Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-24
MR.. STAR R0UTER DORSEY
SOMETHING CLEAR ABOUT HIS
METHODS.

Witness from Montana-Plain Proof
of COnspiracy-How Expeditions were
WOrked-A Well Paid Agent, Who
Did His Work - IngersolI on High
Moral GrOuAd-A Candid RetOrt.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.-In the star
route trial to-day, the government put
upon the stand Andrew W. Moore. of
Montana, who was by all odds the most
direct and Outspoken witness so far heard
on either side. He said he was the agent
of the United States Inland Mail Trans
pOrtatiOn Company in 1873, and
knew All of the defendants. He
was introduced to Miner bv
Boone. Miner employed him at $50 per
month and his expenses. He was directed
to report at Senator Dorsey's house for
instructions and funds Witness saw
Senator Dorsey
Objection was made tby the defense
to the recital of the conversation, but it
was Overruled.
Witness then said that he told Dorsey
he thought the service had been taken too
low, but that by careful~aksenagement he
could be saved from loss. Dorsey said
that long weekly routes had been taken so
as to get the benefits of the increase and
expedition.
Mr.. Henkle renewed his objection at
this point, and offered to read from the
record of the preceding trial the ruling
made by the court, barring out similar
conversation between Boone and Dorsey.
The court replied that no matter what
had been said then this was competent
evidence now. The record was read,
however, with the apparent result of sus-
tanning the position taken by the court.
The examination was then resumed.
Witness said Revdell was present at the
conversation. Dorsey produced a blank
form OF sub-contracts, and pointed out
what to witness was a novel provision
for expedition, and he was instructed to
carry out the plan in making sub
contracts. He was to make them on a
descending scale, so much for one trip, SO
much for three trips, and so on, making an
increase in every case less than the pro
rata, as the government allowed. For eX-
pedition he was to make the best terms he
could. If he averaged 40 per cent. in
creased compensation to the sub
contractor he would be doing
well. Witness was furnished
with ten or dozen letters
of introduction to prominent persons in
California, and with railway passes. His
pay was to be sent monthly to his wife in
Chicago. Witness saw Miner the next
day, and they cashed a check payable to
Miner, given to witness by Senator Dor
sey. His travelling fund was 5000 in cash,
the balance in 500 checks.
He was given power of attorney, but
afterwards returned the paper to Miner.
1t was signed by Peck, Miner and j: w.
Dorsey and authorized witness to sign
their names to the sub-contracts for ser
vice on the Pacific slope. Dorsey told him
he could assure the sub-contractors that
all the services would be increased and
expedited. Miner instructed witness to
have them dissimilar and leave
space between the hold and body
OF petition, so that it could be changed if
necessary. Under these orders witness
went West and sublet number of con-
tracts. Among them was the Redding-
Altmas route, let to Major & CulverhOuse.
Witness told Major he would guarantee
increased service and expedition as soon
as he could get the petition to Washing
ton. In answer to Majors request that
he prove his authority to offer such guar
antee, witness told him that Senator Dor
sey was the head man of the concern.
This inference of Dorsey's connection
with the business was stricken out by
order Of the court.
Col. IngersOH said he was glad witness
had told this. 1t showed how reluctant
Mr.. Merrick replied that there was no
reason for sarcasm. He would protect
the witness.
Continuing, witness said he met Miner
in Denver, Col. He was shown a tele-
gram from Senator Dorsey, in which he
said that he could not be present, and re-
quested witness to come on to Washing
ton, (This evidence was stricken out by
the court, but was subsequently repeated
substantially in an unobjectiOnable form.
Witness said Miner proposed to give him
fourth interest in the contracts he had
Sublet, instead of a regular salary,
Miner said there was money in the eXpedi-
tiOn, and explained to witness that it was
dependent upon the contractors affidavit,
and added that they were pretty good
men. Witness went on to Washington,
saw Dorsey, and received a check in set,
tlement of his account. Dorsey offered
him $3.50 month if he would go back and
resume charge of the service, but
witness refused the offer, saying he would
go If they gave him a fourth interest in
Pacific slope contracts. Dorsey said he
would accept the proposition after he had
seen Miner. In July, 1878, Miner re-
turned to Washington and drew con-
tract in accordance with the agreement.
Witness expenses were to be ta-
ken out of the general fund
before the division of profits
A great deal more of the same kind of
testimony was given, and witness was
then cross-eXamined by Colonel Ingersoll,
to whom he said that in preparing petl-
tions witness was Instructed to write
them so that the heads might be cut off
and others substituted For instance, if
he drew up petition for three trips and
they wanted to run it up they cut it off
the head and pasted it on another provid-
ing for seven trips.
Col. Ingersoll took ''high moral ground'
in his crOss-eXamination, and sternly
questioned witness as to whether he en-
gagged in such transactions for $3.50 per
month. Witnessed answered coolly, "No,
sir; for One-fourth of the stealings''; and
added that he understood as well as any of
them that when he signed the contract with
Dorsey he was entering into conspiracy.
The. contract was not carried out, and
witness subsequently entered Miners
service.