Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-02-24
A DESPERATE DEED.
The Missouri Penitentiary Fired by
COnEicts-s3Oo, 900 Worth Of
Property Destroyed.
ReerdelPs Cress-Examination in the
Star.Route Cases Continued-The
Bedford Checks.

WASHINGTON, February 23.-The cross
examination Of Reerdell was resumed in the
Siar-routs trial this morning by Col. lnger-
soil. Referring to the interview with Dor
sey at Willsrds, witness said he left The
courtroom at the request OF Dorsey, and
went TO the lat:er's room at the hotel. Dor
sey locked the door and charged witness
with going over 10 the government, but said,
"You reckon without your host. l have
got you within my grasp, and propose TO hold
you there. l can send you to the peniten-
tiary for perjury. have got those letters
and propose TO publish them. Now have
written out what want. / want you to 60
and copy il, take it to a notary public and
swear TO it. / can have you arrested before
night il 30 desire" Witness was completely
crushed. He supposed he could be prose-
cuted for perjury in aking the first ati-
davit. He did as Dorsey desired, and on the
day following the interview, gave the sfi-
davit to Dorsey in Bosler's presence. Dorsey
wrote In the words "and Others" and then
striking a match, burned the pencil draft Of
the affidavit.
Witness did not remember telling McVesgh
and Woodward that Dorsey gave w. II.
Turner 1900 or 1000 shares Of mining stock
to Influence his official actions. He did chow
them a memorandum to that effect. He did
not recollect telling Woodward bat Dorsey
gave James.M. Tyner 1000 shares OF the same
mining stock to influence in some way his
official action. He did remember showing a
memorandum The memorandum was in
the handwriting OF S. w. Dorsey, and was
given witness by Dorsey. 1t was in Reerdell's
desk at his Office, when he was sent to Jail,
but he has not seen it since.
Ingersoll called the attention of the Court
to the fact that il had been alleged that
Rserdell initiated Dorsey's writing. He re-
ferred to the statement made by witness
Wednesday concerning Congressman Bel
ford, whom he (Ingersoll) believed to be a
perfectly honest man. Witness had stated
that check tor-$2000 had been given Bel
ford, and the amount charged to mail. Now,
the fact was that Dorsey had in his posses.
sion peculiar kind of rife. Bedford saw it
and wanted one. Dorsey procured one for
him, and in payment drew check for S29;
that check wac for the rifle, and was marked
on the stub against j. B. B. That was the
only transaction between them. OF course,
Belford did not know anything Of that
check, for it was net given to him, but to the
psrson from whom the rifle was purchased.
Ingersoll desired, he said, to go into this
memorandum to show that it was made en-
tirely by the witness; that he used pencil
because it was easier thus TO initiate hand
writing, and To show that no payments such
as had been sworn 10 by witness had ever
been made TO Belford, Tyner or Turner. He
wanted TO chow that they could not have
been made by Dorsey. These statements oil
witness had been put in the Associated
Press dispatches and read by millions of PEG.
pie. He thought it only fair that he be
allowed to probe the matter to the bottom,
and put Witnesses on the stand to tell the
truth.
Melrick said L the defense wished to VIM
dictate these gentlemen they should produce
the books.
The eross-examination was continued up
TO the hour OF adj ournment.