The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-07-14
TELEGRAPHIC
Star Routes.


Dorsey in 1877.
At the close the court rendered de
cision &c follows: In regard to what ha
been said relative to ex-senator Dorse-
he did not think there Was anything il
that which required the attention of th
court. IL hs had done anything which b.
should not have done as a mem Der of th,
Senate there was 8 statute which covered
that act. Here he was indicted as
leader of conspiracy. In regard to tn,
claim OF the defense that evidence mus
not go behind May 23d, 1877, il was tru,
the indictment fixed that date and over
acts that followed. The position takeI
by the defense that no evidence as to fact
that transpired prior to that dat
could be received was erroneous. It wsi
none the less conspiracy since tha
date, IL it was q conspiracy before. 1
may nave existed for dozen years, ano
although the indictment could not charge
that it took place more than three years
ago, the parties who enter into or carried
out such conspiracy should be brought
into the Indictment. Innocent com bina.
tions might gradually change their char
acter and become vicious conspirRtors.
The court thought it was proper to prove
these pa-ties were in com bination tend
Ing TO conspiracy.
Merrick stated he expected to prove s.
W. Dorsey had entered into an arrange
ment With Boone to procure these con-
tracts and divide the profits.
After some further argument witness
was directed to proceed. In CONVERSE
ton with Senator Dorsey that night, he
said, he had been requested to take part
in the mail contract business. A letter
had been introduced from Peck, and he
believed Minors name had been men,
toned His business was the prepara-
ton of the necessary papers, and other
papers and other prelimiDsries. Wit
ness WAS asked who had been mentioned
as sharing 10 the business. He answered
John M. Dorsey, Peck and himself were
the only persons mentioned In that con-
nection. His first action had been to
send out circulars 10 postmssters on ell
of the routes, requesting information
relative to them. He had by letter in
formed Minor of this proceeding. John
w. Dorsey was not then in town. He
next hsd printed a number Of blanks for
bids. This had beeu done so that other
contractors might not know from their
Supplying for four or five thousand blanks
that they intended to bid for so
large humber Of contracts. He
had done this without suggestion
or sdvice from any other person, acting
only under his general instructions. The
next step was 10 fill up blank bids, and
this has been done at his own house, at
Dorsey's house, and in Minors room.
Several of the bids were handed witness.
He said they had been prepared partly
by himself and partly by Minor. When
possible bids were based upon informa-
ton furnished by replies TO circulars.
His interest in the business was to be q
third interest with John w. Dorsey in
the routes held by him. He did not
know exactly what interest was he By
the other parties in the general business.
He had prepared drafts of sub contracts
10 be used in case contracts were secured.
A clause providing for expedition had
been inserted in these drafts, and this was
new in his experience. Some
one of the combination had made the
su 2gestion. He was not certain who it
was. It had been talked over with sew
erall of the members; was positive
be had spoken TO Senator Dorsey about
this clause. Witness said he also pre-
pared bids under instructions of J. w.
Dorsey. They wer- to De sent QUITO toe
Little Rock and FortSmith
The senatsr said if bonds were sent
hey would be filed and returned. he
lad fillei up the blanks left for the
amount of bonds and the name Of the
-ouSe before sending them out. It was
understood that every fourth bid Was to
De made:in his name. He had left the
:on bination in August; 1873. He was
.sked why be left it,snd replied that some
# the routes, notably the Bismarck
md Tongue river route, had absorbed
7ast amounts of money. 30 they were not
Lble to properly carry on the service
lpon the otherE. John w. Dorsey was
a Bismarck at the time and Miner was
omewhere in the west. Brady sent for
witness and warned him that il these
outes were not lifted before August 18th |
Ie would be declared failing contractor.
lie then saw John w. Dorsey who told |
i'm he had Furnished John w. Dorsey |
With as much money as ne could spare. |
lie then proposed that be (Bconel retire |
nd another partnes with more capital |
70 taken Ia, and this wcs done, V all, |
oming isto the business as this partner.
Merriek declared that witness had not
iven such testimony IS he had reason to |
elieve be would give Sarcastic laugh
Or on the side of the defense) and perhaps
70 would be able to show why. Ia
hould insist, however, upon the right to
the witness. Boone was
hen again asked il his retirement was
oluntsrY, and whether he knew Of any |
sason beyand that already given for il.
he prosecution seemed deslrous to prove
Y witness that his retirement had been
sused bV Brady's hostility, Objection
Tas made and sustained by the court,
tho said the only object Of the testimony
( this witness was to show the business
stations existing among the defendants.
ne fact that Boone had retired from the
om binStion was sufficient without giving
le reasons therefore.
After recess Boone twas ssked If
epstor Dorsey had not requested
i'm TO Rst out Of the COM
iasiion because Brady would do
othing for them while be remained.
Objection was made by some of the
ounsel, but Ingersoll, so far as his
lent Is. w. Dorsey WAS concerned,
lid he wss perfectly wiling to have
illness answer that question. It was
lled out, however. Witness then iden-
fed letter attached to 8 printed blank
} being inSenater DOrsey,s hsnd-writ-
10. It was addressed to Postmaster
iendennin, and referred to the obtain
u OF sureties uBon proposals. Merrick
rplained he expected to show that SEN
or Dorsey had more than q friendly
1nnection with Athe combination. In
le argument which, followed Ingersoll