The Evening critic., 1883-03-31
MERRICK GOES FOR WOOL,
But Returns From the CONTEXT Bad.
lY Ahnrn.

The cross examination of ex-senator 8. W.
Dorsey was continued yesterday after the re-
port OF THE CRITIC closed. He was questioned
In regard to a bid with Peck's signature to 1t,
being spoiled at the time the bids were being
prepared, and to Miner taking another blank
out Of the room and returning 1t with Peck s
signature attached. The witness said that II
bid had been spoiled and new one returae |
with Peck's signature within few minutes,
then some one else must have signed It, He
did not. as Miner took 1t outo OF the room he
could tell more about 1t then the witness.
81 would like the opportunity of asking
him." said Mr.. Merrlck.
You will get IT," answered Mr.. Dorsey.
The witness did not think Boone ever tol
him to keep John Dorsey and Miner away be.
cause they were stupid and inteferred with the
business; did not think that the remark
would apply to the persons named. Explain
ing his reason for taking an active part in tho
business after July, 1878, the witness re
peated what he had said upon direct examina-
tfon about protecting the bondsmen, and
added that he had indorsed notes for tho part.
ners to the amount of $26, 900, which had been
used to secure certified checks for deposit In
the Postof1ice Department. If they had failed
to put on the service these notes would have
come back upon him. The notes were given
to the Vermont National Bank of st. Adams
and the Second National Bank of Santa Fe.
The witness then told how Peck and Miner
had failed In their attempts to get boudsmen
and how he had finally induced John o. Evans
TO go upon their bonds. Peck's failure had
been caused by ill-health and inability to at
tend to the business, otherwise he might have
secured any amount of bonds.
An apparently personal letter from John W.
Dorsey to the witness was acknowledged by
the latter to be genuine, shut don't see how
it got into this case" said he.
MIR. Ingersoll-Mr. Rerdell kept 1t as
voucher. Laughter.l
Mr.. Merrick-There seems to have been
distribution OF papers between you, and some
OF them should have been In the custody OF tho
other.
In the letter John Dorsey says he is "slai
that Vatle has bought out"
The witness said his recollection was tha.
he wrote his brother that HVaile had cut him
out" aud that John Dorsey had understood
II.
Ho could not have said thought out" because
II was not SO; when witness returned to Wash
tngton In December he found that Vale had
filed subcontracts.
Q.-yaile was trying to swIndle tho whole
party, was he not? Al don't know that he
was. was annoyed at the time, but after
ward saw that he could not have done other.
wise than file the subcontracts to cut on drafts.
witness had not seen that letter since he
sent 1t to John Dorsey. He was pressed to pro.
duce the letter, or state its contents, but waiv-
Ing his hand he exclaimed, 81 have no recol.
lectien OF such little rubbish as that"
Mr.. Merrick-We have to look In rubbish to
find certain things.
Mr.. Dayidge-And YOU don't find them hero.
Tho witness supposed that the letter pro.
duced by Mr.. Merrick from John Dorsey had
been stolen in 1873, but declined to say who
stole 1t.
Mr.. Merrick.
A laugh was tho witness' only answer
Mr. Merrlck reiterated the question, ani the
witness said that Rerdell seemed to have been
we'll pleased with the letter. He said that he
regarded that letter as perfectly innocent aud
attached no Importance to the question.
Mr.. Merrick-Yeu don't seem to attach I'm
portance to any of my questions.
The witness-I don't know; should think
that nobody else would.
Mr.. Dorsey, continuing about the letter. said
mat he had examined his letter hODka.
were much mutilated. Some one had gone
through them and gutted out about 600 pages.
He had known of some Of tho pages since then
In this trial The books were now at witness
house, but had been offered under restrictions
In evidence In court and rejected a few days
ago.
Mr.. Merrick read In evidence O letter to t.
j. Brady, dated March 4, 1879, signed by the
witness for Peck and John Dorsey. In It the
witness says that, being duly empowered to
act for Peck and John Dorsey, he protests
against the subcontracts on file In tho name
OF ii. NJ. vaile; demands that they be Cancelled
after April 1, and that no subcontract be nlei
upon their routes except those In the Indian
Territory, unless under power OF attorney.
The witness said that Peck and John W.
Dorsey were In ignorance of Valle's operations
and that the subcontracts had been given to
Yaile by Miner, acting for Peck and John W.
Dorsey; thought that he frat learned of tho
filing Of the contracts I'm December, 1873.
Mr.. Merrick inquired why he had waited
Till March before writing to Brady.
The witness-For this simple reason-I
don't know what you are trying to reach)--
John Dorsey and Peck being absent, and IN
the Senate, thought that It would be an i'm
proper thing for ms to do while was In the
Senate.
Witness thought he had his authority for
writing the letter in the winter OF 1878.'79;
did not assume control of the business with
out authority; had a power of attorney upon
every route, but could not say whether he had
them before March A.
Mr.. Merrick began an inquiry In relation to
the letters OF authorization.
The witness did not know where the letters
were, and insinuated that the assistant coun-
sci was better Informed.
Mr.. Merrlck-Who do you mean? A.-Rer.
dell.
Q.-Is he assistant counsel ? A.-rLaueh.
inglyl-I should judge 80.
: Q.-Do you know what Rerdell is doing A.
can SEQ him sitting there.
Mr.. Merrick-[ sarcastically1-Your eyesight
Is not so bad after all.
The witness-I can see some small things,
Mr.. Merrick-I congratulate the witness on
the good effect exercised by Rerdell on his
eyesight he should be glad that he is here.
The Court-Good for sore eyes. [Laughter.1
AT this point the trial was adjourned until
Monday next.
NoTE.-The stenographic record of Tuesdays
proceedings In the Star-Route trial reports
Mr.. Dorsey's answer to Mr.. Merrich's question
as TO whether he could SEQ to play billiards as
''Ob, no, SIR" 1t was understood by the press
reporters as "Oh, yes, Sir" and was 30 re.
This note was sent out by the New York As.
ISOLATED Press yesterday. The reporter of
THE CRITIC got Senator Dorsey's answer as the
record has 1t.
This note was published In the Star yester.
day and In the same paper was mean and
editorial paragraph dictated by
envy, malice and all uncharltableness, max.
Ing sport OF Senator Dorseys anilctlon.