The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-31

agreed TO pay any stated salary. nor to pay
anything in case Peck and John Dorsey failed
to ratify the agreement. Witness believed
Boone was mistaken on this point; was first
spoken to by Peck and John Dorsey about
engaging in the mal-carrying busl-
ness, Witness opposed it because they
had not the necessary means, and
because it would seriously embarrass
him. Peck had between $40, 600 and $4,000.
John Dorsey was not worth that much. He
was poor man. He had kept a hardware
and tin store in Vermont from 1851 to 1876,
and was then connected with an agricultural
concern, but did not know what concern; the
counsel would have an opportunity to ask
John Dorsey that question"
Mr.. Merrick-"I am glad of it''
Witness again referred to something that
Boone had said during the first trial.
Mr. Bliss sprang to his feet, and declared
that the words spoken by the witness had
been suggested in an audible voice by his
counsel, and the same thing had occurred
many times before.
Witness-"Colonel Bliss, witness is not
parrot, and the counsel for the defense in
dignantly denied the imputation that thew
had prompted witness
The court presumed that if anything had
been said it was through inadvertence. The
court was compelled to rely upon counsePs
sense of propriety in the matter.
The examination was resumed Witness
did not remember whether or not John
Dorsey was in the employment of the Sem
ate during 1877.
Mr.. Merrick inquired whether John Dor
sey was not employed under the Senate COM
mittee on the District of Columbia, and
whether Mr. Curtis, clerk of that commit
tee, had not drawn his John Dorsey's) sal
airy.
Witness answered in the negative. His
recollection having been refreshed, however,
by further questions, he said he believed
that John Dorsey might have been employed
Inv H..
letter was then referred to- Witness
said Clendennen had refused to execute
bonds alleging that it would be an unlawful
proceeding, but witness did not believe this
was his real reason. Boone had prepared the
blanks, and witness did not understand that
the affair was unlawful; did not know that
there was an unlawful bond in the whole
number. Understood that the amounts were
always left blank until just before the bids
were filed.
Mr.. Merrick called his attention to the
fact that blank spaces for the names of bid
ders had not been filled up ana asked if wit
ness did not understand that the bidders had
not then been agreed upon.
Witness warmly replied that he understood
only what Boone had told him. Witness did
not tell Boone to leave those blanks; did
not then understand what blanks were.
Odd you not find out when CSendennen
wrote you that they were unlawful?
Al made no inquiry.
| Witness said that they directed Clenden-
min to send the bonds to j. D. Adams
Q.-Who was Adams; postmaster?
A.-No gentleman.
| Q.-Is not postmaster a genrcua..
| A.-Sometimes. Witness, co inaing said
Adams was the editor OF Demo .tfg paper
| IN Arkansas.
| Q.-Why did you send them to him.
Al had no object.
| Q.-Are you in the habit of sen ...ge
| to people without an object?
| Al did not send them; Clendennen did.
| Witness acknowledged that another batch
of proposals had been sent to Ex-Governor
| Hadley. He thought Hadley better quail
fed than Clendennen to judge OF the legality
of the bonds and he made them
Mr.. Merrick inquired of witness if his rea-
son for imposing secrecy in the letter was
not to prevent its being known that he Dor
sey) was engaged in the business
He answered that he would let the letters
| speak for themselves; he had no answer to
make in addition to what he had already
said upon the subject.
Mr.. Merrick read in evidence letter from
witness to Clendennen in 1877 in it Dorsey
says he knows nothing about the bonds. He
asks Clendennen to make them to oblige
Boone, who had often served him (Clenden-
| nen) while in the Postofice Department. He
quotes Boone as saying that it is not neces.
sary for Clendennen to sign the certificates,
only the bonds; but if he will not
Adams. Speaking for himself Dorsey says
that Clendennens letter IS rather hard on
him. He has seen Postmaster Edmunds of
Washington, who assures him there is moth
ing unlawful about the bonds He ed
munds) certifeS to them as a matter of duty
whenever he thinks they are all right. Dorsey
adds that he has nothing more to do with the
| bonds and that Clendennen may burn them
up. Witness said that the letter had re-
freshed his recollection and that he had made
some inquiry after receiving Clendennen's
letter. Postmaster Haycock and Peck wit
ness said, were intimate friends Witness had
| not mentioned Peck name in his letter to
Haycock because he did not wish the other
| contractors to learn that Peck was a bidder.
| Witness had no recollection of defining tho
| form to be used for sub-contracts; it was alb.
| surd to suppose that he told Boone ANYTHING
! of that kind when he was first employed for
| there were then no sub-contractS Witness
| had exercised no authority over Boone after
the bids were put in, but had made sugges.
tions. At Miners request he had paid
Moore $3.50, and sent Rerdell to fetch the
| pigeon-hoes from Boones house. Witness
did not recollect directing the insertion oil
the clause providing for expedition in sub
contracts. Boone had only general instruc
tons, according to witness recollection
Witness had no recollection of having seen a
sub-contract up to February, 1878, or OF
changing the form prepared by Boone;
did not remember giving him any
instructions except in December 1877, al.
though he was not positive that he had not
instructed him after that. Witness could
not undertake to repeat the substance of any
conversation with Boone after that Deceni.
Der, 1878.
A searching examination was based upon
the sub-contract clause provididg for expedi.
ton, but the witness steadily denied all re.
collection on that point. To one of the
questions witness returned an argumentative
answer.
''Had you not better leave argument to
your COUNSEL" said Mr.. Merrick. And
again, when an improper question was ruled
out by the court, he said; at is not easy to
| confine questions within nrOner limits whnn