Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-04-06
LEGALCLANS GATHERING.
ANOTHER BIG FIGHT IN THE
STAR ROUTE WAR.

The DOrsey-Kellogg Indictments the
Grounds for the Coming Struggle
Vaile's Examination Finished The
Witness UnseIfish Motives More Fully
Averred-JnO. w. Dorsey on the stand.
WASHINGTON, April 5.-There is no
truth in the report that the foreman of the
grand jury has refused to sign the indict-
ment against ex-senator Kellogg. AS a
matter of fact the documents have not vet
been prepared, and consequently are not
ready for his signature. The counsel for
the defense in the star route trial declare
positively that the Indictment will not
hold water. They insist not only that proof
TO sustain the allegations is lacking. but
also that prosecution for the alleged of
tense is barred by the statute of limita-
tons. The governments counsel, on the
other hand, maintain with equal conf
dence that the indictments are sufficient
in every way to bring the parties to trial.
One Of their views is that as the postal
drafts, which, it is alleged. passed
between the parties, covered a period of
four years, the Offense may technically
be held to have continuance for that time
The indictments will in all probability be
attacked with great YigOr when they come
say that it would be an extraordinary Oc-
currence in the Districts legal history of
presentment were they not followed by
an Indictment, so it is probable that in
dictments will follow the presentment
already made in the case of Gen. Brady
and Mr.. Kellogg.
Col. Bliss concluded the crOss-eXamina-
tiOn of Mr.. Vaile in the star route case to-
day, without eliciting anything of particu-
lar interest, except that the witness went
in the mail combination with Messrs.
Peek and Miner principally to benefit
the government, which was likely to
lose heavily on Messrs. Peck and Miners
routes, unless the witness went in
with them and prevented them from being
declared failing contractors. Col. Bliss
inquired dryly whether the witness could
not just as we'll have benefited the gov
ernment, if that was his object, by con-
tributing to the national debt. The wit
ness replied that he might. Col. Bliss in
quired if the mail on the Tongue river
route could have been carried
on the original schedule for the contract
price ($2, $500 without lOss.- The witness
replied that 1t could not. Upon being
asked why, then, he had not thrown it up,
he answered: because L could not
say that it would prove loss
until had experimental with it.
Under the expedition Colonel Bliss wished
to know how the route originally
Improbable could be made to pay by pro-
pOrtiOnate expedition. The witness said
that it could not, and that if he had no.
tlced the terms of the contract when he
assumed it he would have thrown it up at
once. The witness was examined at con-
siderable length with regard to his finan-
cial and other relations with the other
defendants, but would not admit that
there was in them anything improper
or unusual. He denied the truth of the
account given by Mr.. Rerdell of a CONVEX
satiOnwith the witness about "gOing over to
the Government" The crOss-examinatiOn
was then closed, and after brief and un-
important redirect examination. John w.
Dorsey was called to the stand. He re-
lated the circumstances under which
he went into the mail business. He said
that he did it against the advice of
his brother. The witness denied ever
having contracted with any one to de-
fraud the government. He had spoken to
General Brady but once in his life. The
witness remembered no conversation such
as that detailed by Mr.. McLillan i'm which
he the witness had said that the Tongue
river route would be increased
through his brothers influence. sit is
the most infamous lie in the world"
said he. GAS if l would tell couple of
mule whackers such stuff as that, and
the first time / ever saw them, too" Col.
IngersOll offered in evidence paper
which he asserted was the original affi-
davit of John w. Dorsey upon the Tongue
river route with the object of showing
that Mr.. Rerdell had forged another affi-
dayit. but the court refused the offer. An
adjournment was then had.
Mrs. 5. W. Dorsey was present in the
court room, and Miss Spingeman, the
alleged recipient of Mr.. RerdelPs letters,
was also in attendance in answer to a
subpoena from the prosecution.