Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-03-15
FROM WASHINGTON.
THR STAR ROUTE.
Turner, the Acquitted Defendant, on the
Stand.
W.sH,ysroS. Mar IA.

trlal. he entcreu Tie po>toiuCc ue
as a first class clerk. in July. 1865, subse- |
quently was route book clerk. and afterwards |
corresponding clerk, being assigned in 1877 |
to the Pacific States division. He had moth |
ing to do with the preparation of the adver- |
tisement of November, 1877. He knew Min |
er and Rerdell in the spring of 1873. He |
had known Vale ten years He never had |
any intimate acquaintance with Stephen |
Dorsey The witness said that after the di- |
vision of the routes in 1879, Rerdell and
Vale would meet in the department without
speaking. Rerdell had nothing to do with
Miners routes, after that date, and Miner
had no control over the routes managed by
Rerdell. The paper connected with the
Rawlins White Route presented to the
witness. He said an alteration Gan erasure
of eighty hours and an insertion of forty-hve
hours) had been made by himself to save the
trouble of making up a new case. Petitions
were never altered while in the department
Wilson referred TO the evidence concerning
Samuel Jones. The court asked how Jones
had been connected with the witness. Inger-
soil called attention to the testimony of Rer-
dell and McVeagh, wherein they. said that
Samuel Jones was an alias for Turner.
The witness had previously been asked if
he ever received money, mining stocks or
other consideration from any of the defend
ants, to influence his action in connection
with the routes. The prosecution objected
to this, because the witness is now party 10
the indictment.
The witness appealed to the court to allow
him to answer the question, but the judge
babe him be silent until the question had
been passed upon. IngersoH explained that
the testimony was to show the falsity " Rer-
dell's statement as to 1.-THE pencil memoran-
dunn, which was not genuine, and the ques-
ton was, had not Rerdell written the memoir
andum to purchase his own liberty:
The court did not concede this. 1t would
not prove that Rerdell had not carried out
Dorsey's directions in making the entries.
True. the witness might never have received
a cent, yet Dorsey might have directed Rer-
dell to make the entry. If the witness state
ments were true, then Dorsey might have
had another object. Ingersoll inquired if the
court would allow Dorsey to swear that he
never had that memorandum, and never paid
money to Turner.
The court answered certainly"
IngersOll said that of course he could
strengthen Dorsey's testimony by Turner,
who would swear that he never got the mon
ey.
Davidge remarked that Dorsey vas under
no compulsion to go upon the stand.
Ingersoll said the defence should not be
compelled to meet the whole case at once.
They should be allowed to disprove Of one
point after another When John ii. Mitch
ell had been charged with receiving money
they could show that it was untrue, where
Turner stood charged he might disprove it,
and so on, step at time
The court said that it could not admit sec
ondary euidence upon the pledge to show
hereafter thot there was no primary evidence.
Merrick contested the position taken by
Ingersoll He asked why the defence did
not put ready on the stand to swear that he
did not get the money.
Carpenter and Wilson appealed to the
court to arrest Merrick's remarks. Carpen-
ter bitterly stlgmatized Merrick's statements
regarding the defendant taking the stand,
as unprofessional and illegal. The court did
not see where it was illegal.
Wilson entered a formal objection, and
charged Merrck with Interior motives in
making use of the remarks which he had de-
MED.
The court reserved its decision until after
recess.
After recess, the court decided the evil
dencc not competent; the defence noted the
exception, and an examination ensued.
Wilson offered to prove that Brady had re-
fused to grant the request OF number OF
petitions for the second and further expedi-
tons upon the Reading Alturas route. The
prosecution objected, but the court decided
to allow inquiry. The witness said that after
the route had been expedlated, number OF
petitions had been received requesting fur
Their expedition, which request had been re-
fused by Brady.
The witness on cross-examination, said he
did not attempt to influence French's testi-
mony, and did not tell him that if he would
refrain from iujuring the defence more than
he could help he would receive certain con
sideration The witness had been removed
from the position in the department, as a
consequence of Rerdell's statements to Nc
Veagh and James.
After a short consultation with the other
council, Davidge rose and said that in view
of the courts decision in regard to Rerdells
statements to McVeagh and James, he would
move to strike all that testimony from the
record. The motion was granted.
Gen. Thomas j. Brady was then called.
He testified that during the fall of 1876 he
was at his office only about half the time. He
first met Walsh in New Orleans in 1875 6.
The witness was there in his official capacity
as supervising inspector of the internal rev.
enue; he next met Walsh in 1873 never had
anv conversation with him, such as sworn
to. at any time or place in the world. or any
thing resembling it; witness never held any
promisory hotes or carried them away as
described by Walsh. Walsh's statement Is
a lie. made out of whole cloth, with scarcely
word of truth in it from beginning to end.
Never told Walsh anything about fines and
deductions, or anything from which it could
be deduced; had had no conversation with
James such as testified to by that witness. in
relation to the Rawlins White River route,
but the date was a month later than that Civ
en- by James.
James never had given him any order to
revoke one of his orders; his first recollec-
ton of Rerdell was very indistinct he
very seldom came into the witness Office !;
his whole statement about the books was a
lie made of whole cloth; Rerdell never told
him of any books to be shown to the commit
tee, nor did witness know of the existence
of such books.
Wilson referred to Rerdelfs statement
of the meeting at Chamberlain's. Witness
said the conversation there was entirely on
political subjects and star route and mail
matters not mentioned. The witness had no
knowledge of anv tabulated state ments spok
en- of by Rerdell with T. j. b. SO per cent
column. The witness said the advertise
ment of November, 1877, had b, en- prepared
BY the route book clerks. The witness was
so new in the office that he gave few instruc-
tons to clerks. Had known Vale for years.
He was one of the oldest and best contrac-