National Republican., 1883-03-31
QUIZZING DORSEY.
The Gross Examination Continued TO the Gen.
eral Entertainment Of All Concerned.
e Fails to Find a Certain Check and
Declines to Produce His Bank Book,
Some Comments on His Correspondence With Glen
DENIM About Certifying Bank Checks.
Tho Complicated Relations OF the Defend-
ants-A Tattered Letter Book.

animation of Mr.. S. w. Dorsey of the star
route defense. Mr.. Rerdell was referred to
as assistant COUNSEL" which raised a laugh,
and Mr.. Dorsey gave bits Of his business and
senatorial experience, which were by no means
even those who sat through the days ques-
tioning and answering, will not be able to find
much in it all to make for either side.
The witness said that he had been unable to
find certain check required by Mr.. Mer.
rick. He had over 1900 checks, and they
were pretty well mixed up.
Mr., Merrick notified the witness to produce
his bank book on the German American Saw
ings bank.
Mr.. Ingersoll bluntly refused to produce
the book.
The witness said that he was not sure that
he had such bank book. Thought that he
had book on the German American National
bank, but did not recollect whether or not it
contained check dated July 20, 1873, for
$56250.
Mr.. Merrick requested the witness to pro.
duce the book.
He answered: "That depends upon the
contents of the book. If it contains the ac-
counts of other people / will not produce
them. i am not going TO draw outside people
or matters into the case if l can help it,"
The court remarked that Mr.. Merrick must
content himself with the notice.
Boone's testimony was then taken up. The
witness said that it was accurate in all re-
spects save one-that the witness had prom
ised him third interest in the business.
What he did tell Boone was that he thought
the arrangement would be agreed to by Peck
and John Dorsey, and witness believed that
Boone had so testified in the former trial.
Q. Wereyou not the creating cause that was to
move him?
Mr. lngersoll. Is not that metaphysical, your
honor?
Mr.. Merrick changed his question so as to
inquire whether the witness had not author
lied Boones actions.
The witness answered that he had agreed
to pay Boone until the arrangement with
Peck and John Dorsey was consummated
Had not agreed to pay him on his own ac-
count, but for Peck and John Dorsey.
Q; Did you agree to pay him If they did not agree
TO the arrangement
A. Not to my recollection.
Q. What salary were you to pay him?
A. do not recollect; don't think that any
salary was agreed upon.
Mr.. Merrick pressed tho inquiry, and the
witness said that it was possible that nothing
was said about the salary. 1t was inconceiv-
able that any two men could agree upon the
details of conversation after six years, but
witness believed that Boone was mistaken
upon that point.
Was first spoken to by Peck and John
Dorsey about engaging in the mail carrying
business. Witness opposed it because they
had not the necessary means, and because it
would seriously embarrass him.
Peck had between $4,000 and $4,000.
John Dorsey was not worth that much he
was n poor man. He had kept hardware
and tin store in Vermont from 1851 to 1876,
and was then connected with an agricultural
concern. Did not know what concern ; the
counsel would have an opportunity to ask
John Dorsey that question.
Mr.. Merrlck. am glad oft.
The witness again referred to something
that Boone had said during the first trial
Mr.. Bliss sprang to his feet and declared
that the words just spoken by the witness
had been suggested in an audible voice by his
counsel, and that the same thing had occurred
many times before.
The witness. Col. Bliss the witness is not a
parrot.
The counsel for the defense Indignantly
denied the imputation that they had
prompted the witness.
The court presumed that if anything had
been said, 1t was through inadvertence. The
court was compelled to rely upon the counsels
sense of propriety in the matter
The examination was resumed. The witness
did not remember whether or not John Dorsey
was in the employment of the senate during
1877. Mr.. MerTick inquired whether John
Dorsey was not employed under the senate
committee on the District of Columbia and
whether Mr.. Curtis, clerk of that committee,
had not drawn John Dorsey,s salary? Wit
ness answered in the negative. His recollec-
tion having been refreshed, witness said he
believed that John Dorsey might have been
employed by the senate.
The Clendennin letter was then referred TO-
The witness said that Clendennin had re-
IN nNn hn do oil tI,,N -
would be an unlawful proceeding. But the
witness did not believe that this was his real
reason. Boone had prepared the blanks, and
witness did not understand that the affair was
unlawful. Did not know that there was an
unlawful bond in the whole number. Under
stood that the amounts swere always left blank
until just before the bids were filed
Mr.. Merrick called his attention to tho fact
that the blank spaces for the names of the
bidders had not been filed up, and asked if
the witness did not understand that the bid
ders had not then been agreed upon.
He warmly replied that he understood only
what Boone told him. Witness did not tell
Boone to leave those blanks. Did not then
understand what the blanks WERE
q. Did you not find out when Cleudennin wrote
you that they were unlawful?
A: made no inquiry. The. witness said that
Adams.
u Who was Adams, postmaster?
NO. Il gentleman.
q, Is not postmaster gentleman?
A, Sometimes.
The witness, continuing said that Adams
was the editor of democratic paper in Ar
kansas,
@. Why did you send them to him?
A. / had no object
@. Are you inthe habit OF sending things to
people without an object?
: A. did not send them Clendennin did.
The witness acknowledged that another
batch of proposals had been sent to ex-Goy |
Hadley. He thought that Hadley was better
qualified than Clendennin to Judge of the le- |
gality of the bonds and he made them.
Mr.. Merrick inquired Of the witness if his |
reason for imposing secrecy in the letter was
not to prevent it being known that he dor |
Bey) was engaged in the business.
He answered that he would let the letters |
speak for themselves; he had no answer to !
mako in addition to what he had already said |
upon that subject.
Mr. Merrick read in evidence letter from |
the witness to Clendennin in 1877. In it Dor |
sey says that he knows nothing about the |
bonds. He asked Clendennin to make them |
to oblige Boone, who had often served him |
(Clendennin) while in the POstoilice depart |
ment Boone says that il is not necessary for |
Clendennin TO sign the certificates; only the |
bonds But IL he will not do that, he is di- |
rected to send them TO Adams. Speaking for |
himself Dorsey says that Clendennin's letter |
Is rather hard ON him he has seen Postmaster |
OF Washington, who assures him |
that there is nothing unlawful about the |
bonds. He (Edmunds) certifes to them as o |
matter OF duty whenever he thinks that they |
are all right. Dorsey adds that he has moth |