Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-03-30
THE sTAR.ROUTE TRIAL.


WASHINGTON d. c., March 26.-E. N.
Hill, a journalist and lawyer testified in the
Star-route trial, to-day, that he had done a
great deal of work for Dorsey and got paid
for it. Whenever Dorsey desired to make a
publication he usually sent for witness, These
communications were published over Dor
sey's signature and had been telegraphed by
the Associated Press. lie had for many
months received salary of $50 month from
Dorsey.
Stephen w. Dorsey came into court for
the first time since the beginning of the pre-
sent trial. and 1ngcrsoll called him to the
stand.
Merrick inquired if Dorsey regarded the
the oath as binding upon his conscience.
lie Qicrccly shaking his finger at the gen
tleman) answered that the oath was as bind
ing upon him as upon Mcrrick. lie regarded
it as binding upon his conscience.
Mcrrick asked if in takng.thc oath witness
had in his mind the effect of the failure to
observe it upon his future state of reward
and punishment.
Instantly lngcrsoll was upon his fect-"l
object-sit down" said he TO Dorsey, and
then he proceeded to pour out an impassion-
ed address. lie objected to the preparation
of this monstroslty Of the dark ages. The
country had passed that point In nearly
every State, in every civilized State, every
man was allowed to testify whether he be-
lieved in future punishment and personal
God or not. The Government had tainted
the defendant for year for not taking the
stand, and when he came here they sought to
prevent his testimony because he did not be-
licvc in their Jehovah. He admitted that in
many States the gentleman could not testify (;
that Humboldt (who knew more than all the
Staics) would not have been allowed to test
fy if his own brother had been murdered be.
fore his eyes. So with Tyndall and Huxley,
but in those States q man who beat his wife
could 60 upon the stand and testify. lie
did not believe his honor would allow such
procedure.
Merrick replied that the religion of nine
teen centuries needed no defence from INN.
He was acting under the rules of law In
gersolPs charge that the Government did not
wish Dorsey TO testify was untrue. He de-
sired that the court and jury should know
what weight TO attach TO his testimony when
he invoked the Supreme Being. The wit
nesscs were under obligations of personal
honor and integrity, but in addition they had
an obligation that they invoked the justice of
Heaven and the wrath of man if they fasi-
fed.
lngerso. said that if there was another
world and he had acted badly in this, he
would expect 10 fare badly there, and so he
would expect 10 fare well if he acted well
here. He regarded the truth as the most
sacred of all obligations. If he was
on the stand and all he held most
dear was at stake still he would be
compelled TO express the belief that he did
not believe IN Il personal deity, and there
were many excellent, generous people of that
belief. In the dark ages people were so Civ
en- to lying that nobody was expected to tell
the truth unless they were seated
Merrick hoped the court would not enter
tain the proposition.
The court said that with men not in official
positions it was n private matter us to what
they thought of the law. Ii they undertook
to violate it they were responsible. The
Judge was not at liberty to say he liked this
law and dislikcd that, or would administer
this one and ignore that. They were not
made by the court and he could only apply
them.
The cath was administered aud Ingersoll
began the examination, after which the court
adjourned.