Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-06-20

WASHINGTON, June 19.-In the Star-route
trials to-day, johnson, the sub-contractor of
the route originally held by Reerdell & Peck,
identified letter from Peck requesting him
to get up strong petition for increased ser
vice, and promising him $4,000 per snnum if
the increase was secured. A letter from
Reerdel informs johnson that the writer has
assumed charge OF Peck's mail business, and
directs his letters TO be sent TO box 706,
Washington. In April, 1880, Reerdell in
formed the sub-contractor he would be al
lowed S1556 additional pay if he would stop
trying to have the schedule restored to the
original time. Witness said John w. Dor
sey told him that Miner, Peck, Vale and
himself composed the company. Nothing
had been said about Senator Dorsey. II the
petitions were prepared Dorsey told him
they had enough influence in Washington to
secure their objects. Judge Wylie said that
80 far as Miner and Vale were concerned, he
should exclude the testimony of this witness.
When the court reassembled II. NJ.
Wheeler, pay clerk in the auditors Office,
identified the warrants upon which payments
were made for service on this route. They
show the expenditure upon the route during
the last four years, after deductions of all
kinds, of $47 $50; net revenues from all sta
tons for the same period, S76S.
WI. johnson, of Kanab, Utah, cousin of the
sub-contractor, Nephi johnson, testified that
he prepared one of the PETITIONS handed him
by Bliss, but did not remember having writ
ten the words "seven trips" They were not
in his handwriting. He had written six
trips"
The petition, after being critically ex-
amined with msgnifying glass by de-
fendants' counsel, was passed over to the Jury
for their inspection.
Cross-examined by the defense-The petit
ton, he believed, had been sent to Delegate
Cannon at Washington; couldn't say when
the words "seven trips" had been inserted;
possibly the insertion had been made before
the petition left Kansb; they had asked for
six trips, believing that the most they could
obtain.
Redirect-They had asked for a forty
eight-hour schedule. After consultation
with the sub-contractor, Nephi johnson, they
had been given a thirty-three-hour schedule
instead, and had petitioned to have the
original time (sixty hours) restored, because
expedited time worked great injustice 10
Nephi johnson, who had often been fined for
failures, and the people sympathiziDg with
him had cent the protest.
The testimony of this witness closed the
evidence for the prosecution on this route
Up TO this point the government has pre-
sented its evidence upon three of the nine
teen routes set out in the indictment.
The route now under consideration, that
from Dallas to Baker City, Or, was adver-
tised as being 275 miles in length. 1t was at
the beginning operated twice week upon a
schedule of 120 hours with Peck as contractor
The prosecution called Cooney, clerk in
the econd-assistant-postm generals Of
fee, for the purpose of proving the contract
and other papers they intend to offer upon
this route.
The defense raised objection. Bliss was
only introducing partial record, and a long
discussion followed.
The Court finally ruled that it was only
necessary for the government to present their
own side of the case. If the defense knew
of any paper which they believed would
help their case they could get it through an
order of the Court The proper way was for
the prosecution to restore 10 the files OF
the department all of the papers they did
not purpose using, when the defense could
secure any of them applicable to the case.
The controversy continued at length, and
a great deal more feeling was shown BY
counsel than the occasion seemed to warrant.
Mr. Wilson inquired why Mr.. Bliss, who
was not an officer of the department, should
have access 10 papers to the exclusion of
others.
Judge Wylie answered: THAT is one of
the secrets Of the postofice department"
Mr.. Bliss added that the gentleman did
not speak from his own knowledge wnen
lie had asserted that he was not an officer of
the department.
Adjourned until tomorrow.