Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-09-30
E STAR ROUTE CASES.
THE PROSECUTION COMMENCED.
Information Filed in One of the Cases
What is Alleged.

This morning Col. Cook. special assistant at
torney for the United States. accompanied by
Col. George Bliss, of New York, Hon. B. H.
Brewster. of Philadelphia, and Col. Corkhill,
District Attorney, entered the Criminal Court
room just as it was about to open.
Col. Cook. holding in his hand what ppeared
to be about so sheets of printed matter. adj
dressed the court as folows:-May it please
your honor, we desire to-day to file an informa-
tion against Thomas J. Brady and others for
conspiracy in connection with award
ing contracts for the United States mail
routes, &c. This course they had taken after
consultation with the Attorney General, and it
has received his sanction. The necessity arises
in this particular case because of the statute of
limitations
ceeding by information is perhaps new here,
but it had been in vogue in New York some
years. He reported that the necessity arose
from the fact that tomorrow in this particular
case the statute of limitations could be success
fully pleaded. and he cited Judges Sawyer Dill
Ion and Batchford. remarking in conclusion
that although they asked to file the information
and the issuance of bench warrants they had
arranged with Mr.. Brady's counsel that he
should come in.
Mr.. Brewster remarked that they claimed that
the eXi@encies of the case required that the in
formation should be filed to-day.
The court directed the information to be filed,
subject to future objection.
THE INFORMATION
was very yoluminOus. and contained the specific
allegations against the star route men in this
specific case, upon which indictments and con-
ylctions will be asked. In the first place it de-
scribes the Post Office department, its Organiza-
ton and functions, defines the official duties
and term of office of Thos. j. Brady as Second
Assistant Postmaster General also, Of Brady's
chief clerk, John l.. French; also, of VIM. H.
Turner, who was one of Brady's clerks.
Then the instrument charges: That on the first
day OF October, 1878. at the city of Washington,
and within the jurisdiction of this court the
said Thomas J. Brady John L. French, VIM. H.
Turner together with George L. McDOnaugh,
Samuel P: Brown. and certain other persons
to the attorney aforesaid unknown, know
ingly, wlfully. fraudulently, unlaw1ully.
and cOrruptly did conspre, combine, con-
federate, and agree together, between and
amongst themselves, to defraud the United
States of America out of large sums of money,
by unlawfully, wilfully. fraudulently and cor
rupty. and from wicked and corrupt motives,
and through wicked and corrupt influences and
means, causing and procuring unnecessary and
improper and extrayagant additional compen-
satiOn to be paid by the United States of
America for additional service in carrying the
mails of the United States of America on. along.
and over certain legally established and exist
ING mail route in certain territories
of the United States of America
TO wit, the territories of Arizona and
New Mexico, from Prescott. in the said territory
of Arizona. to Santa Fe in the said territory of
New Mexico, which said route was then and
there known and distinguished as route number
forty thousand one hundred and one. and by un-
lawfully wickedly and corruptly. and from cor
rupt and improper motives. and through corrupt
and improper influences and means. causing and
in par no mo m
said route to be increased without good cause.
and eXtravagantly and unreasonable and addi-
tionA compensation or extra allowance to
an unreasonable and eXtrayagaDt amount to
be allowed, and to be paid by the United
States of America therefor. in greater
proportion than was then and there allowed by
law and to an unnecessary extent and amount;
that for the faithful performance of this contract
the government obligated itself to pay McDOn-
augh at the rate of 4l3,3l3 per year; that Brady
did in contempt of his duty and from corrupt
and unlawful motives and influences order and
direct that the mail service upon said route
should be increased by requiring that the said
mails should thereafter be carried seven times
in each week instead of three times IN each
week each way. as provided in said contract
and did order and direct that there should there
after be paid by the United States to George l..
McDonaugh for the performance of such in
creased service additional compensation at
the rate Of S17. $50 TO for each and every
year during the further continuance of said con-
tract from and after the first day of November
1873, and that in pursuance of such order and
direction of said Brady said additional cOmpen-
sation was paid by the United States for long
time thereafter to the said George l.. McDon-
augh. and that such increased service was not
then and there desirable, proper and requisite
for the public good and convenience, as he the
said Brady then and there wei! knew. and that
he the said Brady was not then and there. verify
and in good faith, OF the opinion that such
increase of service was desirable, proper and
requisite for the public good and convenience;
that Thomas J. Brady. had no lawful right or
authority to order as additional compensation a
sum which should bear a greater proportion to
the additional stock and carriers necessarily
employed by reason Of such increase of eXDe-
ditlon than the compensation provided for in the
said original contract with said McDOnaugh. to
wit, compensation at the rate of thirteen thou
sand thee hundred and thirteen dollars per year
bore to the stock and carriers necessarily
employed in the execution Of said original con-
tract; that on October LIST. 1878. Brady reduced
the time OF the trip from $50 hours to 80 hours
and ordered that McDonaugh should be paid ad-
dltlonal compensation at the rate $50, 799 66 per
year during the further continuance of said con-
tract, the said increase of expedition not then
being desirable, proper, andrequisite for the pub
lie good and convenience. and the addi-
tional compensation SO allowed bearing much
greater proportion to the stock and carriers ne
cessarly employed by reason of such increase of
expedition than the compensation provided for
in the original contract. That in doing
and causing to be done each and all of said acts
hereinbefore set forth, the said Brady, for the
purpose of procuring them to be carried out by
the officers and clerks of said Post Office depart
ment and the other Executive departments of
the United States OF America, falsely and cor
ruptly assumed, represented. and pretended to
said officers and clerks that the Postmaster
General had authorized and approved the same,
and that they were done with his approval and
by his direction and authority, when in truth
and in fact they were done without.the know
ledge, consent, authority, or approval
Of said POstmaster-General, as he, the
said Brady then and there we'll knew;
that French was an actor and participator in the
fraud Then the information proceeds to detail
the sub-letting of the contract to John A.Walsh,
alleging that Brady was moved by fraudulent
motives. IThis sub-letting and all the particu-
lars have been published.] That Brady, with
unlawful and corrupt motives, agreed with
Walsh and did again increase the pay Of the con-
tract to S39755 per year; that Brady subse
quently expedited the route, raising the
compensation to SIS, 200 per year; that
Brady, intending to leave the city, made
known the terms Of his unlawful agreement
with Walsh and got French to carry them out;
that Brady changed the route and added S22,-