The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-04-03
C0UNTRY'S CAPITAL.
The Star.ROute Trial Begins Another
Week, With Every Indication Of
Many Uuhappy Returns-Blue Monday
for Court aud Counsel.
Some Salient Points ELECTED by Gross.
Examination OF Dorsey.
POstmaster-General Howe's Portfolio
Still without an Owner.
Att0rney-6eneral Brewster Renders A
Decision With Regard Thereto.
The Presidents Proposed Florida Trim
Hangs Fire.
Miscellaneous Washington News Items.
Miscellaneous Washington News Items.
The Star-Route Trial

The Star-Route Trial
WASHINGTON, April 2--The first star
route trial lasted fifteen weeks. The
eighteenth week of the second trial began
this morning. The end still appears a long
way OIL Merrick resumed the cross.exam.
ination of Dorsey about instructions he had
given to Boone relative to bidding on con.
tracts. Witness had no recollection of n
conversation with or Instructions to Boone
upon the matters of inquiry Merrick de-
mar ded. Referring to his notice of the
production of letter-press copy-books.
lngersoll said that they had no
books containing letters of the date
described. Bliss thought that the answer
should be made under oath. Ingersoll IN
long argument contended that the evidence
sought was secondary in its character and
stitution of other secondary evidence
there being no digress in such evidence
lngersoll called attention to the fact that
the notice called for copies of all letters
written on the two dates regardless of the
subject.matter. The prosecution wish to 90
hshing i'll the hope they would discover some
new evidence in the books. The court said
that the defendant was not bound to pro-
duce any evidence to commit himself ri
he ignored the notice to produce the paper.
then secondary evidence would be admissi.
Bile; nor could he be required to produce
secondary evidence against himself. So, at
last, the prosecution would be driven to use
their own secondary evidence. but no such
evidence was admissible until notice had
been served, calling for the production of
the original paper. In the present case no.
tice was confined to strictly second
ary evidence, letter-press copies,
and, even If more specifc
the other side could not be called upon to
produce 1t. Bliss dissented from the opin-
ion expressed by the court, that defendant
could not be compelled to produce evidence
against himself aud held that when the
defendant took the stand he might be
called upon to produce any evidence in his
possession, oral or written. The court re-
piled that when the defendant took the
stand of course he would be regarded as
any other witness, and might be cross.ex-
amined to the same extent. The examina.
tion was then resumed.
Witness said he had had his letter-bcoks
examined; had not found q letter 10 John
Dorsey dated December 90, but the book
was mutilated at thai place and in other
places. Some questions were put in re-
gard to the Bosler letter, of May
IL. Objection was made by
Ingersoll, who availed himself OF the o.
nortunity to explain his theory that Reer-
dell had gone through the copy-books and
taken from them every letter tnat could be
of any use to the defendants.
and given them to the government
in part consideration OF its protection. The
other letters he had forged and manuiac-
y1sn 4
standing upon his legal right
and accepting the consequences,
that might befall him from any inference
caused by this conduct, rather than br ne
the books into court and let inference be
drawn that might touch other people.
political, theological and otherwise.
Counsel could rest assured that they would
not allow any of them, not one of them no
matter if 1t contained only poetry about
Spring.
Witness stated that nm examination of
the books revealed the fact that GOO pages
had been torn out Witness denied any
recollection of having employed Moore;
had sent check to Mrs. Moore Mt Boones
request, and had not seen the check since;
1t vas charged to Miner, Peck Il Co.: ii
witness had made contract he would have
remembered it. All conversations de.
scribed by Moore were generally denied by
witness
Merrick inquired If witness had examined
the index to ascertain if the letter books
had ever contained these letters.
IDgersoll objected, but the question was
allowed, and witness answered that he had
not asked the question of Colonel Love,
who had examined the books.
IDgersoll positively refused TO produces
the index, and witness added he was not
sure 1t existed; personally, he did not
know that Moore had been
sent west second time, but
had been told so by Miner since the trial
began; had advised Miner to employ James
l.. Hodges, OF Leadville, Colorado, and had
probably written to Hodges; did not
remember whether he had given
passes to Hodges; while witness was in the
senate he had asked for passes over the Pa.
citic road for many persons, but could not
remember their Names the chances were
that he had asked for pass
for persons sent west on this mail busines,
Hodges had been employed by Miner on
witness recommcndaiIln; did not know
whether or not he had given
any OF these passes without
being asked for them; supposed
he procured pass for Reerdell when he
went west in 1878; believed he put
not remember giving him any
instructions about establishing ranches or
po.t.ofllees upon the Tongue River
River route beyond his general insiruc.
tions; whether or not he had told
Reerdell so, witness believed that II
would be increased witn,ss gave
his reasong, based upon an Increase OF
population; may have told R,erdell 10 pet
up a petition for increase and exuedi,ion
but had no recollection OF the subject.
Merrick nsked for a repetition OF The In.
s,ructions given Reerdell, and was at a loss
10 see how witness could fail 10 remember
III EN-; witness said from the nature OF the
case Il was impossible 10 re.
turn definite answer; he was
happy to saw hat he was NOT n member os