The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-30
~ hlAl Ia.
ingersoll Turns the Arch Defendant and
Witness Over to Merriek, Who
Attacks His Testimony in Chief Wig.
orously All Along the Line.
Witness Semi.Blindness Serves an Tx.
eeedingly Good Turn, as 1t
prevents Some Damaging Papers Being
Accepted as Evidence.
His Memory, Manners and Temper
Are Alike Bad.
Positively Had No Connection With the
Contractors.
"Reerdell Told lie" the Burden of
His Song.
Points Sought TO BE Impeached.
"Reerdell Told Lie," the Burden of
His Song.
Points Sought to BE lmpeachcd
STAR ROUTE TRIAL.

sTAR-RouTE TRIAL.
WASHINGTON, March 29.-Dorsey resumed
the stand In the star-route trial TODAY.
Witness denied that he had ever filled up
or authorized any one to fill up an affidavit
in regard TO the number Of mon and ami.
mails required on route after il had been
sworn to or filled. lngersoll asked permis.
SION from the court to inquire OF the wit
ness II he had ever given check to james
Is. Belford, The court asked if there was
any objection. Merrick answered that he
had none, providing counsel would recip-
rocato by allowing him to examine witness
on the subject. The question was nut and
witness said that he never told Reerdel
that he had given check for
$2,OOo to Beltord. nor to charge a check for
that amount or any other to j. b. Il. on the
books.
Question-"Did you ever give check for
any amount to Beliord2n
Answer-"Not dollar. never had n
transaction to the extent of one cent, with
the exception OF what you stated to the
court the other day, the presentation of the
rine, ana would like to see that check to
j. b. b."
He also denies that he had ever told
Reerdel that Boone was to be frozen ont
because OF Brady's hostility to him, had
never seen the letter produced by Reerdell,
purporting to be from Vale TO witness, re-
guessing him to disuade Reerdell from
continuing his suit against Miner and
Vaile.
ingersoll then went into the routes. TAX
ing up the first route from Pueblo TO Rost-
Ter, he undertook to prove that dereliction
OF duty on the part of the postmaster at
Pueblo had negatived the effect of expedi
tion upon that route. Objection was made
and long argument followed, the court
route from Trinidad to Madison, and from
Garland to Psrrott City was taken
up. Witness described the char
acter OF the country, and said that
his action in regard to the latter
route had resulted in the discontinung of
over 100 miles of service. Witness was
present at conversation between Reerdell
and Bosler, about June 10th, 10th or 2lst. Mt
his house, on /. street; the pencil memoran-
dun was the subject of the conversation;
Reerdell was telling Boser that he had
shown TO MacVeagh Il memorandum in
imitation of witness handwriting; Reer-
dell went to the waste basket, and picEed
out the pieces and laid them on the table.
the pieces resembling witness handwriting
so closely he was unable TO distinguish be-
tween them, but witness never wrote the
memorandum.
with few further unimportant cues.
| tlons the direct examination closed, and
Mr., Merrick began the cross-examination
Witness said. he first went to Arkansas in
1870 met Peck in Washington in 1874 did
not know whether or not Peck was here in
1871 or during the long session of congress,
beginning IN December, 1878; witness was
in this city during the most of that time.
could not say in what month of 1877 he
received the letter from Peck or John
Dorsey that led him to call upon
Boone, but 1t might have been
after the session began; next saw Peck at
his (wltnessD ranch in July, 1878; never
saw him in Washington after that time.
Witness was required TO describe his move
ments for several years with great particu.
larty. Speaking of certain dates, MIR.
Merrlck then asked witness the question:
You were then occupied in Indiana?i
Answer was then preparing to oc,
cupy Indiana" answered The witness.
=. Mr.. Merrick produced a copy ofthe New
York Herald of December . 1882, contain
ing statement ofDorsey, sent by tho AS
sociated Press. Witness said he could not
see to read; had not read u line for six
months, and ior three of those months had
been shut up In dark room.
Qqestion-"Can you see to play bill
bards2'
Answer--"0h, yes"
MIR. Merrick proceeded to read the article
sentence by sentence. Witness corrected
several errors of the date: believed il was
true, as stated, that Peck had been q large
mail contractor in 1873; during that wear
Peek was at witnesses ranches to transact
business for Peck
Mr.. Merrick produced pronosa for lem
porary service, dated December II, 1877.
Mr.. Ingersoll called the witness into the
witness room and read the paper TO him.
Some discussion cnsued as 10 the propriety
OF witness leaving the stand in this way.
but before 1t ended witness re-
turned and said he believed he had
not signed the paper for Peck; the same wns
true OF the contract; he might have signed
them, however, ana forgotten the c.rcum.
stance. Boone's statement that the papers
had been signed with Peck's name bv Dor
sey was referred to witness, who said
Boone was mistaken; did not believe he had
signed the papers.
Que,tion-"Don't you know ;,?n
Answer--"l don't know anything; | be.
lieve good many things, but am not abso.
lutely certain about anything
Questi0n-"Iou are not certain von did
not consnire to defraud the government,
are youP"
A derisive smile was the only answer.
Mr.. Carpenter-"He wants an answer;
give 1t to him."
Mr.. Merrick-" Certainly / want an an
swer to all my questions"
Witness-"My, recollection has been
pretty thoroughly refreshed on that sub-
ject, anu am as certain about that "a I am
about anything
Witness said he drew money on peck's
routes. and II was placed to the credit OF his
account, but every cent was paid over 10
Peck, after deducting amounts paid TO sub.
contractors.
Mr.. Merrick pushed the iuouirv IN ro.
gard to this subject further by asling wbv
Peck, who was out there near the routes
bad delegated to him Dorsey r senator OF
the United States, the work OF managing
ihemi witness satd he did not see why the
Tact OF bis being senator should disonalifv
bin. Mr.. Merrick remi nded witness % os ~
distance from the routes, but witness ad.
hered to his original statement. Witness
had no recollection OF sending a check 10 p
q. Reynolds for S55s.65; counsel might
have satisfied himself on that point. when
the check had been offered IN eyidencs
Mr.. Merrick-"l didn't hear that ofisr
on offered TO create q tribunal which the
court refused 10 crganize.'
witness did not know where John Dor.
sey was on July l2lh, 1873. $50 ~
A letter was produced, but witness had
no reco lection Of signing John Dorsey's
name is 70 IT, MIR. Merrick endeavored to put
me paper IN evidence In order TO show
contracts. The fact that witness COZ conla ,1s so,
zee the paper was an obstaclc
That could not be rarnnraa II -. ..'.