Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-02-26
THE STAR ROUTE TRIAL
RERDELL FURTHER CRoss-EXAMINED
HIS CONVERSATIONS WITH DORSEY
AND OTHERS.

AND OTHERS.
| When the star route trial was resumed this
morning Rerdell again took the stand for further
crosi-examinatlon by Mr.. In yerSoll. The witness,
before the cross-examination proceeded, turned TO
the court with the record OF Fridays proceedings
In his hand and asked II, In the cross-eXamnation
the counsel has right TO put words In the wit
ness mouth? ~ can show" said the witness,
or three times I'm the cross-exa amlnation Friday"
Judge Wylie said this Was an abstract question,
ana the court was not bound to answer IL.
!he witness then turned TO the record and
pointed out two questions asked by Mr.. Ingersoll
incorrectly repeating the witness testimony to
MN, though MT Ingersol st tited at The time that
he repeated 1t as he had understood IT. Il want
to Know said the witness 'if the cross-examina-
tion was Iair One 1 am willing TO tell the true
facts Ii il comes to some OF the minute details
my memory may fail me-
Judge Wyle said that the record showed that
the witness had made ample explanation at the
ume, and he thought there was nothing that he
could complain OF.
Mr.. 1ngersoll then proceeded.
Ihe Witness was asked IL he had had
CONVERSATION WITH r. B. CARPENTER
at MS the witness) office, In January, lss2. The
witness said he had met Mr. Carpenter there once
or twice, but did not remember the time.
MIR. Ingersol asked the witness IL he had not
then told Mr.. Carpenter that no such books eX-
, lsted showing payments to "Wm. Smith" as had
shown what relations there existed between the
witness and Carpenter
The witness said he understood that Carpenter
and other counsel for Dorsey the last trial were
his counsel also; that he had conferred with Car
penter daily and at the close assisted him I'm max
came 10 his office 1t was the first time witness
met him. Carpenter brought letter from Dorsey
directing the witness to give him a statement OF
facts for use in the preparation OF this very case
There had been no Indictment then, but steps were
Deing taken to prosecute Dorsey, and the witness
naturally expected to follow Dorsey.
MR.. INGERSOLL ARGUED
that even If the relation OF counsel did exist the
communications between them were not to be used
In convlcting the Witness which would be m ami
testify Improper he, however, denied that Mr..
carpenter was his counsel. He argued that il
would be unjust after this witness had been asso-
clated with the other defendants and then gone
over to the government to permit this witness now
6y a word to stop the mouth OF counsel or other
oth oeIendants He observed that the counsel on the
communication would come out
Mr.. MERRICKs SHARP REPLY.
MI. Merrck, In arguing against admitting the
testimony, said: II am not nervous 1 have no
books TO hide; have no facts TO keep dark. and
have no statements seek TO conceal seek for
the truth. AS member or the profession humbly
protest against an invasion or that secrecy by
served"
Mr.. CARPENTER WISHES TO MAKE STATEMENT
Judge Carpenter, rising, observed that it was
Que 10 himself, as an officer OF the court to make
statement OF the facts in this connection.
Mr.. Merrck said a statement OF facts should be
made from the witness stand.
IL want to make this statement sfmply TO the
court, sir" said Mr.. CARPENTER.
SUCH statement"
"Then the court,7 said Mr.. Carpenter, "denies
me the right, after being assaulted by counsel on
the other side and accused OF acting unprofession.
ally, to state the facts"
s.They have said nothing OF tie kind" said
Mr.. Ingerson declared that Mr. Carpenter never
was counsel for Rerdell.
DoRsEY's LETTER TO RERDELL
The witness said Dorsey's letter to him intro
duced Carpenter to him as his Dorsey's) counsel.
and witness considered him his counsel too.
THE TESTIMONY ADMITTED
Judge Wylie said that as this conversation pre-
ceded the indictment. and it was mere Inference
of the witness that Carpenter was his counsel, he
would admit the testimony.
The witness then said, as scraps OF the alleged
conversation were repeated by Mr. Ingersoil, that
ne Vely possibly made the statements These al
leged statements were to the effect that he had
made his June afhdavlt voluntarily; that no books
duplicating Dorsey and Brady existed; that when
he met James on the train he carried shirt,
that that was one of the books; that the memo
randa he showed to James and Macveaph were
Vy baye S one ana so not 6y Dorsey &c
TO Mr. IngerSollS inquiries to whether he had
made these Statements II was trying to sustain
Mr. 1ngersou then repeated In the same manner
In sections. conversation purporting to have
been held with j. L. French, chief clerk OF Brady's
office, In June, 1881. T he witness said that he
thought though ne ne had made these statements to Mr..
French. They were to the effect that he had
fooled James and MacVeagh that no such books
existed; that all his communications to James and
own; that after MacVeagh sent him note witness
told Dorsey and Dorsey stopped him from going
further; na,t that the next day dorsey and Bosler
rood fn hox,a
witness sas tnas II %as Tn possoe es he S tod
he had been putting up jObn on James and Nc
Veagh for the purpose OF trapping them into ofrer-
ing ing him I'm some reward for his testimony. The wit
ness. did not remember having told BoSler that
after he twitnesS told Macveagh that he could
get the books from New York, Macveagh got up
and said, "Mr Rerdel; you are a patriot" The
witness said when he went to see MacVeagh lie
did not have any memoranda ia Dorsey's hand
writing With him. He left them at his own ofrice.
he Old not remember ha Wing taken from the waste
basket several pieces OF paper, telling Mr. Bosler
that that Was the pencil memorandum he had:
that ne tWitness) had written them himself, and
that he had called BOsers attention to the skill
with which he had Initiated Dorsey's ha nd writing
there was no such books as represented In exist
ence, and when h met James IN the train IL occur
rel to him to pass Of Il shirt he had wrapped up
In a piece or paper as one or the books.
A CONVERSATION WITH Mr. JERg. WILSON,
Witness. when asked about a conversation with
Mr.. Jere. Wilson on the steps OF the Corcoran
building in June or July, 1884, said that he did not
remember any particular conversation, as ne met
and talked with Mr. Wilson very frequently II
was very likely he told Mr.. Wilson about the
amdavit, and that he had been playing the roll or
detective.
Witness said that when he brought the book |
from New York he placed II In a valse In the |
woodshed at his house. When he went away from |
town to Nebraska, he left the vailSe at the house
in care OF Mrs. E. c. Cushing, who gave 1t to wit
ness upon his return to the city. After |
wards the witness took 1t to his
Office In the Corcoran building, and kept |!
1t In his desk until the 18th OF July last when lie
turned It over TO Dorsey. That was the last he !
ever saw OF it. Witness had the copies OF the |
books up to the day the afdavit OF June, 1884, was
made. The witness, correcting himself said that |
he believed that he had carried the copies to New
YORK In the summer OF 1850, when Dorsey and /
Boser had their last settlement, at which the wit
ness was present |
NO LAUGHING NATTER.
As Mr.. Ingersoll was laughing while the witness |
was speaking, the witness said: "You need not /
laugh at me; am trying to tell the truth"
"You Will md this no laughing matter" |" said Mr.
Merrick.
BACK TO THE DORSEY INTERVENE
witness Was then crOsS. m tuf.d rurfhnr Il