Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-04-20
WIN. DICKSON ON TRIAL.
A Charge OF COrruptly Endeavoring to
influence Jurors.
SOME LIVELY PASSAGES IN THE OPENING
ARGuMENTS.

ARGUMENTS
Mr.. William Dickson, who was foreman Of
the jury in what was known as the first star
route trial, which terminated in September,
1882, with the conviction of Rerdell and Miner
and disagreement of the jury as to the two
Dorseys, Brady and Vaile, the other defendants,
appeared in the Criminal Court this morning
ready for trial under the indictment pending
against him. charging him with "corruptly en-
deavoring to influence jurors" Mr.. Dickson
was accompanied by his counsel, Messrs. C.
M.Smith and F. P. Cuppy. Several members of
the first star route jury sat in the court room.
Mr.. Fl. H. Wells, special assistant district at
ney. Mr.. Dickson's alleged endeavor to cor
rupt his fellow Jurors consisted in reading a
paper to them containing a statement of an at
Drivers summer garden by Henry A. Bowen,
to influence Mr.. Dickson to vote for the convic-
ton Of the star route defendants.
SELECTING A JURY.
When the district attorney announced that
he was ready to proceed with the trial the first
juror called to the box was Geo. w. Cox, who
was also O member of the star route Jury OF
which Mr.. Dickson was foreman. He was at
once excused.
Jurors Thos. A. Tolson and Clarence A. Ridge
ley were excused, because they had frequently
discussed the case and expressed opinions. Mr..
Tolson said he was very friendly to Mr.. Dick
Charles 8. Denham, who was member of the
grano jury which indicted Mr.. Dickson, was
also excused.
William B. Dyer Madison Jackson and VIM.
I; Payne were challenged by the government.
The defense did not challenge any of the jurors.
The jury, as completed, was constituted as fol
Eckloff Edw. P. Welch, VIM. p Grove. John E.
F. Carlin, Martin Horne, Andrew J: Hoskinson,
John G. Weaver, VIM. Mayse, VIM. A. Mat
thews and Aug. B. Coppes.
THE OPENING ARGUMENTS
Mr.. II. H. Wells made the opening statement
to the Jury.
He said that they would show that the Judge
had Instructed the jury of which Mr.. Dickson
minutes to the jury room, nothing but their
recolectfons of the testimony, that they could
not tell one another of attempts alleged to have
ballots had been taken Mr. Dickson had read
the paper In question to the jury. They eX-
pected to show that the paper referred to, charg-
Justice, had been prepared a week or more be-
fore the jury retired with the case: that the
Judge trying the case had especially enjoined
Mr.. Dickson not to speak to the jury of this
matter.
Mr.. Wells went over at considerable length
the story of Bowen's alleged attempt to corrupt
MIR. Dickson. representing himself to be acting
with authority from the Attorney General
During Mr.. Wells address, Mr.. Smith having
asked permission to interrupt him, said: You
mention the name of Col. Henry A. Bowen;
will you tell me where he is to-day?"
Mr.. Wells appealed to the court that that was
not proper interruption. He said, however,
he wauld tell the counsel what he knew of Mr.
Bowen's whereabouts, If asked at O proper
time:
Smith, .tell us where Wilson w. Hoover is?'
Mr.. Wells declared to the court that these
questions were asked simply to interrupt the
proper and orderly presentation of the case Bv
advice of the court and his associate he would
not stop to answer these questions at this time,
but if put to him again at the proper. time he
would tell all he knew. He referred also to tes-
timony he would offer showing that after the
jury had rendered its verdict Mr.. Dickson in
explaining its action said that this attempt to
influence him had had its weight in favor of
Brady. Mr.. Wells claimed that the reading of
the paper to the jury had accomplished the pur-
pose for which it was intended and against
which the judge had given a warming.
THE INDICTMENT READ.
When Mr.. Wells concluded, the clerk, at the
request of counsel, read the long indictment TO
the jury. The indictment included the lengthy
and detailed statement made by Mr.. Dickson of
the interview at Drivers with Henry A. Bowen
Mt which Mr.. Dickson said Mr.. Bowen solicited
him to vote for the conviction of the defend
ants, saying it would be worth S25. 900 to him
to do so and that he (Boltn) was acting by au-
thority of the Attorney GSheral.
IN BEHALF OF THE DEFENSE
Mr.. Smith, after the recess, addressed the
Jury in behalf of the defense. He said this
prosecution against Mr.. Dickson was based
upon a conspiracy; the real criminals had es-
capped trial. He sketched briefly the circum-
stances attending the trial and denounced the
ting spies on the jurors. "The chief criminal
said Mr.. Smith, turning and pointing to Mr..
Brewster Cameron, ''is the man who comes into
this court and sits at the elbow of the district
attorney. This man Cameron, who sits here,
testified, and we will show it that he was in
charge of this branch of the service. The
rascals who inaugurated that system stand
branded before the country as periurers. and
some of them on the records of this court as
Mr.. Smith after speaking of the
were the tools of Brewster Cameron whom he
called the 'head devil' in this transaction He
said he would make Cameron, when he took
of his conduct. Bowen was indicted
In this court for the very offense with which
Mr. M: Dickson ' d., charged him, and was to,
'The only one left" said Mr.. Smith, 1.-THE
only one that has the gall, the check, the inso-
ence, is the individual who sits at my right"
pointing to Mr.. Cameron) When, Mr.. Smith
said, the public demanded an investigation of
to stem the tide OF inquiry, sec
ond conspiracy was gotten up.
He said that lists of witnesses to sustain the
Henry A. Bowen were given to MIR. c. 5. Moore,
the assistant district attorney. Suddenly and
Mr. Moore and the afiidavits were put in the
hands of Mr.. Wells. They had been sup
pressed. He charged that Mr.. Wells had Joined
hands with Bowen and Cameron to hide the
real criminals in these cases.
H. H. Wells, he said, was there, not in the in
terest Of Justice, but was there in his vindi-
who had bounded MIR. Dickson.
Mr.. Wells was not present while Mr.. SIN tn
was speaking, he having excused himself to
Mr.. Smith remarked that he respected Mr..
and believed he had been imposed
upon by the lies of these rascals.
m orlyn T,r1tr
somebody LETT
Mr.. Smith said at first the grand jury ignored
the charge against MIR. Dickson Then he would
he would put on the stand, that Attorney Cen
eral Brewster and Mr. Wells called upon him
and told him that his official head would go
-->0>--
The Edmun(lS Law.
IMPORTANT DECISION OF THE U. s. SUPREME
COURT SUSTAINING 1T.
In the United States Supreme Court to-day a
decision was rendered in the Clawson case from
Utah territory. Under the Edmunds anti-poly-
vice on the ground that he was o bigamist. The
case was appealed, and in the Supreme Court
today the action of the territorial court, ex-
Guiding him, was sustained, thus maintaining
the validity OF the Edmunds law.
No Right to Lay Tracks on 18th Street.
DECISION AGAINST THE B. AND P. COMPANY
BY THE U. 8. SUPREME COURT.
In the U. 8. Supreme Court, in the case of the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad company, in
volving its right to lay tracks along 14th street.
the decision was against the company. Justice
Miller rendered the opinion. The railroad COM
pany claimed that 1t had the right to lay tracks
along 14tn street, in order to reach certain
ground, property Of the company, which it
wished to utilize. The court held that Congress
controls the streets, and the company could not