The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-04-29
THE STAR ROUTE EXPOS
LURE.
Charges OF Enmnnoas Frauds Irnpii-
eating Brady, Dorsey, oiImer,
Salisbury Co., ssnderson S
- "a Co.,sand others. kJ
EARNEST PRosEcuTIoN TO BE iNsrI-
TUTED.

| - @M%---~ss=@s@
EARNEST. pRosEcurIoN TO BE iNsr1-
TUTED.
WASHINGTON, April 25.-The official fig
ures show that the annual pay of 90 star
routes out Of The 9,221 was raised between
the lettings of 1878 and January l, 1880,
from S727,119 to s2,5o2,213. e The regular
| appropriation for the star route service for
the year ending June 30, 1880, was &c, 9O0, 900,
of which amount $780, PA was absorbed by
the 93 routes noted, leaving So ,097, 1855 for
! the 0, 1872 routes. ,t vs. O., Re. r
NEW YORK, April 24.-The Times this
morning has the following from a special
Washington correspondent: Those who
claim to know all the points of the investi-
CATION which is being made into the meth
DDS of the star route ring, say that half has
not been made public, and will not be until
measures are taken to bring Brady to justice
and the penitentiary II possible. The whole
steal Is divided between what is known as
the Dorsey gang and the Gilmer and Sails
bury party, the latter being by far the most
extensive operators in the swindle. The
Dorsey gang is composed of j. W. Dorsey,
j. M. Peck and j. r. Miner, who have acted
as blinds for Stephen w. Dorsey, Ex-Sena-
tor from Arkansas, and secretary of the Re-
publican National committee, in bidding for
and receiving contracts. J. W. Dorsey is a
brother Of Stephen w. Dorsey. Only little
over three years ago he was farmer in Yer
mont, an ignorant, stupid specimen of hu-
manity. He was not so stupid that his more
brilliant brother could not use him as a cats
paw 10 pull gold from. the public treasury,
and he was brought. out to Washington for
this purpose. J. NJ. Peck, the second worthy
of the trio, is brother-in-law of J. W. Dor
sey, having married sister of the latter's
wife, and J. Il. Miner is a partner Of the
great original Dorsey himself. He was
brought from Sandusky, Ohio, expressly to
go into the star route business. Tie amount
known to have been pocketed by the Stephen
w. Dorsey gang in excess of The amount
called for by their original bids is not less
than $4,000. What percentage of this was
transferred to Brady as his share of the spols
only s. w. Dorsey and his partners can tell.
The firm of Gilmer, Salisbury & Co.,
which did an even more extensive business
in the swindles than the Dorsey crowd, Is
composed of j. T. Gilmer, Monroe Salisbury
and o. J. Salisbury, a younger brother Of
Monroe. J. T. Gilmer was formerly stage
driver over the Holiday overland route
from st. Joe to San Francisco. He was a
very ignorant man and could scarcely write
his own name, but he had shrewd eye for
business. In 1868 lie formed a partnership
with the two Salisburys and bought out the
stage line of Wells, Fargo & Co., over which
most of the mails In the Territories were
then carried. Since that time the firm has
been engaged in the star route business, and
have made large fortune. Among the
agents who have made straw bids in the in
terest of these firms are: V. w. Harker, r.
A. McDevitt, A. S. Patrick, Luke Voorhees,,
Geo. II. Plat, o. J. Salisbury, Patrick &
Brown, A. Ii. Brown, G.. Y. Messerole, C.
A. Cosgrove, w. A. Giddings, c. D. Seeley,
+. w. Gilmer, brother of j. T. Gilmer, w.
D.. Hill, Hugh White, Salisbury IL Nichols;
VIM. Hamilton, NJ. V. Nichols, and VIM. II.
Force. The excess Of pay received by the
tGilmer & Salisbury combination over the
amount called for by the original contracts,
amounts to the neat little sum of S17s,50S
with more still to hear from.
In addition to money given these large
contractors who made their bids through
straw agents, small fortunes have been d.
vided between Brady and Smalley, contract
ors who made their bids on their own &C
count.
NEW YORK, April 24.-The Times has Co
pious dispatches on the "Star Route expos
ures, wherefrom the following points are
extracted: J. w. Dorsey, whose name APP
pears frequently on tie list of contractors,
sas, and is believed to be the representative
of the latter in the star route business. The
ex-senator is also believed to be interested
in contracts held by Peck and Miner, and it
10 said that his interest in these contracts is
equal to 100000 of the profit for the con-
tract term. ,.......
& I'd, McDeyitt, Foster, Messerole, Huntley and
Force, whose names appear in the list of con-
tractors, are connected with the firm of J. L.
Sanderson & Co, in a general way i'll the
star route business, and have the support Of
Chaffee of Colorado, Mccormick of Arizona,
Congressman Page of California and other
influential persons in the West. ..I
"a. II. Brown was for several years con-
tract and corresponding clerk in the central
office and was In charge of the star routes in
California, Nevada, Oregon and some of the
Territories. When Postmaster General jew
Of made a raid on the straw bidders in 1876,
Brown was among the those dismissed from
the department. Immediately after his dis
charge he fed to Canada in order to avoid
being summoned as witness during the in
vestigation ordered by Jewel. Upon his return
to Washington he cultivated Brady's friend
ship, and since 1877 has been in high favor
in the contract office, A. S. Patrick. of
Omaha, Is Browns partner, and Patrick is
backed by Ex-Governor Thayer, of Wyoming.
Brown & Patrick were given route from
Rock Greek to Fort Custer, at the rate of
1900 per annum, which was increased by
Brady to $4,000. Browns. intimacy with
the contract Office secured an additional
$40, 900. .@' '-'s' '-'.''4 2..-'
Salisbury, Gilmer, Voorhees, & White con-
stitute one firm and pull together for their
mutual accounts and advantage. The firm
maintains representative constantly in |
Washington, whom they pay 81, 900 per an
mum TO look after their contracts and see
that they are increased and expedited at the |
proper time. Their attorney is Col. Joseph |
4lcKibben, . former member of Congress
rom California McKibben had the priyi- |