Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-05-11
D0rSeu'S Derittrtes.

lOS5o4 PiOSSSNihSo SNS--
commenced there against Senator Dorsey, oi
Arkansas, now secretary OF the national
Republican committee, for services rendered
TO obtain increased mail service and get ad-
ditional pay therefor on the star routes in
Oregon. The announcement attracted much
attention here, more 80 from the fact that it
was stated that the papers on which the suit
had been instituted at Denver, had been re-
ceived at Denver from well known attorney
at Portland, and that the claimant was well
known politician here on Oregonian street,
and that his story fully identified ex Senator
Dorsey with the
STAR ROUTE ROBBERY.
The claimant in the suit is Frank Wilcox,
who, though formerly connected with politics
in Arkansas, has not appeared prominently in
politics hsre. He went to Arkansas from
Illinois in 1869, and became acquainted with
J. W. Dorsey there. He was secretary of the
State Republican committee of Arkansas,
though he never held the Office, and bore a
prominent part in the election of Dorsey to the
Senate Desiring to get out of politics he
left Arkansas and came to Oregon in 1877,
when Dorsey began to operate in star routes
in Oregon. He remembered that Wilcox had
come to this State, and as his relations with
him had been of the most intimate kind, he
fixed upon Wilcox as the man to help him
work up to higher figures on the mail routes
in which he had become interested. Dorsey
first telegraphed to parties in Portland to learn
if Wilcox was there. Having ascertained that
he was, he wrote him stating what ser,
vice he wanted performed, and
directed him togo to Eugene City, giving in
structions at the same time how to get up
petitions, have them signed, and make SUBJ
contracts for carrying the mails. Petitions
were to be forwarded to Washington to be
used in getting the service and pay increased.
For the service required Wilcox was to receive
S5 day and his expenses. Before starting for
Eugene CITY he had the following telegram:
WAsHINeroN, D. c., April 26.,F. R. Will
cox: All my other letters written to Eugene
City. Have telegraphed money. Inquire at
telegraph Office. Go Immediately. (Slgned.)
s. w. DORSEY.
FoRKING IT UP.
The money being received for expenses,
Wilcox went to Eugene City, where he receiv-
ed Dorsey's other letters with memoranda di.
recting him how to proceed. The route Dorsey
wished to operate on was out from Eugene
City, across Cascade and Mitchell in Eastern
Oregon, by way of Penovale. The route
is almost wholly unnecessary,
as it passes through nearly an
uninhabited country, and the centers of popu-
lation on the east of the cascade range are sup
piled by other routes. Dorsey drew up IN his
own hand and forwarded to Wilcox the fol-
lowing form of petition on which signatures
were to be obtained, which was forwarded to
the postmaster general:
The undersigned citizens of Bridge Creek,
Oregon, beg earnestly and recommend to your
favorable consideration an increase of mail
service between Eugene City and this place to
a daily line, and ask that the speed be greatly
increased. This route supplies large and
rapidly increasing population, and is the sole
means of conveying Intelligence to great por-
tion of Southern Oregon. We believe that
public interest demands this service, and we
earnestly recommend IL.
To this Dorsey added the following words
Construction to Wilcox: Of course you want
wording as well as handwriting, each person
TO be as different as possible"
HOW TO sUBLET.
Dorsey next proceeded to instruct Wilcox
how to sublet the route, as the following tele-
gram shows:
WASHINGTON, April %, 1S79.-To F. r.
Wilcox, Eugene City: Make contract for
Bridge Creek route for speed of four and one
half miles an hour, three trips a week. No
sub-contracts to be filed, but payment to be
contract on Looking Glass route.
S. w. DORSEY.
The following was the next telegram re-
ceived by Wilcox:
WASHINGTON, d. c., April %, 1S79.-To
F. r. Wilcox: Make no compromise with
sub-contractors. Must be absolutely new con-
tract with amount specially stated Telegraph
fully upon closing contract.
S. w. DORSEY.
Fearing that Wilcox would not fully under
stand, Dorsey at late hour on the same day
telegraphed as follows:
WASHINGTON, d. c., April 2S, lS79.-To
F. R. Wilcox: A new contract becomes neces-
sary because old firm has been dissolved and
business passes into new hands Must have
new contract or no pay. Contract on Bridge
Creek route for three, six and seven times On
schedule four miles an hour. Also, same on
Looking Glass route. Telegraph me fully
before closing any contract Deal with re-
sponsible men. S. w. DORSEY.
THE OLD TRICK.
There the old trick is manifest. The old
firm is dissolved that the straw bidder was
pitched out of the way and the ring was max
ing its next move Here is the next telegam:
WASHINGTON, D. c., May. 8, 1S79.-F. R.
Wilcox: have no interests in the Star-routes
except Bridge Creek and Looking Glass. Con-
tract on Bridge Creek one, three, six and seven
times week, on schedule of fifty hours, on
prices named in my letter of the 10th. The
department demands four miles an hour speed;
and you must contract covering that speed or
more. Don't above following three times
eight thousand six times fifteen thousand,
seven times sixteen thousand five hundred.
Telegraph me fully before you close contract.
(Signed s. w. DORSEY.
Following is the last telegram sent to Viii.
cox at Eugene City:
WASHINGTON, May 5, 1s79r.-To F. r. Will
cox: l presume you understand you must
make contracts before you try to get up pa
pers for increase.
(SignedD S. W. DORSEY.
As result of these operations by Dorsey IN
Oregon he got compensation for carrying the
route from Eugene City to Bridge Creek in
creased from 81, ,467 to S2l ,460. The contract
stands in the department as received from Eu-
game City to Mitchell, and is to the name of
J. NJ. Peck, brother in-law of S. W. Dorsey.
THE LooKING-GLASS ROUTE.
The Looking Glass route referred to SO
frequently in the above dispatches was eek
pedited" under Dorsey's management from
$4,000 to S93,775 year The next question
was to get a route in Washington Territory
expedited" This was the route from
Wallula to Pleasant Grove, on the upper
Yakemuma Under direction from Dorsey,
Wilcox went to Wallula on an errand similar
to that which he had performed at Eugene