The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-05-10
TELEGRAPHIC
STAR ROUTE.
The Exposure of the Frauds
Goes BraVeIy On.
AnInramoua HistorY.

An Infamous History.
Washington, S.-The postmaster-gen-
ersl says he will not rest until every Off
cial implicated in the Star route frauds
is dismissed.
Denver, S.-The Tribune says yester-
day it was discovered that proceedings
had begun in the district court of Arapa-
hoe County against Senator Dorsey, tor
moneys promised the plaintiff for services
rendered IN procuring petitions, creating
interest among the people, etc., in order
to increase the mail facilities OK certain
portions Of Oregon. The bringing of the
suit here car1e about az follows: Some
months ago a law firm here received
from an attorney at Portland, Oregon, 3
claim fer collection against Dorsey. The
claiant is a well-known politician OF
| Portlsnd whose name the Tribune does
not state. The latter had q mum Der Of
letters written by Dorsey promising him
Sd much per day for services and giving
minute directions how to proceed to get
| petitions, make contracts, etc. These
| letters, with the claim were placed in the
hands Of Denver attorneys and last win
ter when Dorsey came to Denver to look
after mining interests, he was visited by
the attorney and the bundle Of letters
| alleged to have been written by him was
| shown him in support Of the claim
Dorsey pronounced the claim 3 fraud
and denounced the claimant as q black
mailer. Proceedings we're Immediately
begun in the district court. Dorsey in
structed his counsel to enter demurrer
on the ground that these contracts we're
| illegal. Since then matters have re-
manned in StGtu quo. One letter is dated |
Washington, April 18th, 1879, and says
the correspondent wants him to go to Eu- |
gene City and procure all the petitions |
possible for an increase Of mail service |
from Eugene City to Bridge Greek, to q |
daily instead of a weekly; also to have |
the time made faster. The letter con- |
tinues: u want ten or dozen on THU |
route, and also get people to write the |
postmaster general and their senators. We |
want prominent democrats TO write to |
Slater and Grover urging them to see
the increase is made" The correspon-
dent is further directed to get ten or
twelve different petitions on each route.
Have large number of letters written
to the postmaster general and senators, land
be sure al ask for daily and fast line.
Get the state officers and chamber Of
commerce at Portland 10 write. 81 will
pay your expense while gone, and SIS per
day. II you have not means l will tee-
graph you sufficient"
The second letter, written four days
later, states that contracts are enclosed
for the route from Bridge Greek to Eu-
gene City. then under contract for one
trip week, and says if the schedule time
Is changed a new contract will have to be
made, and continues: "The best we can
do land there must be q guaranteed bond
for the fulfllment OF the contract) is 81,
600 per annum for three trips weekly;
time, 100 hours, which is slow walking
time. ." The writer further says: Make
the contract thus: Three trips weekly,
81, 500 per annum; six trips weekly, Sl4,-
600; seven trips, SIC, 800; the contract to
run until July LIT, 1882, and not
be filed in Washington" He says :
further that he must have a new con-
tract for the route from Looking glass
to Uoquille." Make the contract OF the
latter route as follows: For three trips,
81, 500 you may 10 TO $1,000; for six
trips, SIS, 800; fer seven trips, Sc, 200; no
contract to be binding upon US but upon
agent hero. Mr.. Fink has filed his con-
tract. I don't want it filed. will pay
him monthly il he wants. but don't want
my contracts on file here. The letter
closes by e1horting the correspondent to
send petitions, ETC., by the carload to
himself, Slater and Assistant Postmaster
Brady. Another letter of the same date
relating to Washington Territory con-
tract is published.
These letters Will be produced in court
as evidence to support the claim.
New York, S.-The Times, tomorrow,
will print the first Of q series of articles
from Washington concerning the Star
route contracts. The opening dispatch
is in 8 great measure directed to history
of various routes, and the means used to
have pay for transporting mails over
them increased. The beginning of the
story is suggestive and is as follows:
The time will come when the rings
which have plundered the treasury Of the
United States By means of contracts for
carrying mails will take their place in
the history and estimation of the
American people by the side of the most
infamous organizat ons Of their kind.
That time is nearly at hand. The Tweed
ring of New York and the canal ring of
New York have passed beyond the
period of denial, explanation and at
tempted defense, anu their dishonesty
and corruption are facts as firmly
established in history as events Of war Of
the revolution. The Star service" rings
are still in existence, but their condition
resembles that Of q snake that has lost its
head and is seeking to replace 1t. The
head is gone, but there ia tremendous
energy and power in the body Never
theets, without head, these organizations
must die. 1t is great struggle in which
these rings are engaged. The influence
extends into almost every direction.
Their agents are numerous in both great
political parties; their operations have
h. 4
undertakings; their strength can be
understood only by those who have sought
for evidence of their corruption and seen
the efforts which they have put forth in
their own defense. There are intelligent
persons who predict that they will win
this their greatest battle, as they have WOE
battles before. The people will make the
fIlfllment of this prediction impossible,
as soon IS they plainly understand the
manner in which they have been robbed.
To the people the facts must be shown,
for with them lies the enduring remedy,
through their representatives in Congress.
In the past the people and their repre-
sentativeS have innOcently been bull
wsrk for the protection of these rings.
Any attempt to lay bare the accumulA-
ton of wickedness has been denounced
as an attack upon the energetic pioneers
of our growing west and southwest, and
the honest influence of these people has
been sufficient to bring the scale in favor
of persons who we're robbing them I'M
der pretense of brand new policy for
the thorough dissemination of intelli-
gence. In the last annual report of the |
acknowledgement, MIR. Maynard then
holding that Office, there was the follow
ing assertion: "1he general public cares
only to know that its correspondence is
conveyed to its destination with GER
tainty, celebrity and security, and pays
little attention to the methods by which
these ends are attained This is true,
and in this truth may be seen the safety |
of the rings. When the people deter
mine to pay some attention to these
methods, then the rings will be at an end. |
The Times article goes on to say that |
the evidence which has been rapidly ac-
| cumulsting since Mr.. James and Mr. |
MscVesgh joined hands for the prosecu |
cution and punishment of the guilty per-
sons, will be the basis, it is expected, for |
large number Of important suits. These |
suits will be carried on by governDents
prosecution officers il many states and |
| territories. The authorities who
now have the evidence cannot, Of course,
| give it to the press. The inside
history of fancy routes" is, however,
4 = L At