Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-07
THE STAR ROUTE CASES.
ALLEGED STRAW BoNDsMEH ARRESTED.
PROCEEDINGS IN THE POLICE COURT TO-DAY.

PROCEEDINGS IN THE POLICE COURT TODAY
It was mentioned in THE STAR last evening that
there had been a consultation yesterday OF Col.
George Bliss and District Attorney Corkhill with
Judge Smell, OF the Police Court, as was supposed,
on the subJectO alleged frauds In connection with
star route contracts What took place at this in
terview or the names OF the parties against whom
the 1nformatiOnS were to issue was kept profound
secret. The mystery was dispelled last evening,
however, when it became known that several ar
rests OF so-called straw bondsmen had been made.
The warrants were sworn out by H. L. Tidball
special agent of the Post Office department. and
several OF them were served last evening by the
police detectives, and brought into the detective
Office one by one.
NAMES OF THE MEN ARRESTED LAST NIGHT
The five men arrested last night were Edwin j.
sweet, real estate agent; Samuel l. Hoyt
clerk; W. s. Barringer, manufacturer OF ink;
James w. Donohue, Pension Office clerk, and
John W. Minnix, a UniontOwn blacksmith. The
general charge against them is conspiracy with
others to defraud the United States by giving
fraudulent and worthless bonds, thesums varying
In different cases from 800 to $1,000 The bonds
were given to secure the contracts OF A. E. Boone
and S. G.. Cabell and others. Warrants were is
sued for MeSsrs. Boone and Cabell last night, but
they euded arrest. Mr.. Pelham. who appeared at
police headquarters as attorney for Boone. said
That Mr.. Boone would be produced when wanted
WHAT is CHARGED IN THE WARRANTS.
III warrants are similar except the necessary
changes OF names. One may, therefore, be taken
to show the character Of all 1t charges after the
usual legal formulas:
First--That Samuel G. Cabell, John n Minnix,
Charles II. Dickson, and other persons as yet un-
known, in the county and District knowingly,
confederate and agree together between and among
themselves to defraud the United States of Ameri-
ST. sy Of % a and gnE 5 the United
bond in the sum Of 81 900, accompanying q propo-
stl OF the said Cabell to carry the mails Of the
United States from Lamberton to Fair Bluff, NC,
on route No. 1880 between the first day of July,
AID 1880. and the 30th day of June. A. d. 1884 with
the said Cabell as principal and the said Minniy
and Dickson as Suretias for the faithful perform
ance OF the service proposed by the said Cabell in
his said proposal. as aforesaid, and that in pursu-
We're not pecuniarly rpspons bic, and 1raululently
obtained from the United Stttes contract with
intent to deIraud the said United States to the
damage OF S1,Co0. Second-That by means of
false represent 'tons the said principal and sure
ties di conspre, &C., to delr4 III the United States
Oh 81 GOO by entering into a bond which was ac-
c"pted by the Postmaster General. Third-That
the said parties dill conspire, &c, to defraud the
United States of $1,000 10y entering into bond
which was not good.
The official Reports on Which ths.
Proceedings are ksasei.
The reasons why these warrants were issued are
SHOWN In the documents accompanying the letter
from the Lite Postmaster General regarding the
responsibility Of Surat!eS upon bonds accompany
Ing bids and contracts for mail service during the
last four years, sent by the President to the Sem
att yesterday. Among these is u letter from Mr.
George Bliss to Postmaster General James, in
which he sIgge sts that the report of Inspectors
III dbal and S:!aliI ross be sent 10 Congress w tn a
request Tor Such legislation as may be deemed
necessary.
The r port of Ttlball and Shallcross which ac-
compani these letters sets forth that Us long ago
as 1871 Albert f. Boone, who WAS then clerk in
tie Office OF the boar! OF health OF this citv as
Soriated with himself a number OF wellknown
N,
X. Miner, j. NJ. Peek. Alvin o. Buck, Samuel G.
Caheu nj others, ana began making bids for star
which tne combination submitted with their pro-
pcSliS, men Who, it has been aSCtrt ined were ut
terly worthless and irresponsible. By means OF
these straw bonds, whion It is alleged wer-. ouo
ported 10y false represent. tons ana perjury, Boone
ana his associates succeeded in oDt lining in the
course OF the next four years large number OF
contracts for mail service, most OF Which are It IL
IN operation The report gives in detail the his
proof OF ueir fraudulent character. The follow
Ing case is an illustration:
Under the advlsement of November /, 1879 the
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida,
Aiabama Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky and
Ohio. The aggregate OF the bonds accompanying
his proposals amounted to Sl,GoO..0o. He secured
at thlS letting SXty-nine contracts, and was re-
4ured to tile bonds in the tottl sum OF $1,000.
Bsrrlnger and Samuel t. Hoyt. an utterly WORTH
less bond Bcrrnger, VINO lives in this city, has
made an affidavit in which he says he does not
and Gid not at the time OF executing the bond own
any real estate or other property; that the lands
he swore he owned were not his, .lat sham deed
was made by Alvin O. Buck to him for the p7,r
pose OF enabling him to go upon bonds and the
whole transaction was a fraud concoted by Albert
E. Boone, Alvin O. Buck and James Nicholas
Calan, notary public OF this city.
The grand result OF the operations of Boone and
his combination may be summed up as follows:
Total number of bids, 1910; aggregate of bonds
accompanying proposals, sS.0s4,54 total number
of contracts secured s9j, and the tot4l amount of
JErnHN Will, E.snD
number OF these worthless bonds were certified by
ID. b. Ainger, postmaster at Washington, DC In
master. made out the certificates, signing Angers
name as postmaster and his own as assistant
postmaster. He also signed as surety on num-
ber OF proposals OF John r. Miner contrary to the
law forhiuding such action on the part or EN-
ployes of the Post Office department. The only
reasons given by Anger and Parker in explana-
ton OF their action in granting irregular certi-
Gates, are that the proposals were accompanied by
certified check of the bidder, and that the pro-
French. In this matter the inspectors are con-
strained to believe that they were easily imposed
upon and led astray, otherwise they were COM
PEELED TO accept such a transparent excuse OF q
great wrong as evidence OF corruption.
In conclusion the inspector says: "In view Of
the fact that the department has no protection
whatever Tor the service now under contract to
Boone, and the members OF his combination II
seems but reasonable that measures should be
adopted to prevent further imposition on their
part; and we. therefore, respectfully suggest that
the most enectual means for the accomplishment
proceedings against all OF the parties on account
OF the violation OF law committed by them In OBJ
tanning the contracts at present In operation The
developments OF our own and OF the Investigations
OF other inspectors OF this department OF the sub
ject OF mail contract bonds are OF such char
acter as to warrant us In recommending that some
change be made in the manner OF procuring the
certificate OF ability and responsibility of sureties
At present such certificates are furnished by post
masters, but we respectfully recommend that
hereafter certificates OF responsibility OF suretieS
on contractors and bidders bonds be required and
made under seal OF Office by officers In charge OF
the records OF the property described In the
bonds"
WHAT BoONE's COUNSEL SAID.
MI Pelham, counsel for Boone, clat med last
night that the arrests were forced in the interest
OF ring opposed to Messrs. Boone ana Cabel.
who wanted to take some means to defeat their
chances In the coming mail letting, for which bids
were to be submitted to the department to-day
MeSsls. Boone and Cabel were az work last night
completing their bids, and as it was important
TO them that they should not be interrupted they
took means Mr. Pelham said, to e,ude arrest Mr.
Boone, according to Mr.. Pelham, in order to
escape the officers, having been informed of the
proposed arrests, suddenly changed his office
from one place to another, taking with MIN his
entire force OF clerks engaged In preparing his
bids.
Proceedings in the Police Court To-day.