Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-09
The Notorious Star Mail Route
Service.
A CURIOUS EXPOSURE.

A CURIOUS EXPOSURE
There Is a suit In the Supreme Court OF the
District Of Columbia, entitled Charles C.
Huntley against Silas C. HuntIey-No. CO.'S. q"
the record OF which develops some interesting
details as to the conduct OF the notorious star
route service. The HuntleyS were partners in
securing postal contracts In the far west and
they have quarreied about their accounts. s. S.
Huntley gives In the official record some curl
GUS Information as to the manner In which the
business OF letting these routes and securing
contracts Is conducted.
In regard to hiS expenditures he teStiie3 that
he kept no detailed book account but their ma :
ture he ingenuously described as follows: AT
from 5000 to 81 009 Or s. O0a-t0 get certain
things done that Will appear On the ho0s. out
or these large amounts comes all the inctden-
tails which represents four years business, and
the four years business represents my c0llec-
lions In the departments OF about $500 900 1t Is
necessary In getting these accounts through
the department, ana 1t has been the custom.
to be friendly, not only with the heads OF the
departments, but even with the clerks and
messengers, and we always treated them very
kindly i'll presenting them with some trlde, or
IN presenting them With cigar, opera ticket or
dinner or something OF that Kind. To get any
thing done in tbedepartments IL requires assist.
ance or a great many members OF Congress,
nom We have TO treat In the same manner,
and to whom occasionally send theater tex,
cts; and always when ask favors generally
send carriages for them and ask them to do
CtI Uttu tujGgS III tut department.
Then after the heads OF departments, clerks
and messengers Mr.. Huntley went on 20 say
came 1.-The press" TO whom he gave dinners
costing from $40 to $50 head: ''then, as far as
the press in Washington is concerned. during
the investigations, which are generally every
year, TO keep them friendly SO far as am con
cerned have always been very friendly to.
ward them In the same manner, and very often
each.H ''- s-' ~ s''
1t is pity Mr.. Huntley was not persuaded to
give the names OF the persons. whom he SO
kindly dined az ''the press" but more remains,
He PAID the hotel bills OF governors. for 10
stance. He says
found our governor from Montana came on
70 washington and Staid at the Arlington for
ABOUT O week. and l treated him as nice as
possible and WheR he went away paid his bill
The governor OF Wyoming territory came on
ana treated him in the same way. Besides all
Oi theSe small presents paid to pretty nearly
every oody IN Washington. guess. are Included
all or my hotel expenses, travelling and sleeping
cost me out Of money charged TO me about
s5o,Goo. can only arrive at about what it cost
because l know what received for the four
years and know what l have left. and sub
tractlng from what | have left know must
have spent for this business So, 900, and ought
charged; that is for eveTybody's goOc Will. from
Inc messenger IN the department TO a nited
states Senator and governor of a territory.
the washington correspondent or the n. 7.
Aerold In dealing with thislexposure very per-
tinently adds
This tale OF Mr. Huntleys after all leaves
one prey to curiosity. Who were the press
whom he found ft necessary TO dine at from
$40 to $50 head? Who were the heads OF de-
partments' and the clerks to whom be gave
dresses and watches for their wives by way OF
getting contracts run up from 5000 arst 10
ST, eco and then to $i3 600 per annum?"