The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-15
AT WASHINGTON.
Secretary FOlger is Stin Quite Ill
but is Improving Slowly.
He win Appoint Treasurer GilRllan'S
Successor When Recovered.
President arthur's Health Continues
Feeble. Travel Required.
The Star.ROute Trial Becoming In
tenSely Interesting.
The Defense is Seemingly Uneasy, and
Catchidg at Straws.
John \. Wise in Not Enyiahle
Rele.
Other Gossip from the Capital.

STAN ROUTE TRIAL,
WASHINGTON, March ll.-To-day Mr.. VII
son called William II. Turner He is the
only defendant who was acquitted as re-
suit Of the first trial He said he entered
the post-otlice department as Il first.class
clerk in July, 1865. He was subsequently
route bureau clerk aud afterwards cores
ponding clerk, being assigned in 1877 to
Pacific states division. He had nothing to
do withthe preparation of the adyer-
tisement of November, 1877.
Wilson asked if the witness ever had a
conference with any OF the defendants rela-
tive TO that advertisement, but the court
ruled out the question upon objection by
the prosecution. He knew Miner and Reer.
dell in the spring OF 1873; had known Vale
Tor ten years; neJer had been on specially
intimate acquaintance with Dorsey, Speak
ing of the degree of intimacy existing be-
tween himself and the defendants, he said
that after division of routes in 1877 Reer-
dell and Vale would meet in the depart.
ment without speaking; Reerdell had
nothing to do with Miners routes
after that date, and Miner had no
control over the routes managed
by Reerdell. A paper connected with Raw
Inns White river route was presented the
witness, He said the alteration Tan erasure
of 50 hours and the insertion of 40 hoursl
had been made by himself to save the
trodbie of making up a new case. The pc
titions were never altered while he was in
the department. Wilson inquired if he
had ever received money mining stocks or
other consideration from any of the defend
ants to influence his action in connection
with Tho
because The witness was now a
party to the indictment. Wilson
referred to the evidence concerning
Samuel Jones. The court asked how Jones
had been connected with the witness, In
cersoll called attention to the testimony OF
Reerdell and MacVeagh, wherein they said
Samuel Jones was sn alias for Turner.
Merrick said the question was no more per
tinent than the evidence of Belford on q
similar point. II the witness was allowed
to touch upon the subject, the gov rnment
would feel called upon to rebut his testi-
mony. Davidge said they proposed
to, Prove by, the witness that Reer.
dell has undoubtedly lied The court
did not see how the offer wouId
fulfill the propostionf Reerdell had said
he saw money paid. The evidence offered
might be used to contradict him. The wit
ness appealed TO the court to allow him to
answer the question, but the Judge bade
him remain silent until tho question had
been passed upon oy Ingersoll, in explana.
tion of the offer asserted in the pencil
memorandum, was not genuine, but was in
whole or part made by Reerdell. 1t was
part OF the defense to show that Brady, as
Smith" never received cent,
that Turner rs Zones" never received u
cent, Suppose it should turn out that not
a ~ a INF nd a 4 4.
Turner, he thought it would establish the
TACT that the pencil memorandum was not
genuine, or that the meaning put on it was
absol ute perjury. 1t would establish the
fact that Reerdell had maliciously and
falsely put wrong meaning OF
the entries. The question was whether he
did not write the memorandum himself for
the purpose Of purchasing his liberty from
the government. The defense wanted to
go further and prove by others whom Reer-
dell said had received money, that it was
false. Bliss characterized the offer as q
side ISSUE not calculated to show whether
Reerdell told the truth or not. The
court received MacVeigh's testimony upon
the point in question, and said if it had been
given against Reerdell then defendant,
would the evidence of the
witness that hereceiyed no money or prove
the falsity OF MacVeigh's testimony?
Ingersoll said it would prove the falsity of
ReerdelPs statement, but the court did not
concede it would not prove that Reerdell
had carried out Dorsey's direction in max.
ing entries True, the witness might never
have received a cent, yet Dorsey might
have directed Reerdell to make the entry.
II witness statements were true, then
Dorsey might have had another object.
Wilson said the prosecution had offered
evidence to show the improper use OF
money by Dorsey and i. was but fair that
they should have the opportunity to
disprove it. The defense should not
be compelled to meet the whole case at
once. They should be allowed to disprove
II and so on, one step at time. lngerscl
inquired If the court would allow Dorsey to
swear that he never made that memoran.
dunn; never paid money to Turner. The
court answered, certainly. lngersoll said
of course he could strengthen Dorsey's tes.
timony by Turner's, who would swear he
never got money. 1t made no difference
which end of the inquiry they began at
Davidge said Dorsey was under no
compulsion to 90 on the stand. The court
said 1t might lead to an evasion Of the law
requiring the best evidence"
lngersoll-"Y mean the books?
The Court-"Yesn
lngersoll-"I have said again and again
that the books spoken of by Reerdell, my
client never saw. He will so swear. The
books Reerdell said he got from New York
Will prove he never got. will prove my
client never saw or heard OF these books
before the beginning ofthese cases. He may
have kept some private account books"
The Court-"I mean the stub-books."
lngersoll-"They had nothing to do with
the six hundred entry against Jones.
N N. l.uN ,.,,ll A