Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-08-16
Star Route Frauds.

THE GOVERNMENT TO RENEW THE PROSECUTION
WITH GREAT yIGOR.
Special Dispatch to the Cincinnati Gazette.
WASHINGTON, August 14-It is well understood
that the government will move with the greatest
vigor against the star route contractors at the
next meeting OF the grand jury. An immense
deal OF documentary and other evidence has accu-
mulated in the hands OF the prosecution, and from
all the signs, the country may rest assured that
the government, so far from abating in its ener-
gies, will resume the campaign against the star
route frauds with undated vigOr. 1t does not
matter how the present trial ends SO far effect
Ing the action OF the prosecution in the fall.
Nether the people or this country, nor the prose-
cution, will rest contented till the last one OF
these guilty men is punished, and it is perfectly
tional scandal has been but slightly abraded on
the surface The following are understood to be
among the principal subjects for inquiry by the
grand jury which meets In October:
That the combination known as the Kerens Root
party was composed of Richard C. Kerens, Logan
II. Root, John D: Adams and Stephen B. Elkins,
ana were interested in many contracts, prominent
among which Was that from Fort Worth to Surna,
Phoenix to Prescott, and many others Some OF
OF Adams but many in the names Of other people,
John d. Adams. OF this firm, seems to have de-
voted his energies largely to the steamboat ser
vice on the southern rivers. 1t will be remem-
Dered that during this investigation 1t has ap-
peareu that the contractor on the route from Las
Vegas to Los Cruces objected to paying r. c. Ke-
renS large sum OF money quarterly, represented
by postal drafts which Cornelius COsgrove tthe
contractor) had given TO said Kerens. During the
one side and ElkinS and kerenS on the other the
former asserted to many people that he had given
the drafts amounting to about $3O,0OO to Kerens
and Elk1ns for having the Las Vegas to Los Cruces
route expedited. The papers ON file in this case
are said to be quite damaging. and their satiSfac-
tory explanation will be difficult Jas b. Price was
sub-contractor for this combination, and was by
many said to be mixed up with them. twill be
remembered this latter gentleman has seen prOper
10 flee from the country.
A. II. Brown, the representative of JAS L. San
derson formerly Of the firm Of Barlow & Sander
sony, and the holder of a large number OF tenn
porary contracts, stood in very high favor with
Brady. as did Chas. Andrews and certain DIR. J.
r. CoiegrOve. Temporary contracting, it must be
understood, was service that was given to con.
tractors for the period OF one year without any
competition in bidding. James L. Sanderson, a
prominent and wealthy contractor, was indicted
In the first batch, which indictment was quaShed
because OF a missioner, and in the second indict-
me mt, on which Brady q Co. are now being tried,
he was Tor some reason omitted. During the
course OF the present trial it was developed that
THIS same SanderSon had drawn pay for service
on routes which. to say the least, ought not to
nave been paid him. The route from Vanita
to Las Vegas is said to be one OF the
worst cases the list and the proof of fraud over
whelming This route was expedited very
largely, and indeed shows the methods OF the ring
manipulation so glaringy on the face of the papers
that conviction is said to be almost assured This
route belonged to what is known as the Parker
combination, consisting OF Wv. and j. w. Parker
Ihey held great deal OF other expedited service
me route from Rock Creek to Fort Fetterman,
held by Patrick IL Brown, was demonstrated to
present very marked case of the fraudulent prac-
tceS OF the mail contractors, and the evidence on
he Is yOluminouS and very incriElinating Mr.
Salisbury, the most prominent OF the star route
contractors, held great number of expedited
routes In nearly all the territories indeed was the
largest OF the mail contractors
All this service has been thoroughly examined
Dy the Post Office agents with the result or acc-
mulat1ng a vast mass OF evidence which, in due
time, Will be presented.