Daily Kennebec journal., 1883-04-11
FROM WASHINGTON.
THE STAR ROUTE.
Merrick CrOss.Examines Miner.

WAsHISGToS. April 10.
Henkle continued the examination of John
r. Miner in the Star Route trial this morn
ing, and at the conclusion the witness va,
cross-examined BY Merrick.
The witness had nothing to do with whis-
KEY for twelve or fifteen months before the
indictment except to take occasional
drink. He said five persons bad been in
dicted and none tound guilty the case having
been nolle pressed.
Just as it will he in this case" ntsrjected
Mr.. lngersoll. which remark called forth a
reprimand from the court.
John w. Dorsey did very little work in
preparing the bids. nor did Boone do much
He found thar | was full Of work, and he
was a little lazy" said the witness.
1t is probable that Rerdeli had been di
rected by $. W. Dorsey 10 resist the witness
in making bids.
Boone ~as mistaken when he said that
proposal signed by Peck had been spoiled
upon that occasion and that the witness had
replaced il with another bearing a similar
signature. Ii proposal had been spoiled in
that way the witness would have signed his
own name to the substitute.
Dorsey and Peek were slightly acquainted
when he engaged in business with them, but
did not know they were relatives of Senator
Dorsey, if that was what the counsel wanted.
said the itness rather defanily. He had been
indicted for removing spirits from a bonded
warehouse, but was never within seven miles
OF the warehouse, and was NOT guilty, and
paid $500 TO get out of the affair.
Witness said that division was based upon
the value of the routes shown by the
profits and not upon the number of routes.
SO then if partner drew on a route return
ing profit of $1,000 per annum and another
showing loss of the same amonnt nothing
was charged against him in the division. II
wa. "a stand off," Witness believed ). w.
Dorsey received little more, than his sh are.
No account was taken of the probable expe-
dition. 1T would make no difference il we
did" said the witness, for Dorsey got more
expedition than we did
Witness said all of the details of the bus
mess including the preparations Of the atli-
davits, were in his care, but he Gould re-
member nothing of the circumstances attend
| tending their pr paratlon
Merrck was about to examine the witness
relative to his testimony given before the
congressional committee, bur wa, met with
an objection from Davdge who declare d
that the statues expressly forbids such an
examination.
| Some argume mt followed in the course of
which Merrick and Davidge INDUCED in a
repartee.
The court seemed to attach importance to
this point and delivered an opinion at some
length upon it, The statue did not apply to
| the case in question because the defendant
came here as a witness. He could not claim
the privileges of defendant while defending
| himself as a witness. If the defendant had
not gone upon the stand what had been said
before the committee could not have been
used in evidence against him. He was her,
as as a itness and it would be remarkable
thing that defendant volunteering as i
witness should be allowed to shelter himself
under his privileges as defendant. The
court therefore allowed the inquiry.
general exception was noted by the de
fence.
| Mefrick then based some questions upon
the record of the testimony before the con
| gressional committee.
The witness denied he had signed affidavit,
| in blank that had afterwards been flied il
bv Rerdell He would have been foolish il
| he had done anv such thing, although the
| assistant counsel" had requested him to dc
so.
Merrick-He (Rerdell) was one of you
then!
Witness-Ie was not one Of me long.
| O-You were making atiidavits at his re
quest then?
The witness said that another affidavit had
been filled in by Rerdell
care you familiar with his handwriting:
inquired Mtrrick.
Al don't know as am familiar with it
| (sarcastcally) he had several hands
Turning suddenly to Vale. Merrick ex
claimed, Il don't want any signs to this mar
Mr.. Vale.
Vale Indignantly d was not looking a
him.
Henkle defended his client from the charge
and the court observed that Naile was al
emotional gentleman and uni ntentonall,
might have noded his head.
Paper after paper was produced, but the
witness recolIectcd nothing about them, ant
could only identify handwriting.
The court adjourned without concluding
the cross examination. Merrick express inl
the hope that a few nights sleep might re
fresh the witness recollection.