New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-20
RERDELL AND DORSEY.
THRILLING SCENES AT THE COURT ROOM.
TWO IMPORTANT NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF
THE CONFESSION IN THE STAR ROUTE CASE
WHY THE FALSE AFFIDAyIr WAS MADy.

WHY TIE FALSE AFFIDAVIT WAS MADE.
nY TELEGRAPH To THE rRIBUNs
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19-RerdelPs examination
to-day presented the most interesting and DIR amatic
scenes of either trial. large amount of damaging
testimony was given which the counsel for the de.
fence evidently felt keenly and Colonel IngersoIls
jokes had an air of effort that was noticeable. As
for General Brady would ever know from his
stolid bearded face that he felt anythg.
Ex-senator Dorsey was as usual, absent. John
w. Dorsey, his brother and next in the order
OF importance, is present every day
watching the proceedings with restless anxiety.
He is lean Vermonter, with bristly red hair and
close-cropped whiskers of the same hue, and In his
rather rusty black suit has the air of an uasuccess
full Yankee, looking just the Rerdell said the
other day he described to be" A man of very
poor judgment, who don't know how to talk to these
snb-contractors." He twirs little black pencil in
his fingers all day, sitting close behind Dorsey's
counsel, leaning forward IN his chair and often ex
changing whispered word with them
Miner the only remaining defendant in the alb
sence of Vale, is of lank
black hair and beard and big staring eyes, who sits
among the lawyers directly in font of the Judge.
There have been ruInOrs that he intended to offer
himself to the Government also; but all his looks
and smiles seem to indicate that he is in full sym
pathy with his fellow w-defendants.
The situation has grown darker for all of them
every hour that Rerdell has remained the stand.
Almost their only hope would 90 lie now
in the ignorance cOrruptIblIty of the jury.
| After the Governments experience with the last
| jury however, close watch is kept on tho
movements Of suspicious characters and juryman
who might be ready TO be corrupted would perhaps
be afraid of prosecution. 1t is said by welllnformed
| persons that two of the defendants have boasted
| hiatt how hova Govern.
| ment counsel deny that such can be the
Rerdell's first sensation to-day when he de.
| scribed one of the papers which disappeared with
| those stolen from his Office This a tabular
statement by Dorsey of the percentages
on payments and which had in IT'S
first column, at. J. b., 33 per cent"
| The crowded court room listened with intense in
terest to Rerdels account, given in low tone, of
| his interview with Dorsey in New-York, where the
latter got up from bed in his nightgown. furious"
| with him, and charged him with having turned
traitor to HIM Ia holding interviews with Mac
| Veagh and James.
Rerdell gave minute account of his interview
with Dorsey in Washington. when he told Dorsey
that he would do anything to help him but commit
| perjury "D-n it," said Dorsey, " what does that
| amount to when II friends fate is at stakef
| wouldn't hesitate a m)ment. | have been your
| friend for years" Here Rerdeps voice became al
most naudible. He sitting in the chair on the
| little das with the open desk in front of HIM which
serves for witness-box. Almost his whole person
was visible. His eyes were lowered; his elbows
rested ON the arms of the chair; his hands were
clasped tightly together; his face twitched.
| He continued in voice that could
| hardly be heard few feet away,
and evidently only with great effect: Z" l have
stood by you. took you from the District Govern
f,ara 1f
ter left the Senate. will be friend to you from
now forward here his voice fairly broke down,
| but continuing with an effort he said He took me
| by the hand and SAID "Rerdel, for Gods sake,
don't ruin me and my family; particularly just
now to be torn down from the height | occupy
would be death TO my wife"
There was deathlike stiffness in the room as this
drama from real life was being described Rerdell
| had his handkerchief in his hand, and wiped the
tears from his eyes and cheeks. " 1 allowed myself
to be completely Overcom e,' said he, chokIng and
then mad to stop altogether. Mr.. Merrick told him
| to pause a few moments, and all waited IN silence
until he could compose himself
Resuming, he SAID he told Dorsey he would do
ANYTHING He would make an affidavit denying
everything he had said to MacVeogh and James.
| This was DONE and the affidavit was carried TO
President Garfield by Dorsey aud Colonel Ingersol.
|
tion. and Rerdel, going over IT carefully, indicated
tbe passages which lie wrote and those which
| Dorsey wrote or altered. 1t might be doubted II
| any more remarkable document was ever offered In
! criminal court. RerdelI first made PLAIN state-
ment Il I'D of what he had sal to Messrs. Clayton,
| WacVeach and James. and Dorsey wOve around it
| and through il an elaborate tissue OF talsen0od-it
| Rerdell's story be true-the only fault OF which
| was that II was too Ingenious.
| RtrdelPs going 10 the Government officers was ac-
| counted for on the theory that he was aching as
detective to fiud out why Dorsey vas Delng prose-
cuted and the details OF the subsequent occurrence
| were adapted, reconstructed aud ialshed In q
| marvellous way Rerell had said certain things TO
| Clayton abou; claim IN whlch ne vas IN heIesteu, ,
| etc Dorsey shifted this over TO MacFea2h and
| lanes and made II appear that the Attorney 'en-
| cral and PoStmaser-General had tried TO deOauen
| Rcrlrll. s,,l 49,;
| vveok creature Rerue was induced TO sign ana
| swear TO- as he SAID, by the tears and soOs ot DIS
empoyer Its production by the piosecuti0h IL sd'o
| to have been surprise 10 the deIehee. ihYy hau
| not supposed the prosecution would display
thar witness as a man who had sworn talsely, ana
| hoped to use this document themselves 70 over
| throw him. Its production shed HOOd Oh HgnV Vn
NOT only Reldes course IN these rlas Dut upon tno
shortly before the Court adjourned, Rerdeli be-
gan to Identify papers already IN evidence q arSe
| nun her of winch he pronounced 10 De IorgeEles ny
| : " ID ursev John W. Dorsey and Miner. lhese
| were petitions, afidavlts, su0-contracts, etc. 10
one Miner had forged the names OF nye sgheIs ahd
four or five witnesses numoHr oi % ,nose on roS Sn
| ati letter paper with all OF the headings out tno
date line cut of. Mr. Dorsey was at tbat tne in la
the senate. About twenty OF these papers htu pee @
| Identified in about many minutes, wheh tue pro-
| cess was interrupted by the adjournment Ol 'hs
| Court.
THE TESTIMONY IN DETAIL.
WAsuINGroN, Feb. l9.-Rerdell again took