Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-29
FLAYING THE STAR ROUTERS.
Mr. Merrtck Continues His Address

Mr. Merrick this morning resumed his address
to the jury in the star route trial. He made q
brief resume OF his remarks OF yesterday afternoon
respecting the policy Of the government He cited
the decision OF the United States Supreme Court In
the case OF Garfield Vs. The United States, re-
ported In the 93d g. s., In which the court said
the object OF the statute respecting the advertise
ment OF routes was that favoritism should b, pre-
vented and economy OF service be secured. He re-
ferred to Brady testimony, and said that as there
was no way OF converting losing contract into
gaining contract under the law, these defendants
schemed to discover way outside Of the law, and
they reSorted to afldavlts.
WHAT STRUCK Mr.. MERRIcK
Mr. Merrick said that when he first entered the
case, he had been struck with q very singular and
to him unaccountable fact, and that was that a
plain. plainly educated, and seemingly unenter-
prlsng man engaged in selling tlnware In Yer
Entered aan n0n come ,a aow TO city ana
Ing. He had obtained a mail route for which
b. he -o was TO receive from the government
tract to be carried at cost OF 500 year, thus
making the government present OF $500 year.
pened that this man would M leave % his business in
Vermont to take contract at such loss That
did not look like Yankee thrift. He had concluded
that there was
SOMETHING BEHIND THIS MYSTERIOUS PROCEEDING
His investigation had then showed how, within
twelve months by Brady's orders, this losing con-
tract had been converted into most profitable
one.
Mr.. Chandler claimed that there was no loss on
the route, as It had been sub-let first for 500
for 81 800 but the sub-contractor failed immedi-
atey and releJ the route for $4,000. He said that
the counsel on the other side would not dispute
that the route had been so expedited as to pay
profit OF over e, 900 year.
Mr.. Chandler said that only disproved Mr.. Mer-
TICKS theory that losing contract could never be
converted into a gaining contract.
Mr.. Merrick said that was done by the perjury
or the contractors
THE AcRoBAT1c swEARER.
Mr.. Merrlck having spoken of a route held by
Miner whom Mr. Merrick described as an aero
batic swearer, which by similar methods had been
converted from route losing $500 year to one
paying profit of over s5,O year. Mr.. Henkle
interrupted to say that after the expedition Miner
had not drawn dollar on the route.
Mr.. Merrick declared that they were band OF
pirates and conspirators, and one drew from an
Mr. Merrick took up the various routes in the
profitable contract.
ADVICE TO THE JURY.
He bade the jury II they would devise any theory
which could be applied to these contracts so as to
bring about these results In legal way, to give
the defense the benefit OF 1t, but not be lachry-
nose about 1t; to calculate with clear head and
an unclouded understanding. These were figures;
OF the Imagination.
Mr.. Merrlck remarked upon the practice OF the
contractors TO make the sub-cOntractor pay all
the fines and penalties. and instanced the case of
Joseph on the Ojo Caliente route. who had been
ruined Dy the fines and penalties imposed. Dor.
sey afterwards had s, 400 OF the fines ana penal
Ties remitted and put it into his own pocket. He
kept IL until the last trial. when Joseph came here
as witness, at which time Dorsey paid him. Mr.
Merrick exhibited
ONE OF THE CONTRACTS
written by Boone at S. w. Dorsey's direction, In
which Mr.. Ingersoll said it was printed that the
sub-contractor should receive IS per cent of expe-
dition. The contract exhibited had 40 per cent
nlied In with pen. Mr. Ingersoll, he said, who
had criticised the addresses of Messrs. Bliss and
ker With so much acrlmony, should have made
sure that he did not err in what he told the Jury
himself The speeches OF his associates {MeSsrS
ker and Bliss covered over 500 closely printed
pages, and such condensed, clear, compact argu-
Justice. Mr. Ingersoll paid them a high tribute
When. With the aid OF all his associates. he was
able only to detect or 10 slight variations from
the record.
The usual recess was taken