Hine s'to show that
Mr. Miner was In Denver. Col: from the 18th of
April to the latter part OF july" |
provided you can show IT," said Mr. Merrick. !
''Mr. Miner is here"
tions, &C., which he offered in the morning prop
erly certified, IL was received In evidence.
JOHN H. PRYOR.
clerk in the contract Office. testified that during
nearly all the time since 1871 he had the press COPY
letter books In the contract office. The witness |
identified the book containing the letters written |
from December g. 1880, to March 10, 1881. One |
and -. ss.S sll -, .o, Of those written
signature OF Mr.. Brady. on cross-examination |
the witness said that sometimes letters which |
were written late in the afternoon went until
ters on the 26th were signed by j. l. French, ex-
cept the last. Which was signed by Brady. |
Collapse Of the Star ROutc Defense.
The sudden close OF the defence In the star route
trial to-day caused much surprise about the |
and was generally set down as a |
collapse. 1t was expected that Messrs. Brady and !
Rerdell would both be put the stand. /
The failure OF the defence to put Brady and Rer- |
dell on the stand gives rise to nferences very pre-
judicial to their cases. No evidence at all has been
offered by the defence to meet that OF Messrs. Mac
Veagh and James respecting Rerdell's disclosures.
The only testimony offered 10 controvert Walsh is
that OF Buell. the effect OF which Is generally con-
sfdered as strengthening WalSh'S statement; that
Of MIR. French tnat he was acting ID Asst Post
master General on the 2Sth OF December. 1880 when
Walsh said he had his famous interview with
Brady, and that OF George AdamSon. the page,
that he was not employed In Mr.. Brady's
oDice in December, lSSa Walsh's statement
was that he sent little white page
10 Mr. Brady's room with a note, asking Mr. Brady
- meet him. and Mr.. Brady returned the note with
his answer endorsed on the back.
The fact that only one OF the several defendants
has been put on the stand, and that one the one
who, according to his own statement, knew
The least about the business OF the defendants
ustihes the inference, that the lawyers for the
1efence considered that the testimony OF the
others would be more damaging to the defence
Ac &c In 0vSlvy vuy1S, /