The Portland daily press., 1881-05-16
THE STAR ROUTES.
More of Mr.. Dorsey's Crookedness
Exposed.
ATTEMPTS TO GET RID OF COM
PROMISING KILOGRAMS.

CHICAGO, May IA special to the Inter-
Ocean from Little Book says that the frauds
OF the Star route ring which are attracting the
attention of the country are no news in Arkan
sas where ex-senator Dorseys connection with
them has long been more than SUSPECTED. He
procured the appointment of eX-Gov. U. A.
Hadley as Postmaster at Little Rock, sup
posing he could count on his assistance III Tor
wardiug his schemes on the Treasury in con-
neclion with the Star routes. Knowing this,
in January, 1878, he sent to Hadley about 800
blank proposals and bonds which the ring had
printed for their own use, and which were
different in some respects from those printed
by the government, and forwarded to bidders
with instructions to Hadley to get securities
on the bonds have them signed in blank, APP,
prove them as postmaster and return them to
him. This was done, and bonds to the num-
Der of 400 or 800 were fixed up in this way.
The number of the route, the terminal points,
the amount of the bid and the name of the bid
der were not inserted as required by law be-
fore being approved by the postmaster. These
bonds We're then approved by Postmaster
Hadley, in direct violation of law, ard then
sent by express to s. w. Dorsey then a Sena-
tor OF the United States, for such use as Re
might make of them. They we're not even
straw bonds. The blank bonds were approved
here the 10Th of January, 1878, shipped by
Postmaster Hadley per Southern Express
January 20 to S. w. Dorsey and delivered at
his committee room in the Capitol January %.
The numbers of the routes, the terminal points,
the amounts of bids and the bidders names
were then fl lied in, the bidders signatures at
tached and the acknowledgment taken by
Notary Public, one A. T. Boone, who was
member of the ring and dated Washington,
Jan. 8, and other days prior to those upon
which the bonds were dated and approved. To
the most OF these bids the name of John Nj.
Peck, Dorsey's brother-in-law, was attached,
and acknowledgment was taken by Boone and
Notary Public, but it was afterward discover
ed that Peck had not been in Washington for
over year, and that the signatures were for
geries Dorsey himself stated that the sigma
ture was not Peck's, but that he believed it
was written by Joseph Il. Richards, who he
said had been Dorsey's clerk, and he presumed
was authorized to sign his name Parties who
know Dorseys handwriting say the signature
reSembied his more than Richards. Richards
and Peck suddenly put in an appearance here
day or two since, and it is thought for the
purpose of covering up some of the operations
of the ring. They have been in close consults-
tion with POSTMASTER Hadley and others, but
their plans are not known.
About the time Dorsey sent the blank bonds
here in Hadley he sent blanks to J. III. Glen
dennlng, postmaster at Fort Smith, and re-
quested him to procure sureties approved in
blank and return to him. This Postmaster
Clendennin2 refused to do, and so wrote Dor
sey, and quoted the law making it a penal of
fence, punishable with impr ison ment i'll the
penitentiary for one year or more, for post
masters to approve bonds before the number
and description of the route, amount of bid
and bidders name was inserted and the bid
der had signed the proposal and made ac-
acknowledgement before the officer qualified to
administer oaths. Dorsey has ever since been
an enemy OF Clendenning. Clendenning has
preserved Dorsey's letter aud his reply thereto
1t is now said by the knowing ones here that
Jack Kerrott, assistant postmaster who left
here suddenly few days ago, and is charged
with being defaulter, did not leave on that
account and is not defaulter, but because he
was in possession OF great many facts which
the star route ring did not care to have made
public, and that they induced him to leave the
country and then started the story that he was
defaulter.
New YORK, May IA Denver special
says the suit brought by Frank r. Wilcox
against ex-senator Dorsey for services render
ed in getting up petitions and the like for ex-
petition and increase Of pay on some of Dor
sey's Star routes in Oregon, has been settled,
and the papers which threw so much light on
DorSey's methods have been surrendered to
his agent.
DENVER, May 14.-The Tribune contains
the following: Immediately after the exposal
OF Dorsey completely in the Star route ring,
as teiegraphed over the country, attempts were
begun to quash the suit which had brought
out the letters and obtain possession of the
documents Yesterday it was successful; the
letters were surrendered and Dorsey paid tho
money to Wilcox for which the suit would DO
piouSne. 4HiS money, as known, is Tor VIII
coxs work in securing petitions for exped itng
routes and subletting to smaller contractors
The same day on which the papers were sur
rendered Postmaster General James tele-
graphed to Denver for either the letters, certi-
lied copies OR photographs of them. The tele-
gram came after the papers had been surren-
dered and the registers probably concluded
They were supposed to be safe but are mis-
taken, as there are certified copies in ex-
istence, and they will be used in connection
dnnunoanfc in partJ nd