Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-27
I'm TELLING THE TRUTH. .
WITNESS RERDEhL A SELF-CON-
FESSED LIAR.

What Colonel IngersoIi's Cross-Exami-
nation ELECTED in the Star Route Trial
Yesterday-A Continuation of the Dis
graceful Story-Why Rerde1l Changed
His Mind-The Dominant Feeling.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-In the star
route trial to-day, after allowing Rerdell
an opportunity to make some corrections
in the testimony given on Friday. his
crOss-eXaminatiOn was resumed by Mr.,
Ingersoll. Witness said he was satisfied
he did not tell Carpenter or Dor
sey's counsel that he had made his
affidavit that of June, 1881, voluntarily.
He did not remember telling him that
Dorsey had used him badly. He NAV
have told him that he had written the
memorandum shown to .MacVeagh, and
that he could closely initial DOrsey's hand
writing. He may have, told that there
were no books such as described by James,
May have told French in 1881, at Dorsey's
house, that he had conceived a plan of
acting as detective towards James and
MacNeagh. May also have told him that
he was trying to get the government to
offer him money consideration to go
on the stand, he to furnish them with
documentary evidence written by himself,
but purpOrtlng to be in DOrsey's hand
writing, and that he would then expose
them. 1t was more than probable that he
told French he could initiate DOrsey's
writings, so that Dorsey himself could not
detect it,. 1t was very likely he told
French, that after he got the note from
MacVeagh he got so excited over the suc-
cess of his plan that he told Dorsey, for
the first time, what he had
been doing, and that Dorsey told
him to stop at once. He also told him
that when B0sler had conferred with Dor
sey they had agreed to allow him to con-
I, tinue his plot. He had no doubt that he
told French there were no books, and that
he had exhibited to James shirt wrap
ped up in paper.
Speaking Of copies of the original books,
witness said he was inclined to believe
that he carried them over to New York in
the summer of 1880, when the last settle
ment was made between Dorsey and
BOsler. Witness became confused
on this point, and when Mr.,
Ingersoll began to laugh, he resent
fully exclaimed: 'YOu need not
laugh at me; am telling the truth" If
he had told Dorsey anything about the
book he brought from New York at
MacVeagh's request it was that he didn't
get it. His object was obvi0us-he was
concealing the book.
Mr.. IngersOll-In that affidavit June,
1881, did Dorsey put down that state
ment, that there was no such book, know
ing it to be lie?
Answer (emphatically He did, most
assuredlY.
Questlon-And you swore to it, know
ing the same thing?
AnSWer-I did.
Mr.. IngersOIl wanted to know how he
had explained his action to Dorsey, and
how he had justified the furnishing of evil
dence against him.
Witness said he was satisfied that Dor
sey was in a bad state before that time,
as the newspapers were getting closer to
the facts and it looked bad.
Mr.. IngeI soil suddenly referred to the
affidavit of July 13, 1882. and asked witness
how it was, then, that more than year
after his revelations to James he had
changed his mind SO as to believe that
Dorsey had done no illegal act.
Answer-At that time. in the room ]
was-( pausing -
"Agitated," cynicalIy suggested Mr..
IngersOll.
81 did not remember anything particU-
larly wrong" continued the witness.
He went on to tell how Dorsey had APP
pealed to him in the name of his wife and
children to retract his statement.
Ingersoll-Did he say anything about
your wife?
''No,' said the witness, bitterly, Il
don't suppose he let my wife and children
cross his mind"
IngersOll-IIe did not show that un-
selfish feeling that you did?
Witness had conceived the idea Of saw
ing Dorsey on the occasion of his first in
teryiew with MacVeagh, still he would
acknowledge that selfpreservatiOn was
the dominant feeling in his mind.