Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-24


His Present Testimony is False ,Particu-
larIy as to the Bedford Check-And
Charges Him With Larceny in Pilfering
the Books.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.-The cross exam
star route trial this morning by Col. In
gersoll. Referring to the interview with
Dorsey at Wizards, witness said he left
the court room at the request of Dorsey
and went to the latter's room at the hotel
Dorsey locked the door and charged wit
ness with going over to the government,but
said: 'You reckon without your host.
have got you within my grasp and propose
to hold you there. l can send you to the
penitentiary for perjury. 1 have got those
letters and I propose to publish them.
Now, 1 have written out what / want you
to do. Copy it, take it to notary public
and swear to it. can have you arrested
before night if so desire.''
Witness was completely crushed, and
supposed he would be prosecuted for per
jury in making the first affidavit. He did
as Dorsey desired, and on the day follow
ing the interview gave the affidavit to Dor
sey in Bosler's presence. Dorsey wrote in
words and struck out others, then striking
match burned the pencil draft of the at
fdayit.
Witness did not remember telling Mac
Veagh and Woodward that Dorsey gave w.
H. Turner $1,000 or $4,000 shares of min
ing stock to influence his official actions.
Did show them a memorandum to
that effect The memorandum was in the
writing of S. W. Dorsey and given witness
by Dorsey. 1t was in ReerdePs desk at
his Office when he was sent to jail,
but he has not seen it since.
Mr.. Ingersoll called the attention of
the court to the fact that it had been al
legged that Reerdel admitted Dorsey's
writing. He referred to the statement
made by witness Wednesday concerning
Congressman Belford, whom he (IngersolD
believed to be perfectly honest man.
Witness had stated that $4,000 had been
given Bedford and the amount charged to
''mail.'' Now the fact was that Dorsey
had in his possession peculiar
kind of rifle. Belford saw it
and wanted one. Dorsey procured one for
him, and in payment drew check for $29.
That check was for the rifle, and was
marked on the stub against 81. B. B."
That was the only transaction between
them. OF course Belford did not know
anything of that check, for it was not
given to him, but to the person from whom
the rifle was purchased. Ingersoll desired,
he said, to go into this memorandum to
show that it was made entirely
by witness; that he used a
pencil. because it was easier thus to
initiate handwriting; and to show that no
payments such as had been sworn to by
witness had ever been made to Belford,
Tyner or Turner, he wanted to show that
they could not have been made by Dorsey.
These statements of witness had been put
in the Associated Press dispatches and read
by millions of people. He thought it only
fair that he be allowed to probe the matter
to the bottom. and put witness on the stand
to tell the truth. Merrick said if the de-
Tense wished to vindicate these gentlemen,
they should produce the books.
Mr.. Davidge argued in favor of going
into the subject of the memorandum.
The court said the paper had not been
mentioned during the examination-in-
chief, and therefore could not be touched
upon in cross-examination. They could
test witness memory on that subject,
but were bound to accept his answers as
final.
Witness was required to go over the story
of the interview with Dorsey at Wizards,
but added nothing to the previous testi-
mony.
Speaking of the reference to Tyner and
lo 70
his statement. His impression now was
that he did not show any memorandum
about Tyner and Turner, but did tell
Woodward of the charge against them. On
the other hand he may have shown the
memorandum. Did not tell MacVeagh
that money mad been paid Lilly and
McGraw. Had told Woodward
he would, lose $4,000 year
and may have mentioned his father-in-law,
but did not ask to have him provided for.
Had told Senator Clayton of the steamboat
route and jennings claim; also said be
would like to get clerkship for his father
in-law; told Clayton, in speaking of what
he would lose in going over to the govern
ment, that there was about $400 due him
on account of the Jennings claim, and he
could not get that from Dorsey or
Bosler; was prosecuting this claim
indirectly for Dorsey, who had large in
terest in it. Witness knew when he went
over to New York to get the book for the
attorney general that it was Dorsey's prop
erty.
Q. Did you expect to steal it?
Objections made and sustained.
Although Ingersoll commended it was q
clear case of larceny, witness said he
walked into the Office aud picked up the
book in the presence of the book
keeper. That gentleman must have
seen him, because he stopped and spoke
to him, (the book-keeper) holding the
book under his arm in plain sight.
Ingersoll attempted to draw from the
witness the statement that he told certain
parties he had a shirt wrapped up in
paper which he palmed off on Postmaster
General James as the Dorsey book, but
witness failed to remember any such con-
versation. Adjourned till Monday.
In his efforts to trace the $4,000 check
which Reerdel said had been paid to Bel
ford by S. W. Dorsey, Mr.. Belford tele-
graphed his home bank, the Rocky Noun
tain National, lat Central City, Col, and re-
ceived the following dispatch:
CENTRAL Cry, Feb. 22.-Hon. j. B. Bel
ford, Washington: This bank did not cash
check of Dorsey in your favor for $4,000
or for any other amount during 1879
TSipned. T. r. Hotter Cashier