National Republican., 1883-05-01
REVIEWING THE ROUTES.
The Prosecution Determine to Complete tho Star
Route Trial in Proper Form.
Mr.. Bliss Begins Review OF the Testi-
mony-Tho Law in the Case.

When the star route trial was resumed yes
terday Mr. Henke asked if he was to under
stand that the government rejected the prop
ositon to dispense with further argument.
The court answered that the proposition
had not been entertained by the court because
1t was incomplete.
Mr.. HeulSle then asked n suspension of the
proceedings until the arrival of Mr.. Ingersoll.
Mr.. Merrick remarked that the proposition
was a matter that argument would only make
worse for the defense.
The court said that was perhaps a flight of
tho imagination.
Mr.. 1ngersoll then made his appearance,
and said that 80 far as the Dorseys were con-
cerned he was willing TO submit the case to
the jury without further argument providing
the government would agree to do likewise
The court wished to hear from the govern
ment
Mr. Merrlck. Your honor the government has
not yet completed the opening case.
The court That is enough.
Mr.. Bliss thereupon began his address TO the
jury. He declared that the defense had failed
TO produce any witnesses TO contradict those
called by the government. He acknowledged
that the postmaster general had signed the
daily journal containing the orders, but
maintained that in no way did that action
make him responsible for them. The post
master general was compelled to sign the
journal, which was only record of the actual
daily work of tho department, but he after
ward revoked some of the orders. Mr.. Bliss
believed that the court would instruct the
jury that If the defendants withheld evidence
in their possession il was the duty of the Jury
10 infer that those books and documents would
prove facts unfavorable to the persons who
held them. The government had not been
able to get the books. As to the excuse that
they did not wish the government to pry into
affairs not connected with the case, 1t was q
sham and they knew it. Why should they
fear to submit the index books to the govern
ment unless they were ashamed Of their con-
nection with tho persons named in IL. Or
perhaps they knew that the index would re-
veal missing lctter-the letter put in evil
dence by the government. Why had they
failed TO produce RerdelPs account books
Then there was Bosler. He sat here from
day to day. lie was the man to whom Dorsey
had turned over his entire mail business
He could have told how the aflidavit5 had
been prepared, and which of the statements
made by Dorsey and by Rerdcll was true. He
was interested-certainly not interested
for the government and after the failure of
the defense to call him to the stand it must
be assumed that unless he was able to fence
with the truth he would have endangered
their case.
OF John Dorseys letter threatening Rerdell
with prosecution for forgery If he harmed
the other defendants, Mr.. Bliss remarked
that il put John Dorsey in the position of en-
doavoring TO compound felony. Walsh's
testimony could not be sneered away, nor
discredted because he had II civil suit against
Brady.
Boone had been treated delicately. He did
not lie like the other government witnesscs),
but was mistaken where he contradicted the
defendants. Why, he did not know, Mr..
Bliss said, unless Boone knew other facts
damaging to the defense.
A long dissertation followed, based upon
the construction to be placed upon the laws
governing allowances for expedition. John
Dorsey had sworn that he relied upon the
honest second assistant postmaster general to
correct any inaccuracies in his atlidavts said
Mr. Bliss. And Brady had sworn that he ac-
cepted the contractors atfidavits as true,
regarding them as honest men. Whatan edi-
flying state of mutual confidence. The
startling effect upon the result Of the calcula-
tion for the expedition allowance of slight
inaccuracies in the statements of the number
of men and animals required upon the diff
1crent routes was pointed out, and the affi-
davits were denounced as devices for at
tempted cvasions of the law.
Mr.. Bliss recalled tho fact that Rerdelrs
memorandum contained the name of j. III.
Mitchell
Mr.. Carpenter remarked that there was no
charge against j. ii. Mitchell.
Mr. Bliss said that he did not know why
the entry was there, but twas for something /;
not for ornamental purposes Mitchell had
been in the court room, but the defense had
shown no inclination to call him. lie (hlr.
Bliss did not wish TO be understood as I'M
plying any improper transactions on Mitch
ellis part, but surely if he had sworn that he
had had no connection with the business it
would have tended to show that Rerdell had
manufactured the memorandum.
Speaking of Brady's theory of allowing
$50 per mile for good service, Mr.. Bliss said
that it was a fraud; that no one had ever
heard of IL before, and that he had not made
il part of his defense before the congress
Ssional investigating committee Another
iavOrite theory of Brady's was to have a daily
service on every star route yet on the White
the service at greater cost than daily SER
vice would have involved. He was Jumping
up the profits for the benefit of the people
who sat here in Washington, and not for the
benefit of those who did the work of carrying
the mails
Mr.. Bliss then took up separately number
of the routes, and pointed out the inaccuracies
of the ailidavits and the enormous disprOpor-
tOn between the revenue and the expenses.
lie quoted Brady's comment upon the Mineral
park route ga great through rOuto"l, and
sarCa'tically observed that it ran through the
treasury. Adjourned.
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