Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-03-07
FROM WASHINGTON.
THE STAR REUTERS.

WASHINGTON, Mar b.
The star route trial was resumed today.
The witness Boone was recalled by Bliss.
The pencil memorandum containing the
..Smith and Jones' entries which Rerdeii
.wore had been made by Dorsey was submit
ted to the witness SIT was written by either
s. W. Dorsey or Rerdell," he said. 'but did
not like to say which one.
The Chase Springs letters from Dorsey
to Rerdell dated April 8, 1878. was next
shown. The witness declared positively that
Dorsey did not write the letter.
The court asked if he knew who wrote the
letter.
He answer that he would not like to say.
The witness was then turned over to the de-
fence for cross-examination.
Ingersoll offered to prove it was the usual
course of business for the defendants to sign
the names of each other.
The court refused the offer saving it would
be proper when the defence began.
Taking up the Smith and Jones" mem
orandum, Ingersoll called the witness atten-
ton to the entry M. C. r." and asked his
opinion. The witness thought the memoir
andum down to profit and loss favored
Dorsey's handwriting. The remainder
which included the Smith and Jones en-
tries) favored the handwriting of Rerdell.
lie witness again rSSeTtcu Tue Clttuihstah-
ces surrounding the signature of the papers.
but the court abruptly babe him drop cir
cumstances.' The witness explained when
this filling in and interliniug was done parties
purposely disguised their handwriting SO
that speaking from the writing alone 1t
would. in many cases be impossible to say
who did the writing.
After recess, ker proceeded to examine
several postotice and auditor clerks to prove
the revenues and produc.iyeness of different
routes.
In answer to an objection from Wilson
the court said it did not understand that the
evidence was presented to show that Brady
knew how small were the revenues from the
routes. but the law required that the expedi,
ton be made with due regard to productive
ness and if an officer made the expedition
without such regard, then it was proper
matter of inquiry. The court refused to al
low Wilson to ask one OF the clerks II he
| knew how many of the star routes paid ex
penses, holding that it was proper subjec
to touch upon in cross examination.
The defence having objected that the evi
dence of productiveness did not come dowr
to a recent date, the court replied that if they
/ thought they could show that Brady was S,
far sighted as to perceive that the Edpeditef
|
he ought certainly to have credit for tina
course.
Ingersoll declared that as a matter of fact
there was not star route west OF tile Miss
ssippi river that was not operated at loss
The court again quoted the limitation i'm
posed by law upon expedition allowances
certainly, the governments evidence wa
competent when it embraced a statement o.
| the revenues for two quarters, before ant
after the the expedition orders.
| If the defence could show that there hat
been no abuse of power. and that the orders
had been wisely made, they should not b'
. excluded because the government had no
gone that far.
| BY mutual agreement, the council waived
the reading of the number of the official pa
pers, and Merrick said That is the gov
ernment's case, your honor
| The defence are expected to begin thei
case tomorrow.