Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-21
The Philadelphia Star Route Cases.
HEARING BEFORE THE L. s. COMMISSIONER

hEAhlNG THE L.. =. COMMISSIONER.
PHILADELPHIA, July 21.-The cases of the men
arrested recently upon the charge of conspiring
to defraud the government in the letting of star
route mail contracts in Arizona and Utah came
before the United States commissioner to-day
After waiting nearly an hour Christian Price
ana Legrand Ensign We're the only defendants
TO appear. and on application of the United
States district attorney the bail of Thomas A.
McDevitt was forfeited. subsequently his coun-
sci appeared with telegram stating that he
had missed the train at Perryville and was on
his way to the city. Postal Inspector Charles b.
Barrett was shown one Of the bonds on which
Prices name appeared as surety. and testified
that he had a conversation with Price on We'd
nesday Of last week; that the defendant said he
did not know the contractor, Wiley and had
signed the bond at the request of McDevitt. He
SAID he did own the property in Clinton county
on which he had become security. He said he
knew Ensign. who had also become bondsman:
hoped there would be no trouble about the mat
ter. and that he had made a trade for the land
in question. At this point District Attorney
Valentine produced a certificate showing that
the property claimed by Price to be worth thirty
thousand dollars had been sold to him i'm 1877
for seven thousand dollars and that in Septem-
Der. 1873. it was sold for taxes. bringing one
hundred and twenty-four dollars. Snd that the
property has not been since redeemed. Ensign
told the Inspector that he owned four improved
city properties. but upon investigation it was
shown that at the time of executing the bonds
the properties were mOrtgaged for four thousand
five hundred dollars. or one hundred dollars be-
yond their assessed value Ensign claims to
have satisfied the second mortgages. which were
Tor one thousand dollars each. and which were
held by Price. Wiley, who was the principal or
bidder. was seen last week by the inspector and
upon Interrogation stated that Thomas A.
McDevitt had some time since visited
him and requested him to bid for six
star routes in the territory of Utah. promising at
the same time that he would furnish the securi-
ties. and would obtain for him (Wiley) an ap-
bothered with the contracts. and was to be held
blamelesS in case of trouble. Four of these
contracts bid for by Wiley were award
ed to him; but upon his failure to
carry out their provisions there were raised some
$1,000 and relet to other parties. All communi-
cations referring to the contracts received bv
Wiley were turned over him to McDevitt When
Inspector Barrett reported this statement
to McDevitt the latter said it was
ter only to befriend Wiley who was out of en-
ployment, and who he thought could obtain
work in this city.
BAIL FIXED.
The commissioner held McDevitt, Ensign and
Price in 5000 bail each for trial the two first
furnishing the required security and the latter
being committed in default. Wiley has not vet
been arrested although warrants against him
have been out nearly week. The total amount
OF surety entered on the four star route bonds
by Ensign and Price was S24. 600. The certifi-
cate of the Philadelphia postmaster. which is
signed by Jas. I. Bingham. the assistant post
master, states that diligent and careful search
had been made, and in the opinion of the post
master the sworn statements as to their re-
sponsibility made by Ensign and Price, were
correct.