Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-02-16
STAR ROUTE SENSATION
ONE OF THE CON,PIkATOEs PLEADS
GUILTY.


GUILTY.
Rerde;I Surprises HIS Counsel by With
| drawing Its Plea Of =. Not Guilty :" and
| Uferin < to Tell All he Knows.
In the Star Route cases yesterday, NJ
| G. Rerdeil, ore of the indicted persons
arose and said " II the court please,
desire to make statement in my own
behalf" A profound silence prevailed for
a moment the court looked surprised
but the counsel for the defense seemed to
be prepared for tie blow about to follow.
The court finally said !: - You can make
it," Rerdell then said
| became acquainted with S. W. Dorsey
in December, 1872; met JohD Dorsey in
the spring of 1878 at General Dorsey's
house on Ct" street: first met Peck
about 1868 60 or 20; became acquainted
with Brady in the spring Of 1879. In
August, 1875, l was appointed to a posi-
tion under the district government, at the
same time acting as Dorsey's secretary.
One morning in June, 1873, witness
went to Dorsey's house at his request
Dorsey had before him a large number of
communications lie tossed them over to
witness aud asked him if he knew what
they meant. Witness read about a dozen.
They were communications from the post
Ol1ic department addressed to Dorsey,
Peck, Boone, Miner, and perhaps Watts.
Dorsey asked him to take charge of the
business, and witness carried them down
to his office Ill the district buildings.
Dorsey said lie intended to take away the
business from Boone, who was then at
tending to it; saw Dorsey again
on the night following; told him
he thought he could attend to the
business after getting little further i'll
formation. Dorsey directed him to go to
Boone's house aud get all the papers con
nectei with the business. Boone, he said,
would understand what papers were
wanted. Witness did as he was directed
and got large case of pigeon holes full
Of papers, took them to Miners room in
Dorsey's house, and devoted all of his
spare tipe to the business, writing letters
to sub contractors aud others. About
July or 10, Dorsey asked him he would
like to go West. Witness replied in the
affirmative, and 10y Dorsey's direction put
in his application for leave of absence.
Dorsey said that he wonld sec that he got
ii. Witness was to 90 west 10 assist john
Dorsey in putting service upon the Bis
marck kTOn-ue river route. Left Wash
ington on July II: received instructions
and 81 500 from Dorsey before leaving
Dorsey also went with him to the German
American national bank and placed to the
credit of John w. Dorsey 6 Co, $1,000.
Witness signed the firms name-John w.
Dorsey Il Co.-upon the books. When
witness returned he negotiated three blank
notes signed John w. Dorsey Il Co., and
endorsed S. ". Dorsey, Did noe remem
Der whether Miner or himself lad the
notes. Used nearly all the money fui
: stocking the Tongue River route. Alto
gether IS, coo was used for this purpose.
Building Branches and Digging Wells.
Before witness went West, Dorsey
furnished him with postal blanks, and
told him to establish il station off to Que
side of the rOute-about sixty nliles-and
put in applications to have it put upon til,
route. IL was calculated that this wouiG
!; make up for the distance lost through the
: erroneous advertisements. Witness
missed connection at st. Paul, and white
waiting. met John w. Dorsey in hotel
John Dorsey took him down to the stable,
. and showed him Pcnnelps horses. They
| went on together to Bismarck, and witt
the assistance of John Dorsey and Pen
= neil, witlesS proceeded IT, buy grain stock
camp utensils and other requisites. A
Y train was prepared, and PenneIl started
| nut to build ranches and dig wells. Wit
, oess selected tine site Of the proposed side
=, office, and even picked out q name for it
Al Niles City witness got up q petition
. and everyone whom he asked signed IL
1 He had letter Of Introduction to Genera
Q Miles, and got him to write a letter to tue
6 department. Witness left John Dorsey al
Miles City. Witness picked out place
on the map for the new postotlics, bu
knew nothing about the number OF in
habitants at that place.
! d" 1t was a paper p0stoftice ," asked tht
court.
a The witness answered affirmatively. Ii:
| knew one of the carriers on the route. 5
w. Dorsey'S instl uctions were 10 build TIE
stations about fifteen Or sixteen miles
). apart. He said the service would be in
Z creased, and uutil that time they coulC
r use every third station. He was also in
structed to get up petitions for increase
, and expedition. He had been Furnished
3 with letters TO a number of promineD
S persons, including Governor Ramsey
General Rosser aud Senator Window
:, About the first OF August witness lei
John W. Dorsey in charge Of the route
and returned to Washington. Next saw
! John Dorsey in January or February
e 1879. Did not see him here in Noyem
| CGI, 1910. UDC leGGeTS IrOTi nitn aDou'
that time that would show where he was
n Mr.. Merrick requested witness to brin-
the letters with him to- morrow.
II Very Close to Brady.
t Witness, continuing, said that iis fam,
4 lily occupied Senator Dorsey's house dur
v ing the summer of 1878. When h.
>, returned from tho West Miner also tool
up his abode there. Senator Dorsey wa
j. away and witness occupied his house at hi
/ request. Miner said the service was il
u bad condition, aud they couldn't do any
: thing while Boone was i'll that Brad,
was hostile to Boone, who talked toe
much. Miner asked witness Opinio,
G upon the subject OF admitting Vale jntt
1 the company. Vale, he said, was an ole
s contractor aud had plenty of money.
What did he Say Of the relations 1e
tween Vaile and Brady ?' asked Mr.. Mer
rick.
) Objected to, but objection overruled.
l Answer" He said that Vale was very
close to Brady"
In conversation with Miner and Vale a
the National Eotel, in Washington, Mine
told Vaile he had been talking to Rerdei
about giving him employment; he thought
they should give him good thing. Vailt
said he had been thinking of the sams
3 thing aud acceeded to the proposition
, Miner said they would fix him and asked
q him how lie would like some mail service
be could 60 West and be his own man
] iii fn$ va1x l,,,f,