Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-06-06
The Star Route Prosecutions.

There is to be no cessation of operations
against the Star Route swindlers. The pros
ecutions will be proceeded with as rapidly AS
possible. The removals at the Sixth Audi
tors Office last week all mean business. II
is now the purpose of the Department of JUS
tice not to present its case to the present
Grand Jury, the time of which has nearly ex-
PRED. There are reasons which the astute
criminal lawyer William Cook. employed by
the Government to assist in the prosecutions,
has suggested which make it inadvisable to
proceed until new and more carefully Sc
lected jury has been formed. Attorney-Gen-
eral MAcVeagh has said that it shall not be
the fault Of any legal machinery if the Gov
eminent is not successful. He certainly
thinks that the case of the Government is alb
solutely incontestable. 1t may be the last of
June before indictments are found, and.
owing to a long summer vacation, the trials
may not be held before fall but the Depart
ment Of Justice promises the speedicst posi-
BILE trial to all accused persons. The num-
Der Of persons who will be presented by the
Attorney General for indictment will be larg-
er than has generally been supposed. 1t is
pretty well known that II will include Dorsey
and Brady, q large number of Star Route
contractors, and. il Is said. some other per-
sons who have been notably conspicuous in
the defence Of the Star Route Ring.
Now that the Sixth Auditor has been re-
moved, persons familiar with the operations
Of that Office remember that some six years
ago there we're extraordinary stories of op-
erations Of straw bid contractors in connec-
ton with that Bureau which ended in the
disappearance Of one of the prominent clerks
Of the Office, who was made the scapegoat
II has since been learned that this fugitive
clerk was paid by the Star Route Ring men
TO permit himself to be known as the scape-
goat. When the democrats first obtained
control Of Congress the chairman of the Post
Office Committee was put in possessin of infor-
nation A. to the operations of this clerk and de-
tectives were put upon his track. but he
could not be found. Within the last few
weeks he has appeared in Washington. and
It 10 believed that he has placed his knowl-
edge at the disposal Of the Government pros
ecutors. and that it is in part due to this in
formation that the removals Of last week
were made. But the Government officers
do not need to 60 back six years to discover
causes for their action in that particular.
O6icials Of the Sixth Auditors Office have
not learned the trick of not writing letters
and the Government has possession. II 10
said. Of some letters. written by the Deputy
Auditor which it will be troublesome for that
person to explain.
There probably will be good many more
removals in the Post Office Department
within short time. Almost every day evil
dence 10 being discovered Of the ramifications
Of the ring. Thursday it was found that one
of the colored employees. particularly devoted
to Brady, has been acting in his interests.
and conveying to- him. at his residence in
Washington, such information A. could be
overheard in the Department of the purposes
Of the Postmaster General. The colored
man has been given a position where he can
see and hear less.