The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-04-23
Frauds in the POs,OiBos Department.

Fer several weeks the air has been Sled
wiih rumors Of great frauds IN sac Posio.hce
Dep lrtmeni, and further investigations sAas
that ihey are larger than ct first stated. 4
special despatch 20 The kSlunore AReTtoali,
iroa Washington, April y, sag.
M;. James N. Tyaer, First Assistant Post
mas eT General. aeuies, w,ih mach emphasis,
that the President, or Hnyoae else, has re
quei8ea bis resignation. Genjlemsn who
elais.: 20 have as mach knowledge OF this sub.
iect as Mr.. Tyner, state that It be has not, hs
will be asked 10 step down aud out ia few
DAYS. Il was generally believed here last
night that the PFesidcHl would act on Mr..
Tyner's case 10 day, but, 80 iaf - San be IS.
eeriAined, he has aOl doae 50. The Postof
ice Department IS 10 state oil great cOmzio-
ton. The new Postmaster GencFais war on
the star-roate brigade has created the utmost
Consideration, aud it Is said thIs afternoon
that a namber Of clerks, including several ia
the contract Office, are momentartiy expect
ing deeapitaiioa. Those who we're immeii-
ately employed under Gen, Brady are mare
or less smirehed by the stories that arc related
Of the inside maHipulatious OF the star ser
vice, aud facts are expected 20 be developed
soon By which more thau oEs Official veil be
brought TO grief Postmaster General Janes
expresses the greatest surprise that such great
extravaganee should have been allowed %
run 50 long unchecked, and he hopes ere leag
TO be able to euriail, aud eventually abolish,
the fraudulent system. A thorough iEvesti.
CATION IS being made into the method OF
awarding contracts for the star service, and
il is stated that all parties discovered to have
been awarded these coaIracts irauduleaiiy
will be held subject TO indictment By the grand
Jury. Mr.. James claims that by Topping on
these sxtrayagant contracts he can make the
department seif-sustaining.
The Associated Press dispatches, OF the
same day, say
The suddenly rendered resignation Of See
ond Assistant Postmaster General Brady has
created good deal OF talk aud considerable
Of a sensation. Ever since Postmaster Gen
era! James catered upon the discharge Of bis
duties the air has been thick with rumors,
which could not, however, be verified, TO the
effect that Gen. Brady removal was fore
goae conclusion, and all the stories which
we're circulated impngning his honesty at the
time the star rosie service was investigated by
the BLACKBURN committee has been revived.
Ii has been represented meantime that the re-
lations between Aessrs. Brady aud James
were of the most cordial character, and maHy
persons standing near the former have scout
ed the idea that any case against Gen. Brady
could be made out 1t would now appear
that there has been much more behind the
rumors than was acknowledged by the Post
office Department, or than was suspected by
those interested on the other side, aud it is
thought that Developments in the near future
would naturally lead up to other important
changes ia the personnel in the office of the
Second Assistant Postmaster GeReral-sueh
changes, 1t is understood, having become i'm
peratlve by derelictioa and unfaithfulness on
the part OF the present incuubents in the dis
charge of their official trusts. Specific nfor-
nation bearing on the star route scandal is
carefully withheld by Postoffiee officials, but
it is admitted that the records show that on
the LIST of January, 1880, the pay for carrying
the mails on less than 100 out of more than
900 star routes had been increased from
about 500, 900 at the time of letting to 81,
800, 600 by orders for additional trips and for
shortened time.
A considerable part of this increased ser
vice, according to the evidence accumulated,
was not performed at all, or very imperlectly
performed, the irregularities being care fully
planned, it is supposed, for the purpose of
transferring money from the treasury to the
pockets of favored contractors and their con-
federates The irregularities seemed to have
been confined chiefly to routes west of the
Mississippi river, and to those in the terrific
ries. After rendering his resignation yesteF
day, General Brady left for New York,