National Republican., 1883-03-16

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The witness replied positively that nothing
was impossible in that direction. If men and
horses enough were used it could be done
that was the contractors business, not his.
The assertion was ridiculous on its face.
Witness presumed that he had not considered |
productiveness when he increased that SER |
vice. Witness did not always seek to verify |
the statements made in the petitions and |
their Endorsements. When they came to him |
from responsible persons he presumed that |
they spoke the truth.
Mr.. Bliss inquired if the witness remem-
bered the orders connected with the Dallao-
Baker City route. He answered that he had
an indstinct recollection of such orders; he
had made orders in connection with over
10000 star routes
Mr.. Bliss. Orders for expedition aud increase2
The witness. Orders of some kind.
Mr.. Bliss asked why expedition had been
ordered on this route instead of increased
trips
The witness answered that it seemed ridic-
ulous to think that slow service six times a
week was better than three trips per week on
q fast schedule especially If the people wanted
IL in that way.
Mr.. Bliss asked how he knew that the peo
pie wanted it.
The witness said that he had accepted the
representations of members of congress as TO
the needs of the people.
Mr.. Bliss. We're they always expressions Of their
own unbiased Judgment?
=, The witness. Certainly; could not assume any
thing else.
The examination recurred to the Redding
Alturas route. The witness said that he had
no knowledge that the mail was being carried
in less than the expedited time before TIE
order of expedition. But If he had known 1t,
that it would have made no difference; the
contractor could not have been forced to
carry it upon the short schedule without ex-
tra pay.
Mr.. Davidge. [Laughing1yl ! think that the
witness is getting the better Of Mr.. Bliss; think
he had better be stopped
Mr.. Bliss. Mr. Davidge need not protect me
there are others needing his protection.
The witness was asked if he had sought to
drive bargains for the government. He said
that he had. He had expedited almost all of
the routes at less than pro rata.
Mr.. Bliss. Then you assert that eighteen Of the
nineteen routes were expedited at less than pro
rata?
The witness do, and will show II to you. We
had general rule for expedition. Wecalculated
that first. class service in the western county was
worth about $40 mile, depending on the charac,
ter Of the country and that Y should not exceed
$50. These nineteen routes Will show an average
OF less than $50 per mile.
Witness assumed that the contractors affi-
davits were true; that they had not COM
mitted perjury. The only means he used to
prove them was by the general rule of allow
ing so much mile, according to the section
that there were errors manifest upon the face
of the affidavits or that they were absurdly at
variance with the results Did not remember
anything about two atiidavits in one case.
Mr.. Bliss pointed out an instance. The wit
ness said that the result, as shown by the
proportion, would be the same in either case,
although the figures were different
Mr.. Bliss. Can both of them be true2
The court You are as good judge OF that as he,
An affidavit signed by John Dorsey was
shown in case where he was not the sub
contractor.
Witness said that he did not remember
taking any steps to ascertain if Dorsey was
the subcontractor; the jacket did not show
that; it appeared to be regular, and the case
had been made up by Turner a careful cor
responding clerk; the jacket should have
shown that fact, if Dorsey was not the sub
contractors it would have been mistake on
the part of the clerk. Witness would not as
sumo that man was sCoundrel because he
was contractor; he assumed that they were
honorable men.
@. Then you assumed that their statements
were true because they were contractors?
A. assumed that their statements were true so
far as they knew. At the same time used my
own rule as guide.
Mr.. Bliss asked why the Toquerville-
vile route had been expedited to thirty-three
hours. Why had that time been seected2
The witness said that the route was 132
miles III lcnBUn, anu IOur mites dl nOur WAS
about as slow time as he allowed upon an ex-
pedited route.
Mr.. Bliss produced an affidavit based upon
thirty-three hour schedule prepared by Peck
in New Mexico in January, 1879, six months
before the order, and asked why Peck had
made the same allowance as the witness.
THAT question you will have to ask Mr..
Peck; you will have to go and see him." said
the witness dryly.
Substantially the same questions were asked
in regard to a similar affidavit on the Julian
Cotton route, where the affidavit appeared to
have been prepared several modths in advance
of the order
The court remarked that it was not neces-
sary to investigate Mr., Peck on that. He
could not have known what the order would
be-
Except by collusion," answered Mr.. Bliss,
while the defense laughed satrically.
"Why don't you ask him whether he was
in colusion with Peck" inquired Mr., In
gersoll.
Mr.. Bliss. You can ask him yourself.
Mr.. Bliss then appealed to the court to stop
the running comment of the counsel on the
other side. On more than one occasion, while
this witness had been under examination, his
answers had been guided by suggestions from
that source.
Mr.. Iugersoll. 1t could not have been from
The witness Indignantly. say that is not true
A question having arisen in regard to the
scope of the cross-eXamination, Mr.. Merricls
expressed his understanding that it was not
confined to the limits of the direct examna-
ton but that when defendant went upon
the stand he threw himself open SO far as the
whole case was concerned.
The court concded in that view.
The witness was asked If he had not allowed
compensation up to the limits fixed by the
athdavits in each of the nineteen routes
He answered that all of them were expe-
dited at less than pro rata.
The court You don't include the Bismarck
Tongue river rOute2
The witness. Yes, sir; that was expedited at
less than pro rata.
Mr.. Bliss. He means by pro rata based on
Miners 100 men affidavit.
Mr.. IngerSol. lie means the affidavit laid be.
fore him fer action.
The court. That affidavit contemplated fight
with the Indians suppose,
Mr.. Bliss inquired if the witness thought
that one man was required for every ten
miles of the route He answer that as it was
Il new route, running through the bad lands
of Dakota, and infested with hostile Indians,
he did not think that was too many Still,
while they accepted the affidavit, they did
not make expedition on that basis.
He was asked how far the schedule would
rpuuirp n horse TO travel npr dnv Ohiectinn