Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-09
THE STAR ROUTE TRIAL.
John II. Miner n Witness i'm HIS Own
Defense.

Defense.
JUROR HUGHES CoNTRADICTS A CANCER STORY.
When the star route trial was resumed this
morning Mr.. John r. Miner was called to the
stand. Before the examination proceeded Mt.
Hughes, OF the jurors, rising, said he had seen
a newspaper statement that he was suffering with
cancer on his neck 1t was not true He never
had cancer, but was suffering with mole on
the neck The doctor hai put something on 1t
which had made it spread, but he suffered no
pam.
,Yon must not mind what the newspapers say"
THE EXAMINATION OF MR. MINER
was then begun by Mr.. Henkle. The witness said
he had lived in Ann Arbor, Mich, for the last
year; had previously lived in sandusky, Ohio,
where he had been associated in business enter
priseS with 5. ": Dorsey. He met Peck in San
dusky about 1874. Met John w. Dorsey here In
1873, and Boone In 1877. Sometime I'm 1877 he had
a talk with Peck in Sandusky about bidding for
mail contracts. 1--WE concluded said the wit
ness,
TO TAKE A FLY AT 1T.
Witness came to Washington about December
1st, 1877, in response to a telegram from s. w.
Dorsey, simply requesting him to come. Witness
met Boone at S. w. Dorsey's house. He had a
conversation about bids and assisted him in the
prellminares Witness was here four or five days.
:. w. Dorsey took no part in these preparations.
The business was conducted in a room on the third
story OF s. w. DOrsey's house Witness said he
had been in the habit of coming to Washington
every winter to get away from the lake winds
and
sHAvE A LITTLE FUN"
After witness went home he received from
Boone package Of blank proposals for the wit
ness to fill up and get bonusmen at Sandusky
Witness expected to procure his proportion of
bondSmen.
Witness had never written or told Boone that
Peck would appear before him to acknowledge
proposals. Witness returned here directly after
New Years day, 1873. John ". Dorsey, he thought,
came here few days afterwards. Witness con-
tnued here the work Of filling up the blank propo-
sails. Witness had not then any agreement as to
partnership II was understood that If they got
any awards John ". Dorsey, Peck and himself
should conduct the business jointly. He had no
understanding with Senator Dorsey. After the
contracts were awarded
AN AGREEMENT WAS MADE
that Boone and John w. Dorsey should take and
operate the routes in Kansas, Nebraska, and Da-
kota. land Peck and witness were to take the routes
In the remainder OF the states and territories in
which routes had been awarded to them. BY the
contract between Peck and witness they agreed to
snare equally, ana formed cO-partperShip under
the firm name OF Miner, Peck & Co. There was
no Go" that witness ever knew of. Boone and
w Dorsey and Co. There We're about 40 routes
Let to both companies. The witness then went to
Denver, Col, to start the routes, and before the
first of July had sublet nearly all the routes. A
man named Hutchison. who had among other
routes, as sub-contractOr, The Dalles and Baker
city, land Canyon City and Fort McDermott routes,
failed to put on the service. Witness after COM
ing back here sent Moore out there about the Goth
or July, 1873, TO start these routes. Witness met
Vale here ab0ut this time ana consulted with
him. Witness was then threatened to be declared
failing contractor, and had not the means to put
on service Where it had not been started. He
offered TO give the service to Vale He had offered
1t TO other persons before Offering it to Vale
vale was not inclined to take the service, but
would 90 what he could TO aid him. AT witness
request
HE WENT TO BRADY
and secured an extension Of time to the 10th OF
August Witness thought he learned of the ex-
tension about the 1st of August There was no
understanding then that Vale Should take an
interest in the route but witness had hopes that
he would and was doing his ''level best' to get
him to do it. Witness had not succeeded at all iIp
to August 10th In getting the service put on. Mr..
vale went to Gen. Brady a second time, but no
further formal extension was granted. Before
Vale went home he lett with witness offers 10
filed in case witness and his associates were de-
clared falling contractors, which would save
them them f.. from any damage and gain sixty
days Tor him to put on the service under the regu-
lations. After Vaile went home he did assume the
service, and witness sent to j. w. Dorsey and
Peck for powers OF attorney. Mr.. Vale returned
to Washington about the last OF September and
learned for the first time then that there were
drafts on some OF the service drawn in favor OF
German American National bank. A contract was
drawn up after he came back. between Vale and
Miner and it was sent to Peck and j. W. Dorsey
Tor their signatures Witness had written to Peck
ana D. w. Dorsey after he received the first offer
or Vale, ard secured their assent to the arrange
nlent MADE by illness. The contract was dated
by witness on the 10th OF August, because that
was the date OF the offers made by Vaile S. W.
Dorsey had no II interest In this contract that wit
ness knew. A. W. Moore had none, and Boone had
renqushed dis interest prior to that. Boone had
certain contracts in the state OF New York In the
name OF S. n: Hoyt, who was bondsman the
was declared falling contractor the department
would have gone upon the service in Hoyt's name
given Boone @ his Kansas n and Texas W. D4sy
consideration or his withdrawing. For these rea-
sons he withdrew. There were no covert reasons
or no reason affecting General Brady. Boone
went out to make room for whoever might come
in with means enough to start the routes Boone
and Vaile had not been friendly for some years,
and they
COULD NOT "MIX" TOGETHER.
Witness had made sub-contracts to Vale on
three OF the routes, dating them back to April 1st
1878, in order to cover the pay for that quarter,
and to save time that it would otherwise have
been required to obtain permission to sub-let
S: W. dorsey was in New Mexico. app'iie He
With him from the 1st Of july to the Isp OF Decem
ber. 1878. Early in December, 1875 an unfrlendl-
ness arose between witness and vaile ON one side
the German American bank. There were drafts |
on these routes hypothecated with the bank to Sc
dorsed. Witness and Vale had filed sub-conIracts
cutting out the drafts and allowing the to go
TO e p protest. Dorsey was angry, and Dorsey and |
faue DOM Deing obstinate men there was
"A GRAND ROW."
The relations between the parties named did not |
improve during the winter OF 1S7s'79. They let
each other severely alone. Mr. Henkle offered to |
prove that Dorsey told Miner that when he got |
out OF the Senate 'he was going TO kick Vale out
of the whne concern"
"You { n prove that" said Mr.. Merrick II |
don't objt :"
The cou. however, excluded the testimony
The with 's said the bad feeling resulted In a |
separation Al the spring OF 1879. The witness then
described
THE DIVISION OF THE ROUTES,
as described by other witnesses. Vale and wit |
ness formed company, which has since contin-
ued In existence under the name OF Vaile Miner &
Co. s. w. Dorsey, in this division, represented |
John w. norsey and Peck After the separation |
the D0rseyS and Peck had no interest in the Vale
and Miner routes, and Vale and Miner no interest |
In the Peck and Dorsey routes. Witness first met |
Brady In his Office in 1877, when he was in his |
Office. He next saw him in the summer OF 1878.
when witness called on him about getting an ex-
tension OF time "and
GOT BLUFFED PRETTY NEAR OUT OF MY BOOTS"
He did not see him again until some time In the
spring OF 1884, When he went to see him about a |
box at the theater. The witness denied having
paid or promised any money to Brady or having
entered into any conspiracy to defraud the gov