National Republican., 1883-05-26
The Star Route Orator Concludes His Argument
for the Defendants.
He Appeals to the Jury for 1.-The Mercy
Of an Honest Verdict"
aNothing Beneath the Stars 80 Profoundly Sad as
the Wreck Of Human Being"
The CoIonel's Associate Counsel Pay Him
n High Compliment.

dorsey knew UnaU heTueli WIS
he said and powerful for harm. He shrunk
from indictment; all sensitive men did, because
even verdict ofnot guilty did not entirely re-
move its stain. He was a man ofreputation,
second to no man in tho land in political
power, and did not want his reputation
smirched by an Indictment
The defense had not produced their books
and papers because they did not wish that
man (RerdelI to examine them and fortify
his testimony. Otherwise he never would
have crossed himself never would have
mixed up the checks and stub books. That
alone justified tho refusal. Then tho court
had refused to allow the defense to produce
the books to contradict Rerdell.
Judge Wylie interrupted TO deny that the
defense had offered to produce the books, and
some discussion ensued upon the point Tho
court said that it had refused to permit the
production of the books to contradict Rerdell,
but the offer had never been made.
Then, said Mr.. Ingersoll, the prosecution
wanted TO know why the defense had not
called Bosler. The prosecution had sub
penaed him; they seemed to have an afiec-
tion for him. Then they got out an attach
ment, and tried to arrest him in the dead OF
night.
Well, they put Bosler on the stand, con-
tinued Mr.. Ingersoll, and he absolutely con-
tradicted their witness, Rerdell.
Mr.. Ingersoll then took up the defense of
Miner. The only things against him were
the petitions, and he proceeded to account for
them by q theory perfectly, to him, con-
sistent with innocence.
During the recess the crowd filed into the
court room, so that every nook was filled
when Mr.. Ingersoll resumed his argument.
He said it was government doctrine that
O contractor agreed that Brady should fine
him and then return one-half of the fine.
Fine bargain that. Quite an inducement to
Brady to fine him. What man would thus
place himself In the power of anotherR The
papers answered that doctrine. 1t was not
worth arguing. 1t had been constantly
thrown out that Dorsey's blindness was as
sumed; and that, too, after three Of the most
eminent physicians of this city had made
affidavits that at least eleven-twelfths Of his
eyesght had been lost The government
subpenaed DIR. Marmion, but did not dare to
put him on the stand 1t seemed that they
had exhausted themselves in tho effort to
place their foot upon the neck of 8. w. Dor
sey. Never Us long as the world swings in
its orbit would they find twelve honest men
to convict Stephen w. Dorsey.
This government might use all Of its power (;
all the brains that its money could hire; it
could poison the entire newspaper press (;
he gave them notice that they never would
do it. Let them spend their millions; they
would never reach that end. As long as the
average Of men ran one or two true men to a
dozen they never would do it. They charged
that Dorsey published his affidavit in the
New York Herald to bias public Opinion. Was
Mr. Dickson, the foreman of the jury in the
first trial, indicted to bias public opinionp
Mr.. Merrick objected that there was no
evidence of that fact and the court forbade a
reference to Mr.. Dckson's case.
Mr.. Ingersoll took it back; he believed
that the jury had at least vague idea of
what the department of justice was doing.
InUnrGnll
of j. w. Dorsey Vale, and the other de-
PENDANTS, made rapid summary of the evil
dence, as it appeared to him, and concluded
with the following peroration, delivered with
great solemnity and pathos:
Now, gentlemen, the responsibility is with
you. Their fates are in your hands. In your
keeping is everything they love. Every
thing they hold dear is in your power. With
this fearful responsibility you have no right
to listen to the whispers of suspicion. You
have no right to hearken to the promptings
of fear. Beware of prejudice. Look to the
testimony alone. Be not convinced by the
last argument; listen not to epithets instead
of facts. Recall every argument made in this
case. Put the evidence in the scale and then
have the honor and manhood to say
which scale goes down. We ask from
you the mercy of an honest verdict.
That is all we ask-the verdict of your
honesty, 1t is for you to say whether these
fellow citizens. Whether they shall live in
tho free air, or be taken from their wives,
from their children, from their firesides from
all they hold mo.s lear. 1t is for you to say
whether they shaa he clothed with honor or
with shame. Whether their day shall set
without single star in all the sky of eternal
night whether they shall be branded as
criminals.
After all that they have suffered; after
they have been pursued by the government
as no defendants have before been pursued, it
is for you to say whether their homes shall be
blasted by the lightning of false verdict.
You must say whether their future shall be
one of agony, of griets, of tears.
Nothing beneath the stars of heaven is so
profoundly sad as the wreck of human
being. Nothing is so profoundly mournful
as a home covered with shame. The thing is
as infinitely sad as the thing that shall cast
stain upon children yet unborn. 1t is for
YOU to say whether this shall be such ver-
dict or one in accordance with the law and
the facts.
The prosecution is heated with the chase,
they are excited by the hunt but will say
that in the end they will be thousand times
better pleased with verdict of not guilty
than with what they ask. They would enjoy
their victory; they would like success, and
they would have you give to those aspirations
greater weight than to homes, and wives, and
children.
want verdict that will relieve my clients
from the agony of two long years; that will
lift from them the cloud. A verdict that will
fill the coming days and nights with joy. A
verdict that will fill their minds with a sense
of Joy and of gratitude forever to you, one
aud all.
Many ladies were weeping quietly when
Mr.. lngersoll sat down, and all of the specta-
tors were visihly affected.
The court inquired If the defense would
make further argument. Mr., Henkle
said that Mr.. Ingersoll had been the
unanimous choice Of the defense as
their representative and with what
grand results he would leave the court and
spectators TO bear witness. He denied posi-
lively that there was any truth in the pub
lished statements to the effect that the do
fendents had disagreed about the argument
among themselves and said that his only
reason for waiving his right to argue was a
feeling of Tenderness toward the jury, who
had suffered from their long confinement
He indorsed everything that Mr.. Ingersoll
had said, and left his clients TO the jury.
Mr.. Davidge regretted that Mr.. Ingersoll
had not left unoccupied a single subject for
argument. He had covered the whole field
with such matchless ability and eloquencC
that he had no ground for adding TO his argu.
ment. He had so fully uncovered the origin
of this so called prosecution and the charac,
ter and weight of the evidence upon which
conviction was sought that he could add
nothing but his grateful Endorsement. The
arguments for the defense were closed.
The court shall expect the government Ia
commence the closing argument on Monday
Mr. Merrck. j hope that IL Will not be long after