Omaha daily bee., 1883-02-19
STAR ROUTE TRIAL.
Damaging Evidence Intro.
duced on Behalf Of the
Government.
Special Dispatch to Trx BEE


Special Dispatch to TrS BEE.
WASHINGTON, F. bruary 1s.-ker-
dell continued his testimony In the
star route trial to-day. Witness tts'
tilted that a lot Of blank afidavits,
letters, etc., were distracted from HE
desk, apd S. ". Dorsey was the only
man exSe pit himself who had q key to
his flee.
Merrick, one of tho prosecutors for
the government in the case, ssid to a
correspondent. when Rerdell
pleaded guilty to-day the bottom
dropped out of the case, 30 far as the
other defendants are considered. l
had an intimatlon yesterday that Rer-
dell wanted to be used as q govern
meDt witness, and l declined to &C.
cept hun. l told his counsel that l
would have nothing to do with him
unless he got up In court and pleaded
guilty. He thought this over Last
night and to-day did 80. The devel-
opments that will be made before he
leaves the witness stana will convince
everybody, and will most undoubtedly
result in the conviction of Brady and
Dorsey. He knows 1t all and will tell
1t. We know enough to tell the mo.
ment he leaves the truth, should he
try to do so, though we do not think
he will. His evidence will corroborate
Walsh in every particular, and these
two, with the record and other EVIL
dence yet to be presented will form a
chain complete In every link and con
vincing of the guilt Of all of the de.
PENDANTS.
Dorsey told the witness to look
through the check books to find the
amounts to be charged to Smith. Tho
witness did so, and whenever he found
q check drawn to the account of
"msil," he charged the amount to
"Wm. Smith" The witness said
when he was summoned before the
congressional investigation committee
he notified Brady and s. w. Dorsey
before he appeared before the com.
mittee, and he tore out of the letter
books q number Of letters that the
book contained, and the copies of the
letters that the witness wrote In connec-
ton with tho mail business. and they
included letters to Dorsey, Bosler and
the sub contractors. There were
three of these books, and the
witness saw one of them
In possession Of VIM. Carpenter,
last week In the court room. Mer-
rick gave notice to the defense to pro-
duce these three letter books. The
witness met Brady at the postofice at
the time of the congressional investi-
alton, and told Brady that the COM
mitted wanted the books and papers.
Brady asked what books, and when the
witness told him, Brady said, ''Dor-
sey Is a damn fool for keeping the
books" Brady then asked the wit.
ness If the books could not be copied.
The witness told him it would take a
day or two. Brady said 1t would be
a good idea and witness put q man at
work copying the books, designating
such entries as ne wanted left out by
crossing them out with o pencil. The
new set of books thus were pre-.
pared and the amounts drawn
against "Smith and Jones" were
charged to ''pro6t and loss. "
The man was ordered to make q new
set of books as near like the old set a.
possible. The witness sent q physl.
clans certificate to Blackburn, stating
he was unable to appear. He did that
In order to secure time for copying the
books. After thirteen days when he
appeared before the committee the
new set was ready. Both books were
taken to New York and Dorsey and
Bosler we're having a settlement in
New York. Several letters In the
hand writing of 9. w, Dorsey were re.
oeived introducing the witness to
prominent men. The case then adj
journed to Monday. Merrick prom
ised to make the remainder of Rar.
dell's testimony very Interesting. The
rumor ID current to-day that Miner
had resolved to take the stand In be-
half of the government, but nothing
definite could be learned. Merrick
said 1t was extremely doubtful If the
government would consent to any
such an arrangement.