Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-16
Another IBstaIlmeni of the Star Route
Story.

the guilty parties wherever they may be
found. These gentlemen are supported by
instructions of the President, who is deeply
interested in their labors, and who desires
that the ulcer shall be cut to the
bottom with firm hand. The evidence,
which is accommodating in the hands Of Mr..
James subordinates, Is submitted to the
Attorney. General, who already possesses
some very interesting matter for use in the
Courts. That evidence is preserved for nse
hereafter. The Postmaster General has dis
covered since taking charge OF the Depart
meut that many valuable papers, which
ought to be on file in the Office of the Second
Assistant Postmaster-G General, are missing.
Among those which cannot be found are re-
reports made by special agents in relation to
some of the routes held by rings and manipu-
lated for their benefit. Many of these re-
ports severely criticized the routes and the
increased and expedited service upon them.
and threw much light upon the rings
methods. In most cases the agents retained
copies Of these reports, and some of these
copies have recently been secured by the De-
partment. Brady completely controlled his
Division. No one can tell how many inter-
esting documents he regarded as unnecessary
for the files. It is believed the rings are re-
lying upon the expected indignation Of the
people who have been served, or partly
served, by their routes. They hope this in
dignatien will be manifested wherever the
service may be reduced or cut of, and man
ifested 80 strongly that it will produce SEN
timent in their favor. There are indications
that some of the contractors are hard at work
endeavoring to prejudice the people in their
vicinity against the Postmaster General
discover that the inhabitants of the frontier,
while they desire mail facilities, are unwill-
ing to be swindled or aid other persons in
robbing the peoples common treasury. The
rings are also undoubtedly expecting that the
exposure their transactions will be an old and
almost forgotten story when the next session
of Congress begins. In this they are mis-
taken. The frauds that were committed in
the postal service under Thos. Brady were not
confined to overland stage routes on the
frontier and in sparsely settled Territories.
According to the last annual report of the
Second Assistant Postmaster General. there
were November Is, 1880, in the United States,
O. 1853 star routes, on which service was per-
formed by men an horses, or mules. The an
nual cost of these routes was 81, 321, 499.
There Were also ISL steamboat routes, the cost
of which was S7S7, POI. Many Of these steam-
boat routes were absolutely worthless, and g
large part of tie money paid for them was
thrown away for the benefit of contractors
and those with whom contractors are sup
posed to have divided. Since the beginning
of the new Administration special commit
tee has been sent South for the purpose Of
inspecting the. steamboat service there and
making reports 10 relation to it. In accord
ancs with this committees report the service
has been cut off several routes, but there are
already in possession of the Department
other reports in connection with this service
These reports were made by j. E. Reside,
Special Agent, and certified copies of these
were furnished to the Congressional Commit
tee. Reside was an expert employed dur
ing the Investigation made in the spring of
1873 by the House COMMITTEES on PostofHces
and Post Roads. He had been a contractor,
and thoroughly understood the ways Of
contractors. His reports created great anxiety
among steamboat contractors, and they came
to Washington. His first reports were made
October Is, 1877. Seven days later Senator
Dorsey wrote the Postnaster.G General, de-
nouncing Reside and His recommendations.
81 believe" he wrote, 1T is the duty Of the
Department to discontinue Reside, instead of
the mail routea alluded to-" John ID. Adams
had informed Dorsey by letter that Reside
was dead. beat and blsckmailer, and on
November Is, 1877, Dorsey wrote a long per-
sonal letter to Judge Key, again denouncing
Reside, saying he had well-established
hS pIbiSSciJbesA OA
the same day Dorsey directed letter to
Brady, requesting that Reside be forthwith
recalled from Memphis, 1t any further in
vestigation OF the steamboat mail service in
the Southwest. but especially in Arkansas is
desired. General w. Z. Edgerton, who is
thoroughly familiar with the country and
the people, or Colonel d. Schaurtie,
Chief Special Agent for the Southwest,
should be directed to make examinations
as they are both men of int gritty and char
acter, and familiar with the subject they are
called upon to investigate. The petition mill
was set at work, and many letters were writ
ten to counterfeit Resides assertion. Sem
ator Dorsey sent in many Of these petitions,
and wrote separate letters for each route. He
most earnestly urged continuance of route
29,095. which has recently been cut off for
some cause. Wiltshire of Arkansas, who had
signed some fifty proposal bonds in blank for
the Dorsey combination as surety, made an
elaborate defense OF the route against Reside.
The latter was appointed by Judge Key
September /, 1871 and was resppoiuted one
month later. His commission was allowed
to expire December l, 1871, although the
commissions of all other Special Agents
were renewed. From a letter which he then
addressed to Judge Key. it appears that the
latter had told him his reports were satisfac
tory, but he mad been too jealous Brady
had told him he had no objection to his reap
poiutment. Reside asked him why he had
been left ont. In reply, Judge Key said
Resides work was flashed, and therefore
there was no demand for him. Brady, he
said, had told him he needed Reside nolongsr.
The Postmaster General adds this sentence,
which is amusing now: 1.-THE duty of the
Department demands of it to husband It's re-
sources, and not exhaust them by salaries
l.. =. Al
going narrative r seside appeared as & faithful
officer Reside, during and after the investi-
CATION, saw the strength of the rings and the
weakness of Congress. 1t may be remem-
bered that Colonel McKibben once started
an investigation against contractors, and
then became the contractors agent at large
salary. Reside found, it is said, that the
contractors were bis friends The "too-
Jealous Special Agent again became con-
tractor, and he is q contractor to-day. The
correspondent then gives from the record an
official and unofficial story of how Reside
was given ARBITRARILY some star routes He
relates the connection of ex-Congressman J.
s. Sypher with the Louisiana star route
operations, and closes with the official history
Of the two routes in Texas, upon which
Jas. Blackman and Jas Funk offered bids
Blackman & Funk were recently arrested in
Philadelphia for having been straw bidders
on route No. 81, $50, from Fort Elliott to
Wichita Falls, Texas. The contract was
awarded to Blackman, whose address is given
in the books as care of George H. Giddings,
Washington, d. c." Giddings was connected
with Colonel McKibben, and the latter was
agent for the Gilmer & Salisbury combina.
ton. Blackman failed to fulfill his contract,
thereupon the Department went up the list
of bidders, and the bidders declined to take
the work at the prices set against their names.
J. B. Price offered to do the work on his bid
for 81 96l; George III. Giddings slipped in
and offered to take the route for one dollar
less, 81 $50, and it was given him. In No
vsnber, 1880. the contract was transferred to
+. w. Prker, of the Parker eombina-
tion. For route 3l,592, from Fort Griffin
to Fort Elliott there was loug list of bid
ders. Funk was the lowest at 81. $50, and
the contract wns awarded him. His address
was like that of Blackman, "Care of George
A. Giddings, Washington, u. c." Funk
failed, and the bidder above him refused to
stand by bis offer. Giddings then appeared
snd offered to take the route for 81. AGO, or
81 below the next bid. After Giddings got
Funk's route and his pay increased. five adj
ditioDsl trips were ordered May 16. 1880,
About FIVE months after bis contract term
began $40, $50 was added to his pay. and the
route was turned ever to Z. w. P.rker at
full price.