National Republican., 1883-05-30
AN EyEGESlS OF EXPEDITION.
Mr. MsrriCk Explains How it was Used to Make
Star Routes Profitable.
Seven Hundred Dollars a Year Loss
Charged TO Seven Thousand Profit.
All by Means Of Good Hard Swearing, Preserving
the Proportion" and "CraCking Away"
The Manner OF the Defendants on the
Stand Severely Commented On.

Mr.. Merrick continued his address to the
jury in the star route case yesterday. He
took up Bradys testimony, and commented
upon his answer in scathing terms. He de-
clared that Brady had admitted that increases
were made to benefit the contractors. When
he (Mr. Merrick) had first come into the case
he had been astonished to learn that John
Dorsey, who had been selling tinware in u
small Vermont village, had come down TO
Washington to go into the business of mat
contracting. With an observation limited 70
the corporate limits of his own town, he had
entered into public affairs in this tangled
jungle, where tigers laid in wait for unwary
wayfarers. lie took n mail route that in
volved loss Of 800 n year to him. That
did not look like Yankee thrift II was not
like Yankee to do that, and hc was unable
to understand it, until he saw that under the
fostering care of Brady the receipts of that
routc-Whitc river to Rawlns--incregscd to
S31 9sl lie could have thrown up the con.
tract when he found it to be a loss but he
held OH to it,
Mr.. Chandler interrupted the speaker with
the assertion that the record shows that the
contract was not taken ut u loss.
Mr. Merrick contested the point, and asked
if the gentleman would deny that the con-
tract after expedition had netted Ss,647 per
anuum to the contractor.
MIR. Chandler answered that he would not
deny IL. 1t was proof of the falsity of tho
gentleman's assertion that losing contract
could not be made to pay by expedition.
Mr. Merrick Certainly 1t can be made TO pay;
but how Give me SET OF y,,,ainoHs use Gonf%G,%s
tain of profit BY perjury, vile perjury, II Is easy
enough.
Mr.. Chandler replied that the affidavit upon
this route had not been mpeachcd.
Mr.. Merrick appealed to the court for pre-
lection from interruption. He understood
that IL was their (the defensc's) purpose to in
terrupt him.
Mr.. Chandler denied any such purpose, and
expressed his sorrow for having disconnected
the gentleman. His only desire was TO Keep
him to the record
Mr. Merrick replied that he would convince
both him and the jury that he knew the
record. He then turned TO the Pueblo
Grconhorn route, and said that the contractor,
John II. Miner, the acrobatc swearer, had
taken that contract at a loss of $3.50 and
ended with profit of S5,Ols.
Mr.. Henkle declared that Miner never
drew cent on that route.
Mr.. Merrck. Here you are, band OF conspra.
tors participating in the results of your conspiracy,
and you say that the contractor never drew cent.
Gentlemen of the jury, they may tease you, but
don't let them play upon you.
He asked the jury to give the defendant
the benefit of any honest theory that would
bring about such results where these routes
were concerned. They were not to be lach-
rymose about it, but look upon ii wtha clear
understanding.
Ho wished them to remember that the sub
contractors were required to pay every fine
and penalty. When he came to the 0io Cal
iente route, he would show how poor Joseph
had been ruined by these fines and deduc-
tions how Dorsey had pockcted the remis-
sions, amounting to 81 AGO. and only paid 1t
to Joseph when he came here as witness in
the last trial.
The defense had treated Boone very tend
crly and whether the government got all he
knew, God alone only knew. According TO
his testimony he was in harmonious accord
with 5. W. Dorsey in the matter Of the pa
pers. The Canon City-Camp McDermott
route was taken at II loss, but by the alchemy
of infamous perjury it was made to pay. "a
profit of $50 1856. The man who bravcly de-
manded your money at the muzzle of II pistol
was more deserving of sympathy than the
vile perjurer than the trusted public official
who entered the treasury and robbed the
people. He would not stop to talk about q
route where the profit was only $4,000; that
was not enough to pay for one OF Miners
breakfasts in his days of prosperity, although
he looked lean enough now
The orders for expedition and increase were
taken up in order after recess and exhaust
lively criticised.
MI. MefrlCk asheu III dnyOuS living III
Washington-the city where rings tlourlshod
and fattened-could believe in the honesty
of the purpose of the defendants. Brady had
said nothing of his sliding scale when before
tho congressional investigating committee
he had trumped up that excuse, and he (Mr.
Merrick) wondered Mt his lack of wis
dom. Miner anG Dorsey had memories
that had never been cqualed. They didn't
remember" Their compeers had not appeared
in court of justice, except they were tho
lying Italians who swore against Queen Caro-
line. Dorsey had picked up Rerdeli; had
made him what he was. His work had been
Dorsey's bidding, and for Dorscys benefit
lie (NIr. Merricli) had not offered him us an
angel as II man without stain. He had
offered him as Dorscy's co-conspirator, plead
ing guilty, aud waiting for sentence. While
explaining the character of one of the aiiida-
Wits, the foreman interrupted Mr.. Mcrrlck TO
ask I" Do you mean to say that they cheated
themselves to begin with in order to get more
III the endY
They did not cheat themselves, said Mr.
Merrick. They lied. The affidavit was II fiat
lie, and Brady ought to have known II II he
gave it any examination that under the law
he was required to do. / guess he did not
examine them very closely. He said, Just
preserve the proportion and crack away, boys.
Give me some petitions to keep the record
straight so that | will be ready ii any OF
these investigating committees come nosng
around, ana crack away. I'll be the pry to
the door of the treasury.
The court adjourned till Thursday at this
point in accordance with tho request of MIR.
Merrick, who WAS suffering from nervous
prostration, compelling the constant attend
nnce in court of his physician.