Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-28
BRADY AGAIN INDICTED.
THE COUNTS CONSPIRACY AND
CORRUPTION,

against ThOs. j. Brady for corrupt official
action in connection with two of Sub.
Contractor Prices mail routes, one
against ex-senator VIM. Pitt Kellogg for
unlawfully- receiving money from Mr.
Price in consideration of cOrruptly influ.
encing the action of Gen. Brady in regard
to his mail routes, and one against ThOs.
j. Brady and VIM. Pitt Kellogg for con.
spiracyI in connection with those same
routes.
THE TRIAL.
Ex-senator DOrsey's examination as a
witness in the star-rOute trial was re-
sumed to-day. The greater part of the
time before recess was consumed by the
counsel in disputing upon technical
points in regard to Mr.. DOrsey's checks
and check-books. Mr.. Dorsey, whenever
he was allowed to proceed. contradicted
Dir. Rerdells testimony in every particu-
lar. The entire efforts of the witness and
his counsel were directed TO breaking
down Mr.. RerdelPs evidence. The
witness denied ever having paid
money to General Brady for any
purpose at any time. He also denied ever
having written to Mr.. Bosler inviting him
TO assume an interest in the business, Re-
ferring to infOrmer Rerdell's statement
that his office had been broken open while
he was m Jail and papers abstracted, Mr..
Dorsey said that after Mr.. Rerdell was re-
leased from Jail he Mr.. Dorsey accom-
panied him to his office, where Mr.. Rer-
dell packed up a bundle of papers
and took them to the witness
house. where they still remain unopened.
The witness said that he never had a kew
TO Mr.. RerdelPs office and never was in
that office while Mr.. Rerdell was i'm Jail.
Taking up Mr.. Rerdells story about the
affidavit eXtOrted from him through fear.
at Willard's Hotel, the witness said
that at about the date named Mr.. Rerdell
had attempted to blackmail Mr.. BOsler.
but that statement was stricken out by
order of the court. The witness denied
broadly Mr.. Rerdelrs statement of the
conversation at Wizards and declared
that 1t was a blackmailing scheme on the
part of Mr.. Rerdell, who threatened to
have Mr.. BOsler indicted and to 90 over
to the government. Regarding the affi-
dayit of June, 1881, which was read to
him, the witness denied that he had asked
Mr.. ReTdell to make it ''for the sake of his
family" or that he had offered him any
inducement.
A letter dated July ), 1892, from Mr..
Rerdell to Mr.. Dorsey, was read by
Colonel IngersOll. Mr.. Rerdell writes
NIcAi ltE has Dttl COnSlltIlllR bllt SGeD he
was about to take for over a year. He
had intended to put himself in connection
with the government before he had been
indicted, never dreaming that he was
liable to Indictment, because he had only
acted as an agent, but to his cost, he saws,
he listened to Mr.. BOsler and refrained.
He had regretted that course ever since.
and it was something he would not do
again for any consideration. As con-
sequence, he is now penniless, and will
be under a cloud no matter what the re-
suit of the trial is. If he had
stuck to the government he would
now be free from Indictment, and
perhaps in good position. Now, again
he had made up his mind to 90 over to the
government, and it was useless for Mr..
Dorsey to appeal in the name of his fam
lily, for he Rerdell) also had a family.
He knows full well that when Mr.. Dorsey
and Mr.. BOsler have no use for him he
may 90 to the ID for all they care.
Colonel IngersoH described and read
the account books, and the witness said
that he never saw such books in any of
his offices. Mr.. Rerdell never gave or
sent to him any balance sheets from such
books. Referring to Mr.. RerdelPs state
ment that he brought away the books
from New York, the witness denied that
he had ever seen such book or that the
book had been taken from the New York
office. The only books kept by Mr.. Rerdell
by the witness authority were an expense
book and a route book.
Colonel IngersOll requested the witness
to explain how he came to be connected
with the main business.
He said that he received a letter i'm 1879
from either John W. Dorsey or Mr.. Peck.
As consequence of receiving that letter
the witness employed Mr.. Boone to act
for Mr.. Peck and John w. Dorsey. Per-
sOnally the witness had not the slightest
interest in the world in any contract or
bid for mail service.
a letter to Mr.. Clendennn was read and
the witness admitted its authorship, and
was about to explain his motives for writ
ing it, when the prosecution objected. Af-
ter some argument the objection was over
ruled, but before the witness could pro-
ceed further the court adjourned until to-
morrow morning
PRICES AFFIDAVIT.
The following is an abstract. obtained
from what is believed to be a Trustworthy
source, of the affidavit of mail contractor
James b. Price, which is now in possess
Of the counsel for the government in the
star route eases: The affiant depOses in
substance that in 1873, being the lowest
bidder, the affiant was awarded contract
for carrying the United States mail on the
route, among others, from Corpus Christi
to SAN Antonio, Texas. In 1879, being de-
sirOus of having the number of trips in
creased and the time expedited on said
route, to the end that his annual pay
might be increased, and the route
thereby rendered profitable, the
affiant caused to be circulated
petitions for the signatures of citizens
living along the line of the road request
ing that the Postmaster General increase
the number of trips and reduce the run
ming time. These petitions having been
numerOusly signed by influential citizens
and officials, were handed by the
were afiiant to friends in Wash
ingtOn for presentation to the Post
Office Department for its action. This
effort met with no success. The affiant
then applied in person to Senator Will
liam Pitt Kellogg, whom he had known
for many years, saying to him, ''lf you
succeed in increasing my pay on this
route and that of the one
from Shreveport TO Monroe, Louisiana,
will give you $4,000. Mr.. Kellogg said
then he would see Second Assistant Post
what could be done. In the meantime
the affiant drew five postal drafts of
S., 200 each for the hereinafter named
quarters on the route from Corpus Chris
ii TO San Antonio. These drafts were
drawn on the 10th of July, 1879, and be-
fore the order was issued granting the
affiant an increase of pay on his route. A
short while afterwards Senator Kellogg,
reporting to him that the matter was all
right, he, the afiiant, handed to said kellogg
$4,000 of postal drafts, drawn against
his (the atlantis pay for the following
named quarters, ending March 81,
1880, June 30, 1880, Sep
tember so, 1880, December 81, 1880,
March 81, 1881. In addition to the above
the affiant gave said Kellogg his prOmis-
sorry note for $1,000, payable in four
months, with collateral attached thereto
to secure the payment of the same, This
collateral consisted Of Shakespeare mining
stock and note drawn by Mail Contract,
or Hugh White and indorsed by Mail
Contractor Monroe Salisbury. All of this
paper was paid at maturity. Senator Kel-
lOgg told the afiant that the note and
drafts had been given to John a. Walsh,
the banker in Washington, for collection.
Mr.. Walsh swOre on his examination
that be received from Senator Kellogg the
paper mentioned in Mr.. Prices affidavit,
but that Onesbalf Of the $4,000 referred to
was for the account of Mr. Kellogg and
one-half was to be credited TO MIR. Brady
in his account with Mr.. Walsh in the
latter's capacity as banker.
Monroe salisbury, referred to in Mr..
Prices affidavit as the indOrser of the
White note. is a mail contractor, whose
star route services are the subject of arbi-
tratiOn.
The affiant further ayers that he was
approached during the pendelcy of the
Congressional investigation OF 1879 and
1850. or after it, by one A, II. Brown, a
mail contractor, aud formerly post office
clerk, who requested the affiant to con-
tribute his the officials share of the fund
raised by the contractors to pay expenses
alleged to be incidental TO the passage of