Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-05-11
THE STAR ROUTES.

Contlnua alton of the Great National Bore
A Witness Sworn to Prove Conspiracy
Between RerdeH and Merrick-WiIsOn
Resumes His Speech.
WASHINGTON, May 10.-When the star
route resumed this morning Judge
Wylie said he wished to qualify his re-
mark made yesterday that seemed to CEN
sure Blackmar. AS matter of fact the
evidence showed clearly that Blackmar
hadlmade no proposition to Rerdell but had
merely listened to proposition coming
from him. The court wished now to con-
fine its censures to Rerdell.
Davidge said he believed the court did
not fully understand the matter. It was not a
mere propositionIbut'an infamous bargain
between Rerdell and the government
agent to affect the composition of the jury.
He was willing to suspend argument in
order to let Blackmar take the stand and
say whether or not he acted under orders.
Blackmar then took the stand and niger
soil conducted the examination.
Witness said he was present in the court
room when Rerdell testified in regard to
this subject.
Ingersoll-And you can state what you
wish about the matter?
Witness-I made no arrangement of any
kind with Rerdell. He said he was willing
to go on the stand and testify.
Question-Did he say he would sit with
the defendants and challenge the jurors at
the governments suggestion?
Answer-He said he would exercise his
privilege as defendant to challenge jury.
How? for or against the government?
| Answer was to communicate that to
the gentleman. He gave me list of per-
sons that he would challenge. I have it
now at nay house and would have brought
it with me if had supposed that would
| be examined, I communicated the propo-
sition to Merrick Immediately, long before
the trial began. Don't think 1 gave that
list to him, but cannot be positive.
Ingersoll inquired if the witness knew
Rerdell had attempted to carry out his
proposition.
Witness-His only knowledge on that
point had been derived from the record
1t was not understood that Rerdell was to
challenge the jurors for the government.
When witness reported to Merrick he was
directed to listen to Rerdell and cautioned
what to say In reply. Merrick ordered
witness to say to Rerdell that the PROPOSE
ton could not be entertained. 1t would
not be proper for the prosecution to enter
into it, nor would it be honorable towards
the counsel for defense. Witness had
conversation with s. w. Dorsey. but die
not tell him that he made that arrange
ment with Rerdell, and did not think Dor
sey would say that either.
Questionable you not say to Dorse.
2 yesterday that you ought not to be blamet
for this Rerdell matter; that you had takel
q every step under the direction of Merrick
Answer said that in everything hal
done in this trial my hands were clear
and that the remarks of Wilson were IN
fair, and that 1 had been instructed to
whatever did.
8 Witness said that he would say now, ant
Q to the day of his death, that he made n
| such arrangement with Rerdeil as wa
| charged.
IngsrsoIl asked some questions whicl
the court considered foreign to the subjeC
, under examination, and Judge Wylie de
clined to allow an extension of the scop
7 of inquiry. 1t must be, said he, confine
e to the selection of a jury, to the simpl
= question whether there was an agreemen
| D0GW66u horU011 anu DldChLudrs
Witness said he now remembered he ha
not shown the names to Merrick when b
, reported to Merrick that Rerdell wanted
challenge for the government. He wa
very much offended, but said the witne:
= must listen to Rerdell while trying t
y entertain the proposition.
q The court said it had been surprised {
~ Wilson's defamation against the prosecI
I'D hoI 70 fha 10
= certain if he was justified in it. A carefl
- consideration of the testimony led til
y court to believe that Blackmar had onl
- listened in silence to Rerdelrs suggestio
- and although Blackmar had not done h
= whole duty in failing to denounce Rerde
- at the time, yet the court failed to see an
- ground for the indignation expressed
- the counsel at the course of the govern
. ment. The court refused to GO further il
to the subject and Wilson resumed his az
l. dress to the jury.
% The prosecution, he said, made grei
- point of the fact that some of theroutes rs
~ through vast solitudes and across we
=. nigh impossible mountains. Well, col
, gress and not the second assistant pos
:. master general was responsible for tina
. They specified the routes the mail shou
traverse and the second assistant postma
> ter general carried out their laws. The j
ry could not draw an inference of crimil
L atty from the charge and the judge WI
l. sat on the bench. They must look to Il
Is evidence alone. No matter if Brady's o
ders were not wise, it would be a mo-
strous thing for the jury to convict an g
/ scutive officer of crime because his judd
ment had not been wisely exercised. Wi
son had not concluded his address WHIT
% the court adjourned.
W Securing Their Scrip Divided.