The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-05-19

and to obtain possession of the
documents. Yesterday il was sue
cessful. The letters were surren-
dered, and Dorsey paid the money
to Wilcox for which suit was to have
been brought. II is known this
money was for Wilcoxks work, in
securing petitions for expediting
routes and sub-letting smaller con-
tracts. The same day ON which the
papers were surrendered Postmaster
General James telegraphed TO Den
yer for either the letters or certified
copies or photographs of them. The
telegram came after the papers had
b9en surrendered and the parties
probably concluded they were safe,
but they are mistaken. There arc
certified copies in existence, and
they will be used in connection Will
the documents I'm Portland, Oregon
CHICAGO, May IA special &
the Chicago Inter Ocean from Lit,lc
Rock, says the frauds of the ST
route ring, which are attracting ia
attention of the country, are no
news in Arkansas. Ex-senator Do
sey's connection with them has lon,
been suspected. He procured the
appointment of ex-Gov. o. N. Had
ley as postmaster at Little Rock,
supposing he could count OH his as
sistance in forwarding his schemes
on the treasury in connection with
the star routes. Knowing this, in
January, 1873, he sent to Hadley
about six hundred blank proposals
and bonds the ring had printed
for their own use, and which were
different in some respects from
those printed by the government and
forwarded to bidders, with lnstruc-
tions TO Hadley to get securities on
the bonds, have them signed in
blank, approve them as postmaster,
and return them to him. This was
done, and bonds to the number of
400 or 500 were fixed up in this way.
The number of routes, terminal
points, amount of bid and names of
bidders were not inserted, as re-
quired by law, before being ap-
proved by the postmaster. These
bonds were then approved by
Postmaster Hadley, in direct viola
tion of law, and then sent by express
to S. w. Dorsey, then senator of the
United States, for such use
as he might make of them.
They were not even Star
bonds. Blank bonds were approved
on tho 10Th of January. 1873, ship
ped by Postmaster Hadley, per
Southern express, January 20, to S.
w. Dorsey, and dellyered at his
committee room in the Capitol
January 20. The number of routes,
terminal points, amounts of bids and
bidders names were then filed in
and bidders signatures attached and
acknowledgment taken by notary
public, one A. 4. Boone, who was n
member of the ring, and dated
Washington, January 8, and other
days prior to those upon which
bonds were dated and approved.
To most of these bids the
name of Jno. M. Peck, Dorsey's
brother-in-law, was attached, and
whose acknowledgment was taken
by Boone as notary public. But
it was afterwards discovered that
Peck had not been in Washington
for over year, and that the sigma
ture was not Peck's, but IL is be-
lieved it was written by Joseph
Richards, who had been Dorsey's
clerk, and authorized TO sign his
name. Parties who know Dorsey's
writing say the signature resembles
his more than Richards. Peck put
in an appearance here day or two
since, aud it is thought for the pur-
pose of covering up some of the OPP
erations of the ring. They have
been in close consultation with
Postmaster Hadley and others, but
their plans are not known. About
the time Dorsey sent the bonds here
to Hadley, he sent blanks to j. ii.
Clendening, postmaster at Fort
Smith, and requested him to pro-
cure sureties, approve the blanks and
return to him. This Postmaster
Clendeping refused to do, and so
wrote to Dorsey, quoting the law
making il a penal O1ense, punisha-
BILE with imprisonment in the peni-
tentiary for one year or more, for
postmasters to approve bonds before
the number, description ofrOHtc,
amount of bid and bidders name
were inserted and bidders signed
proposal and made acknowledgment
before an officer qualified to admin
ter oaths. Dorsey has ever since been
an enemy of Clendening. CleDs
dening has preserved Dorsey's let
ter, and his letter thereto. It.isno'r
said by knowing ones here thai
Jack Covrick, assistant postmaster
who left here suddenly few days
ago, and is charged with being n
defaulter, did not leave on that ac-
count and IS not defaulter, but
left because he was in the'possessiou
of great many facts which the
star route ring did not care to have
made public, and that they induced
him to leave the country and then
started the story that he was u de
faulter.