The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-12-07
The star Route Villianies.


Mr. A. NJ. Gibson has made a report
which has been published and to which
he afiixes his signature ..as Assistant
Attorney of the United States, expos
mo the Star Route villianies. They
exceed anything the public had ever
before imagined. He shows that during
the first year of Brady's incumbency
under the administration Of the great
and good R. B. Hayes, the said Brady
expedited the service on sixteen Star
Routes, raising the cost from S1o4,544
to 1882, 400 annually, and gave many
additional and illegal allowances TO
contractors for trips added on go
routes. The next year he increased the
allowances on sixty-three routes to the
extent of about s120,000. The next
year he increased the Star Route expen-
ses west of the Mississippi nearly
81, ZOO, 900, and gave allowances TO
contractors to the amount of Il, 400, 600
more. Last year the fraudulent work
went on until last January, besides
temporary contracts, the Star service
costing nearly s5,0OO,00O. II can not,
says Gibson, who has thoroughly sifted
the subject, 'resist the conviction that
in almost every case the allowance for
expedition was fraudulently, eollusively
and eorruptly obtained" To illustrate,
Gibson says:
"In regard to the increase of trips, the
evidence is equally conclusive. In every
case the pay added was excessive, and the
needs of the country did not demand III
most cases the increased services or the
expedition In the case of one route,
Canon City to Camp McDermot, tri-weeEly
mails were carried over 200 miles through
an uninhabited country with only Al
/ abandoned military camp between the ter
| minal offices. The lonesome rider camped
at convenient points, lariated his mustang
aud caught the fish or shot the game OF
which he lived Near the eastern tsrminu:
of this route there was post-ofice some
distance off the path, by which the solitary
rider picked his way. There lived at thii
office one family, and once or twice yea
they received a letter, which the carrier
would leave at a spot agreed upon.
! Ninety per cent. of the routes, Glib
son writes, were uselessly expedited.
How it is that Congress which held the
purse-strings of the government no
only permitted these rascalities to b.
perpetrated, but voted the money with
out stint, passes our comprehension
1t has been charged that these thing
were accomplished by liberal division
of the spoils, and probably facts will
be brought to light revealing the con
duct of the guilty members if sucl
there be. The amusing part of tn
report is that the pensioned organs o
j the Star Reuters are raising hue anC
cry against him, on the charge that
though duly appointed to make tn
Investigation, he is not entitled to b.
called an Assistant Attorney OF tn
United States" This inspires as stale
journal as the Philadelphia Ledger t.
remark that the more important ques
ton is as to the truth of his statements
The Department of Justice will have t.
yindicate its right to its own title if i
negleets the substance of Mr.. Gibson
report to criticise the title he assume
and the manner in which he has mad
public his alleged discoveries. Publ
thieves have a great habit of initiating
that curious fish, which, when it is pur
sued by an enemy, clouds the water b.
discharge of ink-like fluid, unde
cover of which it escapes.