The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-04-30
THE STAR ROUTE BUSINESS.

General james had actually mustered up cOu
age enough to kick out General Thomas
Brady from his position as second assistal
POSTMASTER general. II was not done, indee
by an actual application of boot leather. The
have gentler way of dong such things
Washington. Mr. Brady was asked to resig
and he did it with alacrity. But the amin,
of TIE thing on the part Of p. NJ. Gencri
James, ana the effect on Brady, was precisel
the same As if there had been an actual appl
cation of stoga boot
The cause of this uncercmonious "nystng
of Cen, Brady of course grows out of his col
nection with the long notorious corruptlons {
The socaled Star Service" of the postofiic
department. Precisely what is meant by tn
Star Service Is thus defined by Washing
ton organ; at took its name from the praC
tlce in the postoflice department of designa
| ing the three words certainty CELEBRITY, an,
security by three stars, rs thus
refers to that kind Of mail service performed
by other means than railroad or steamboat
such as on horseback, by stage coach, hors,
and buggy, on foot, or IN any other way per
mitted by regulation" The Star" mall line
are therefore, such as are located in out Of tn,
way or frontier districts where considerabl,
latitude is necessary To increase or diminish
he service as the necessities of the localities
may demand. 1t was exactly the sort of serv
ice to give corrupt man or ring having con
troll of 1t n splendid opportunity to inaugurato
a system OF stealing, and Gen, Brady proved
himself, in that sense, the right man in the
right place.
The amusing part is the stimulation of as.
now that the explosion has occurred, that such
corruption should so long have existed, and
grave doubts are affected whether Brady has
really been ~ guilty as alleged. Let there
be an investigation" solemnly says for IN
stance the Ottawa Republican. "Rascali.y
will crop out here and there IN the pures, adj
but the guilty should be punish.
ed If found"
As il there was any doubt about these cor
ruptIons or Brady's connection with them
The star route stealing dates It's invention back
to Grants last Postmaster General Creswell
and has been rs notorious from that day 10
this rs the robberies in the Indian department
under Delano and the war and navy depart,
ments under Robson and Belknap. LET
there bG an investigation !" says the innocent
Republican. As If there had not been thor.
ough investigation two and three years ago,
and the whole business laid as bare as posi-.
i've evidence can uncover anything. Investi.
CATION by congressional committees one, two
and three years ago time and again exposed
he whole inwardness of the system. A report
made to congress two years ago showed that
Senator Dorsey of Arkansas, j. NJ. Peck, F.
y Taylor, and about dozen of others constl
utcd ring by whom 81 star routes were held
IN which the contract price aggregated 1927.
700, but on which they received extra allow.
'nces amounting to over $2,00O,0OO single
ase will illustrate the modus operdndi. The
ing, In the name of Dorsey, held the contract
or route No. 0,l0i from Mineral Park, Ari. |
ona, to Phoebe, Nevada-232 miles. The |
QUITE was let July l, 1878, at 50 900 per annum |
Or weekly service The route was sub let
all these routes were OF course sub.let to
saac Jennings at $4,000, $500 more than
he contract price. A month after entering on
he contract, the ring got up petition tor
service and Brady ordered 1t, rails
NJ to $4,000, of which the ring allowed Jen.
ings $4,000. A month later the service was
,creascd to seven trips per week, at $50, 900
year, and the ring paid Jennings at the rate
f $4,000, pocketing the other $4,000 The
,crease was wholly uncaied for. Even at
iree trips week not over three letters were
arried at trip and with the daily service
equently the mail bags went empty. There
as not the rcmotest occasion for the increase
Scept TO enable the ring to steal $24 900 a
eur. AS long as two years ago, the house
ostoflce committee in congress uncovered Oh
lst such routes, on which, as already remark.
], the annual steal amounted to over So 600.
DO
But II this corruption was known two and
lree years ago, why was Brady not removed
nd the business stoppeds Because Z. NJ.
eneral Key, his first assistant Tyner a dozen
r more of southern and western congressman,
nd mighty ring Of politicians and lobby.
rs besides, were all in it, and Hayes dared
ct move HIM. Dorsey was the real head of
he Republican National Committee and spent ,
eely large percentage Of his s;calings for
he good Of the party, and his fellow ringsters
;ame down. literally at every assessment.
was Dorsey's money that saved Indiana to
ariield, and he was banqueted at belmont, I
rs not three months ago in recognition of
lie fact.
Hayes knew all about it-congress knew all .
bout 1t. Gen. Hawley, the distinguished re
lhlican ranresentativo l,o,y ,,,o,o.N ,.o.,, :