Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-03-29
FROM WASHINGTON.
THE STAR ROUTE.
Dorsey Still on the Stand-A Blind Road
With the End Cut Oh.

His letter IN Postmaster Clendenln OF tori
Smith, Ark..was produced, and he was asked
his reason for cavtioning Clendenin not t.
allow Root, Merrens and others to know OF
his [Dorsey's) request for the approval OF
the bonds He explained that the persons
referred to were prominent mail contractors.
and il wa. very important that they should
know nothing of the proposed bids or they
might knowingly underbid for the service.
The witness sad that bonds cent to these
postmasters were never returned to him, and
consequently never used He had no inter-
est in the contracts, and his attempts TO Sc
cure bonds was friendly act. He had done
the same things for other persons, notably
Mayor Adams. for whom he secured bonds
for S640, 900; that was also only friendly
act.
Referring to the pencil entries in the note
book, he said that Miner brought the book
to him and he changed Gully two entries:
could not remember the routes or figures:
had advanced about $4,000 to John W. Dor
sew & Co The total sum loaned to all. Peck
Miner and John Dorsey was $4,000 exclu-
sve of $40, 900 afterwards paid to Peck. and
$40. 900 paid to John Dorsey. The last tran
sacton was with Miner at St. Louis, July.
1873.
The witness detailed his business transa
tons with Miner, Vail and Peek, and the
circumstances which led 10 his assuming a
portion of their routes. He employed Rer
dell tn attend 10 these routes some time in
April, 1879, but he retained his position in
the district government. until Nav. Rerdell
took general charge of the routes. He was
not instructed to open any books and there
was no occasion for it.
The witness had his own books. Rerdell
did keep route book, but the witness did
I -
had any connection whatever with routes
held by Miner and Vail after the division.
Never realized any profits from them and
did not see Miner and Vail afterward until
the beginning of this action. Never saw
Andrew w. Moore but once and did not
know him. In July, 1873. Moore was at the
witness house.
Ingersoll read Moore's statement of an
interview with Dorsey about the mail service.
Witness declared that he never had such a
conversation with Moore in the world. His
statement was lie made out of whole cloth
The witness gave checks to Miner in April
1878. but did net know whether or not they
were intended for Moore. A $3.50 check
which Moore said had been given to him was
given to Miner, Peck & Co. Nearly all of
| M0ore's statements concerning the witness
| were denied in most emphatic terms.
ever requested Rerdeli to help Miner prepare
the bids. Miner stopped at the witness
house as his guest during December. 1877,
and had the use of the upper office. If Rer-
! dell did any work for the witness at that time
| it consisted of writing few letters. Wit
ness had nothing to do with the preparation
| of proposals of that memorable night as tes-
| tilted to by Rerdell.
The witness reason for taking such an &C
| tive interest in the success of the business,
and for sending Rerdell ont to help John
Dorsey start for the Tongue river route, was
to protect friends who had become bondsmen
on contracts. He denied Rerdell's state ment
that he had been instructed to establish a
side postotfce on the Tongue river route, or
that he had instructed Rerdell to build sta
tons on that route solely with view to ex-
| petition.
The witness bad no recollection of ever
filing up an affidavit connected with the
routes. Some Of these papers were present.
ed to him by lngersoll, but he said: II can
not see, am sorry to say"
! He also denied having instructed Rerdell
to fill in affidavits. Other conversations
sworn to by Rerdell were denied. The
Smith and Jones memorandum was produced
The witness said positively: Il never gave
that paper to Rerdell at any time or any
place. OF for any purpose, or to any human
being in the world. | am speaking of the
paper as entirety. l gave items of the first
part of the paper to Wilburn f. Kellogg (his
bookkeeper) to make the entries on the 10th
of May, 1879.
| The witness then explained the nature of
the items, saying they included $4,000 to
| Peck and 100000 to John Dorsey.
| Ingersoil. addressing the court and coun-
sci, said that Dorsey had books extending
over 20 years, concerning many people. He
did not want to bring them into court for
reasons entirely outside the case. If the
prosecution would agree upon man. or if
the court would appoint two men to go over
all the BOOKS, they might bring into court
any account with John Dorsey, Peck or
Miner connected with tie business from 1877
| to the present time.
| Bliss replied that at the the threshold they
would be met with the question: "What are
Dorsey's books?" He preferred to stand by
the rules OF law. The court said that it could
not make such an order even if it had been
accepted.
| IngersOll added that Dorsey had about
10000 pages of letter books, legal, political
and personal. He would make some offer in
regard to them.
! Court (to Mr.. Bliss)-"Do you accept"
Bliss-No. sir.
| Merrick-If they will bring in the book
containing the entries of VIM. Smith, will
read them to the jury.
1ngersoll-IfI had the power l might
evoke from the chaos of perjury two red
books but as have not such power, ! shall
not.
The court remarked that the argument was
not within bou,
Ingersoll declared that he wa. enjoying
himself.
The court replied that he had no right to
enjoy himself at the expense of others
Ingersoll produced another batch of checks
and offered them as evidence.
The court rejected the offer.
1ngersoll, excepted, although he did not be-
lieve that thew would ever get to bill of ex-
ceptiors in this case.
Merrick believed the gentleman was wrong.
still he might show his sublime confidence by
Withdrawing his objection.
1ngersoll-I will Withdraw it.
Wilson, renew it.
Merrick-Oh, don't want to interfere in
family quarrels.
The court referring to Ingersoll's offer
said, that after all it depended entirely upon
the crediblify of witness testimony. He
might have drawn money from other banks
than those included in the offer. only a gen.
ersl statement would be admissible.
Witness said he kept no account of money
received from the government the sums wera