The New York herald., 1921-09-27
Ingersoll as a Lawyer.
Star Route Trials Cited as Evidence
of His Ability.

To THE New YORK HERALD: George
II. McAdam In a communication last
month to your paper said: Colonel In
gersoll did not have trained or logi-
cal mind and was a complete failure
as a lawyer"
am prompted to call Mr. McAdam's
attention to some important facts:
From an early date In 1882 until the
middle Of 1883 Ingersoll was the DOM
inant figure in the most noted legal case
that has occurred in the Western Heml-
sphere, and probably the most remark
able, for intricacy and magnitude. in
the history of criminal Jurisprudence.
Stephen w. Dorsey. formerly United
States Senator from Arkansas; his
brother, John w. Dorsey Thomas J.
Brady, Second Assistant Postmaster
General, and four others were Indicted
by a Grand Jury at Washington under
the revised statutes Of the United States
for conspiring to defraud the latter In
connection with certain contracts and
subcontracts for carrying the malls In
a number OF the Western States on what
were known as star routes.
The two trials that ensued were
known as the star route trials. There
were over 10000 OF these star routes
The defendants were interested In l3A
separate contracts and subcontracts. and
1t was alleged that the Government had
been defrauded to the extent OF nearly
5000. 900.
OF the magnitude Of the two trials we
may perhaps approximately judge by
the length of the records and by the
costs involved. The former, as printed
and filed In the Department of Justice.
occupy between 1000 and 10000 roomy
pages, probably the longest records In
the annals of criminal procedure, while
the costs have been officially estimated
at s1,200.o00.
The f1rst trial began on June ! IN the
Supreme Court of the District of Column
bia, Attorney-General Brewster and
others representing the Government
Ingersoll and others the defendants
Ingersoll was the immediate counsel for
Stephen W. and John w. Dorsey. The
trial occupied nearly three and one-half
months. The jury retired upon Septcm-
.,
threatened by the presiding Judge with
an invocation OF the provisions of the
ancient common law In such cases
namely. deprivation OF food, drink and
place of sleep. rendered a mixed vcr'
dict, acquitting one OF the defendants
convicting two and disagreelng as tc
the other four. Among the latter were
Tngersolrs immediate clients, Stcpher
w. and John w. Dorsey. This verdict
was set aside and the first Monday II
December was fixed as the date on which
to begin the second trial.
This second trial began on December
and occupied over six months. Inger-
soil delivered his opening address to thu
jury on December 81 and his closing ad.
dress on June 13 and IL. 1888. On the
following morning at 10 o'clock vcr-
diet of absolute acquittal was rendered
In 1880. October 2s. he addressed the
greatest political audience that ever
assembled In Brooklyn. to quote Tho
language of THE NEW YORK HERALD. On
this occa sion, In the Academy OF Music
he was introduced by the Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher. who. leading the great
agnostic forward. said In part II nov
Introduce to you n man who. and ! say
Il not fatteringly, Is the most brilliant
speaker of the English tongue of all mer
on this globe ARTHUR r.. CLARKE.
MANCHESTER, N. H.. September "a.