The Evening critic., 1882-01-05
4 Hit of History.

great nauds had beCn CohluUtcu ia lnV
contract office of the Postal Department.
Soon the soft whispering zephyrs became
hrcezc, and then n perfect tornado of abuse
and villifcation. The Second Assistant
Postmaster General and a number OF con-
tractors were denounced as having con-
spircd TO dcfraud the Government of mil
lions.
Experts or at least scl.stylcd experts,
were Put to worl; examining the contracts.
A noted criminal lawyer was placed in
charge of the cases aud it was announced.
with great flourish Of trumpcts, in the
Stal-routc press that evidence had been Sc
cured sufficient to convict Gen. Brady, the
Second Assistant postmaster-Gcncral. and
"a large number Of contractors. The ac-
cuscd parties went into court and de-
manded an investigation. They alleged
that numerous publications were being
made, by the authority of the Government,
charging them with infamous crimes, and
they desired the opportunity to rebut these
charges. The opportunity was refused
them and the charges continued.
The grand jury Of the United States
was in session but the experts and the
special attorneys who were continually
claiming that thoy had evidence to convict
Brady and the contractors. failed to 90 be-
fore that body and produce their evidence.
They allowed ii 20 adjourn. Still another
grand Jury was impanelcd. and again no
effort was made to indict these guilty ~
paites-thcsc conspiiators who had robbed
the Government of millions.
lg ,r 1aGot,nt ion ~ vp
peated assertions that they were ready to
descend upon these conspirators with all
the crushing force of an avalanche plung
ing from the loftiost heights Of mountain
side and destroying all in its path-theso
Capt Bebadils sncaked into the back-door
of a ceurt by the unusual and long since,
in all free countries disused) method of an
information"
After due consideration the Court kicked
this information" out of its doors as an
uuclean thing-almost as unclcan as
the foul birds Of prey that had iathercd
il.
Now, what did this information charge?
In substance il declared that Thomas J.
Brady, John J.. French William II. Tur-
ner, George l.. McDonough and Samuel T.
Brown had been guilty of c9nspiring to-
gether to delraud the United States out Of
a large sum of money by giving and sccur-
ing unlawfully Improper and eXtraya-
CANT compensation for increased and cx-
peIitod mail service over route i0,l0l from
Prescott, Arizona, to Santa Fe, New Mex
leo. Brady, French and Turner were the
officers and clerks in charge OF the con-
Il & 1, at
On the route named, and Brown was his
attorney in charge of his business in Wash
iDgten.
The laws heretofore quoted show that
the question OF increase and expedition i
in the discretion of the Second Assistant
Postnaster-G cneal, and that when an in
crease or expedition is made it shall baa
the same proportion to the original contlac
price as the number Of carriers and animal
bear 10 the number necessary to do th
work at the contract price.
This contract was let October l. ISIS, q
McDonough to be carried three times
week in $50 hours from the one terminu
TO the other.
Previous to this time on the 25th o
September, 1877, S. b. Axtell, then gov
erHor Of New Mexico, had written letter
which he signed officially as governor, t.
the Postmaster General, asking that thi
mail be made daily. His letter closes b!
saying: From my knowledge of tn
country traverscd by this route, / am en-
abled TO state that such increase would b
highly beneficial in many ways"
On the previous day the Hon. r. {
Mccormick, ex-governor Of Arizona, ha
written letter in which he said;
81 beg to renew my repeated reque:
that mail service should be increased on th
route from Santa Re, New Mexico, {
Prescott, Arizona, to q daily trip, Til
route is one Of the most direct IN
important across the continent"
September H. 1873, Gen. Lew Wallqe
then governor of New Mexico, writes
letter in favor Of the increase, and cal
attention to a petition of citizens asking
Of which be says; The expression
favor Of the proposed change seems 70 be
general, ana the reasons given for il
sound, that ] do not hesitate 10 join
requesting It,"
Again, on October ,, l575, Gov. Walla
writes, urging the Increase, and at q
same time Gov Fremont, of Arizona, urg
increase as to speed and trips On the q
Of September Gen. K, b. MitcheH, an e
governor Of New Mexico, presented pei
lion, asking for the increase, signed by
large number Of the citizens Of Santa l
About the same time the collector Of
terual revenue, the secretary of the teri
tory, the suryoyor-goncral, the Unit
States marshal. the United States disI'
attorney, the postmaster, the receivers a
register Of the land-ollce at Santa Fe {
chief quartennaster, the chief commissaI
adjutant-gener and other officers Of {
army, sent petitions to the Postmaster-Ge
eral 70 increase that route and on the
OF October, the contractor McDlnoug
having made the alhdayit required by !.
as 10 she additional number Of carriers q
animals needed the increase was order
precisely in accordance with law.
Who conspiTe1 to secure This iucgoas
Was it Brady and his clerks, Turner a
French, with tho contractor, MeDonou
and his lawyer? The evidence abo
given, which is on flc in the Posso1lce
paIiment, aud which was produced bef.