The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-04-21

29th of November, inside of two months
McDonough notified the department
that he had sub-let the contract to John
A. Walsh Of Washington at $74 $50 per
annum, the price he himself was receiv.
ing In the beginning Of 1879 frequent
complaints were made that the service
was badly performed, and the sureties of
McDonough demanded that he should
be d. cared a failed contractor. nd
offered to take the route on the terms
allowed him by the department, in or.
der to protect themselves.
Brady made an order, dated March
IL, 1879, to su pend the "pay of contrac-
tor and sub contractor" on this route
He knew from McDonough's notifca-
ton that Walsh, as sub contractor, was
the delinquent person. On that same
day he ordered the route restored to the
original price Of l3 319 per annum, and
asked the sureties of McDonough to take
it on those terms, with full knowledge
that the proposition was absurd. His
real object, as the sequel revealed, was
to get them out Of the way.
A month later Brady made new
contract with John A. Walsh for the re-
msinder of the term. from April IA, 1879,
to June 80, 1882, at $18 500 a year. On
the llth of March, 1879, he had suspend
ed his pay as McDonough's sub contrac.
tor on the same route. April IA, 1879,
he removed suspension Of pay OF Sub
Contractor John A. Walsh" without as.
signing any reason. For some myste-
rious cause Sub. Contractor Walsh had
risen to favor. On the 10th of July fol.
lowing Brady reduced the service from
l50 to 96 hours, and allowed Walsh $780,
775 additional pay, raising 1t to $58,275
per snnum. The same day the service
was increased to four trips a week, with
an additional allowance of SIS, 700, max
ing in all $l36, ,975 per annum.
1t thus appears that this contract,
which began at $13.3l3, WAS raised to
$74 $50 under McDonough, with four
trips a week and ninety hours of service.
His bondsmen offered to take the con-
tract when Walsh, the sub. contractor,
failed to perform it. Brady rejected
their proposal and drove them of. Then
he brought in Walsh, who had forfeited
the contract, started anew, and ended by
giving him 1885, 975 year for carrying
the mails over the same route in four
trips and ninety.six hours; whereas the
MCDonough contract was for four trips
and ninety hours at $74 500.
The committee asked Brady:
%. Did you have anything on which
to predicate your action in allowing that
SIS, 700 additional pay, except Mr..
Walsh's statement A. His sworn
statement.
20. Was that the only information
that you had on which to predicate the
aCtion2 A. That and the fact that we
had sought to have the service perform
ed at less rate before and failed in it.
%. Then his sworn statement was
what you relied uponP A. That was
what principally relied upon.
@. While you were in the Govern
ment employment at New Orleans did
you know Walsh there? A. did.
Q. Was he not indicted on your own
testimony for frauds on the internal rev.
enue2 A. l had him indited for failing
to produce his books as distiller.
q And yet, on his own sworn state
ment alone, you granted him AL increase
of pay to the amount Of $4,000 in exc ss
of the price allowed to his predecessor
for the same serviCeP A.. On his own
and for the reason 1 could
not get the service performed for any
less. The securities of McDonough had |
offered to take it at his contract price.
@ Did you offer that service on that
route at the rate of "a 600 year to any.
body else except to Mr.. Walsh? A. |
think not"
The committee then examined George
E. Kirk, one of the bondsmsn of Nc.
Donough, as to the value of the con.
tract.
20. And you say that in your judg- |
ment, as business man connected with |
The enterprise. it could have been carri-
ed on a profit at $74 550P A. Yes.
20, And would you have carried it at
that rate2 A. Yes"
Much other testimony to the same
effect was taken by the committee. But
jhese extracts are sufficient to let the
public see how the star service contracts
ire managed in the department. Small
wonder there is a rush at Washington
or Brady's Office, with salary Of So 500
year
The Indiana politicians are urgent for
3rady's retention. The Post Office has
,een Lsed by him, and by Tyner, as a
to serve the party. Brady has
literally from his overflow.
ng exChequer to help regular nomina.
ions and to run primaries. He is a
hrewd, active, and unsCrupulous mana.
er, with rare audacity. We shall soon
ee whether Mr. Garfield and Mr.. James
nean to continue this atrocious system
f plunder in the postal serviCe.-M Y.
Iun.