Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-14
MERRICK ON THE TRIALS.
STAR ROUTE SCANDALS AGAIN
REVIEWED.

STAR ROUTE SCANDALS AGAIN
REVIEWED.
The Air Full of Suspicion when He
Entered the Cases ara Csution Neces-
sary-The Evidence Against Dorsey
Overwhelming - walsh's Testimony
Very YaluabIe-The First Disagree
ment.
WASHINGTON, June l3.-Richard T.
Merrick, of the government counsel in the
star route prosecutions, was examined to-
day by the committee investigating the
trial of those cases. Messrs. Ker
and Bliss were present. Throughout
his testimony to-day Mr.. Merrick con-
fined himself to facts and declined to ex-
press opinions. He said:
"When came into this case 1 found that the
atmosphere was filed with suspicion. We
had department list OF individuals in Con-
gfess who were supposed to have had more or
less connection with these transactions [
found such was the condition of the public
nina that, wherever name was mentioned
IN connection with these matters the mere
mention was at once construed to ex-
press suspicion, and mere suspicion soon
grew into serious accusation Therefore /
directed that no mans name should be men
TONED IN connection with these matters unless
we had evidence to indiet because / was de-
termined that that Office and the agencies of
the department OF Justice should not be
made instruments of originating or circulat-
ing calumnies. The public mind is still
sensitive on this subject, and mere mention of
name, though man be as innocent as un-
1allen snow, might do harm or wrong some-
where"
WHAT MERRICK DID.
Mr.. Merrick then reviewed his connection
with the first trial. He said that Mr.. Ker
prepared the indictments. that Col. Bliss pre-
sented the evidence to the grand Jury. and
that he himself was on hand to be consulted
whenever it might be necessary His duty
was to represent the Attorney General.
asked.
The evidence in that case in my Judgment
was all that reasonable man would REQUIRE
TO convict. 1t would have been the most ex-
traordlnary case to which would have given
preference. have seldom had a case TO try
satisfactory"
''What was the value of Mr.. Wa1sh,s testi-
mony?"
His testimony assumed degree Of import
ance beyond that to which it was entitled as
mere matter OF law. UptO the time of the in
PRODUCTION of Mr.. Walsh on the stand the
Judge seemed to regard the case as quite in
sufficient and it was partly demoralized. His
testimony met the public inquiry"
case?"
"It showed his uniform practice Of charging
for expediting"
VALUE OF wALsH's TESTIMONY.
mony up to this time?"
II don't know as | was fully informed about
what Mr.. Walsh could tell. | think that Mr.
Woodward first told me of it. After learned
the purport of the evidence I had a consuIta-
ton with Col. Bliss as to its admissibility.
We concluded that il was proper and | said
that Mr.. Walsh must be produced. After
some time met Mr.. Walsh, and told him that
L wanted him to testify in the Dorsey Brady
case lie said that he would not testify in
that case at all He complained that he had
been badly treated, that he had testified be-
fore the grand jury in reference to Mr.
Kellogg, and that Colonel Bliss had cast a re-
hectlon upon him. He gave me an account of
ms testimony before the grand jury and
designated Colonel Bliss, whether justly or
unJustly, do not know, as influencing the
grand jury to disregard his evidence. His
testimony in reference to Mr.. Kellogg was the
nrst that | had heard. l then may have
spoken hastily Of Colonel Bliss
| was excited and felt that il
what Mr.. Walsh said was true, q great
criminal had been allowed to escape. told
Mr.. Walsh that he should be fairly treated
and yIndlcated. he agreed then to testify in
the Dorsey -BradySase"
CAUSE or THE FIRST DISAGREEMENT.
why was there failure on the part OF the
Jury TO convict In the first trial?'
"a verdict was rendered finding Messrs
Minor and Rerdell guilty and disagreeIng as
10 the other defendants. These parties were
tried for conspiracy to defraud the Govern
ment OF the United States. The court in
bearing on the subject Of conspi- ;.
racY and first determine whether
or not there was conspiracy; and, second, find
VINO were IN IT. The finding against Messrs.
kerdelI and Minor was necessarily predicated
upon the finding of the existence of a con-
splracy, The evidence showed that they had
no dlrect relation with each other, but they
were subordinate to Dorsey and others The
Jury found the subordinates guilty as having
but could not agree as to the prin-
cnals, and yet that jury was remarkably in
And they had more brains than yirtue.n
interposed Mr.. Van Alstyne.
Gentlemen, draw your own infer
anfs thought mt tRat Marrok tbe cOntinggd ta@5idi
was disgrace and was determined to get rid
Oh 1t, and succeeded. was greatly surprised at
It, and If you had heard my vernacular lust
then you would have thought that was sur
RERDELL'S APPEARANCE.
"IIow did it happen that you used Rerdeu
as witness in the second trials?"
i examined RerdelIs atlidavits with care
ana found that they contained a great deal of |
important information. The determination
TIL the evening before he came on the stand. |
we mad the worst jury ever saw summoned. |
never saw such bad jury. Bad in every re- |
spect. There were some men on that iurv |
who could not read or write The law com
PEELED us to take men who had not formed an |
opinion on the case. Nearly every intelligent |
man had formed an opinion. / had the evil |
lence OF the previous trial, but thought that |
with such a jury I needed such testimony as |
Rerdell could give" The witness referred to |
The letters alleged to have been sent by Dorsey |
to Bosler relative to the interest of the de- |
PENDANTS in the star routes and the percentage |
Of profits accruing therefrOm. One letter was |
said to have been written by Rerdell and |
signed by Dorsey. The letter press copy came |
into the possession of the ont eoa
Bosler was subpenaed to appear as witness |
to testify that he had received the original
letters. lie was detained in Washington, and |
while waiting to be called to the stand Mr. |
Merrick said, he was approached by an indi- |
vidual who asked that Reerdell be relieved |
from the subpoena.
ALL HE WANTED WAS THE LETTER.
Mr.. Merrick replied that all he desired was |
the letter, and that if it could be obtained he |
was willing to excuse the witness An effort |
was made by several members of the commit |
tee to get Mr.. Merrick to tell who the |
Individual was that asked for Boslers |
discharge as witness, but he refused to do |
so. When the committee adjourned Mr.. Mer- |
rick was testlfying relative to the efforts to |
ndict Mr.. Kellogg before his case should be |
barred by the statute of limitation. He said !
mat Colonel Bliss asked the court to recon- |
Fene the grand jury that the case might be |
presented; that the jury was reconYened; |
mat Colonel Bliss appeared before it with |
w Walsh, and that the Jury refused to in6ict Mr.
Kellogg. Mr.. Merrick will continue his testl- |
nOny tomorrow.
Chairman Springer received the following |
etter from ex-senator Spencer, dated Wash |
ngton, June 12:
~ see by the papers that S. w. Dorsey has |
written you letter, in which, among other /
,hlngs, he says that / demanded that he |
should pay $4,000 to run Elkns, and that for /
t | would see that he was granted immunity /
n the late star route trials. / pronounce this /
of Mr.. Dorsey's as absolutely false /
n every particular. l never made such de- |
nand OF him and never had such conversa- /
ion with him or any other person on the sub
ect. My testimony can be had any time you /
wish. Very respectfully.
GEORGE E. SPENCER"
SHOWING THETT HEEIs