The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-05-18
DORsEY's DoINGs.
Conclusive Evidence That He Was One OF
the Manipulators of the Star Route
Swindles.

Swindles. n
PORTLAND, Ore, May Dispatches from
Denver, COL, published yesterday, give in
formation that legal proceedings lad been
there against Senator Dorsey, of
Arkansas, now Secretary of the National
Republican Committee, for services rem
dered TO obtain an increase of the mail SER
VICE and get additional pay therefor on the
Star Routes in Oregon. The announcement
attracted much attention here, more so from
the fact that il was stated that the papers on
which the suit had been instituted at Den
yer had been received ut Denver from q we'll
known attorney at Portland, and that the
claimant was well-known politician here
on Oregonian street The history of it fully
identified ex-senator Dorsey with the Star
Route robbery. The claimant in the suit is
Frank ID. Wilcox, who, though formerly
connected with politics in Arkansas, has not
appeared prominently in politics here He
went to Arkansas from Illinois in 1869, and
became acquainted with S. w. Dorsey
there He was Secretary of the State
Republican Committee of Arkansas,
though he never held office, and
bore a prominent part in the election
of Dorsey to the Senate. Desiring 10 get out
of politics, he left Arkansas and came 10 Ore
gon 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 m Ost
intimate kind he fixed upon Wilcox as the
man to help him work them up TO higher
figures on the mail routes in which he had
become interested. Dorsey first telegraphed
to parties in Portland 10 learn if Wilcox was
there. Having ascertained that he was, he
wrote him, stating what service he wanted
performed, and directing him to go TO
Eugene City, giving instructions at the same
time how to get up petitions, have them
signed and make sub-contracts for carrying
the mails. The petitions were to be for
warded 20 Washington TO be used in getting
service and pay increased. For the service
required Wilcox was to receive So day and
expenses. Before starting for Eugene City
he had the following telegram:
WASHINGTON. D. C. April &c, 1879.
All my other letters written to Eugene City
Have telegraphed money. Inquire at Telegraph
Office. Go Immediately. ;. W. DORSEY.
The money being received for expenses,
Wilcox went TO Eugene City, where he re-
ceived Dorseys other letters with memo
a.directing him how to proceed The
route Dorsey first wished to operate on was
out from Eugene City across the Cascade
Mountains to Mitchell. in Eastern Oregon,
by way of Prine7ale The route is almost
wholly unnecessary, as it passes through
nearly an uninhabited country, and the
small centers of population on the east OF
the Cascade Range are supplied by other
routes. Dorsey drew up in his own hand
and forwarded TO Wilcox the following
form of petition, on which the signatures
were to be obtained, which was forwarded TO
the Postmaster General:
I'VE, the undersigned citizens of Bridge Creek,
Oregon, beg 10 earnestly recommend 10 your Ia
service between Eugene City and this place 10 a
daily line, and ask that the speed be greatly in
creased This rOute supplies large and rapidl!
conveying nteIiisence to great portion of south.
ern Oregon. We believe that public interest Will
be greatly subSeryed by an early increase Of this
service. and we earnestly recommend it."
To this Dorsey added the following words
of instruction to Wilcox:
"Of course you want the wording as well as the
| hand writing of each person to be as different as
possible,
Dorsey next proceeded to instruct Wilcox
how to sub-let route, as the following tele-
gram will show:
WASHINGTON, d. C.. April q, 1879.
F. r. Wilcox, Eugene City:
Make contract for the Bridge Creek Route for
speed OF four-and-a-half miles an hour. three
trips a week No sub-contract to be filed, but
payment to be guaranteed by me personally. y.
Make the same contract on the Looking Glass
| Route. s. w. DORSEY.
The following was the next telegram re-
ceived by Mr.. Wilcox:
WASHINGTON, D. c., April IS. 1879.
Make no compromise with the sub-contractors.
1t must be absolutely a new contract with the
amount specially stated. Telegraph fully upon
| closing the contract. >. W. DORSEY.
| Fearing that Wilcox would not fully un-
derstand, Dorsey, at a late hour on the same
day, telegraphed as follows:
WASHINGTON, d. c., April 2s, 1879
F. R. wilcox:
the old firm has been dissolved, and business
passes into new hands. Must have new contract
| or no pay. The contract on the Bridge Creek
Route for three six and seven times. on schedule
| of four miles an hour; also the same on the
| Looking Glass Route. Telegraph me fully before
closing any contract. Deal with responsible men
| s. W. DORSEY.
There the old trick is manifest The old
firm is dissolved. That is, the straw bidder
was pushed out of the way and the Ring
was now making the next move. Here Is
the next telegram:
WAsHIEGToS, D. c., May g. 1879
| have no interest in the Star Routes
Glass Contract on the Bridge Creek for one,
three, six and seven times week on a 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 go above the following:
mes s5 fnT beoPe Vou eose
4
contracts. S. w. DORSEY.
The following is the last telegram sent to
Wilcox at Eugene City:
WASHINGTON, May 3. 1879.
F. r. Wilcox:
! presume you understand you must make con-
tracts before you try to get up the papers for
| increase. 5. w. DORSEY.
As a result of these operations by Dorsey
in Oregon mail contracts, he got the COM
pensation for carrying the routes from
Eugene City to Bridge Greek increased from
| 81, 46S to $21, 400. The contract stands in the
Department as received from Eugene City
to Mitchell, and is in the name of ]. NJ
Peek, brother-in-law of S. w. Dorsey. The
LookingGlass Route, referred to so frequently
| in the above dispatches was expedited"
| under Dorsey's management from 81 800 to
S13 775 year. The next question was to
get the route in Washington Territory ex-
pedited. This was the route from Wallula
to Pleasant Grove, on the Upper Yakemer
Under direction from Dorsey, Wilcox went
to Wallula on an errand similar to that
which he had performed at Eugene City,
where Dorsey telegraphed him:
wAsHISGroS, June 10, 1879
To +. r. Wilcox, Wallula:
Have you done anything with Wallula and
Pleasant Grove Routes? Answer
hTO this Wilcox returned the following:
WALLULA, W. T., June 10, 1879.
To Hos. s. w. Dorsey. No. 112l 1 street, Washing
ton, ID. c.:
Have been over the route from wallula TO
meet Solid bid s., 500 for two trips Sc 900 for
three trps S11 900 for trips S12 500 for seven