The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-17
Compromising Ntar.Route C,,,rs

WASHINGTON, July l5.-The Government
has agreed, through Mr.. George Bliss, its
representative, to submit part OF the Sal
isbury and Parker Star Route cases to arbi.
tration, the arbi,rators TO be Second Assist
ant Postmaster General a. Elmer, Mr..
George Bliss, or some one named by him,
and Mr.. Robert lngersoll. or some one
named by him.
Before the adjournment OF the grand
jury, which found IN Indictment against
Brady and Price, the Government placed
before that jury witnesses in the Salisbury
and Parker cases, rs was announced ut the
time. 1t is understood that evidence in
the Salisbury case referred to three routes
which were regarded as the strongest for
presentation->oledad to Newhall, Caliior.
mia, Fargo to Pembina, Dakota, and Wells
to Hamilton, Mexico. .z5.-
1t is said that after it had been discovered
by the Government that indictments would
be found and before this fact was publicly
known Mr.. Bliss was approached 10 know
ii some arrangement could not be made bv
which on payment back OF any sum tha,
might be found due from the Salisbury.' or
from any OF their representatives in the
business, criminal proceedings might be
ioregone. Mr.. Bliss refused to make any
arrangement, except Us to routes which
had been before the grand jury and upon
which the grand jury had failcd TO iudict,
with one other route, which he had re.
garded rs weak from Il criminal point OF
view. After much negotiation, in which
the Salisburys were anxious to make the
arrangement apply to all OF the routes, and
in which Mr.. Bliss refused so to extend it,
it was arranged that it should be left to the
board OF arbitration named above TO de-
eide whether the Sllisburys, since July l,
1878, when the contract term began, had
received any money by means OF mail
contracts on the four routes named, to
which they had not been entitlen, with the
understanding that il they had so received
money 1t was to be repaid or the Govern.
ment might recoup it on any OF their other
routes. The three arbitrators were author.
lied to act by majority and to act on any
evidence satisfactory 10 a majority, and It
was agrced that pending the decision OF the
arbitrators no other proceedings were to be
taken. This agreement was not 10 affect,
however, the right Of the Department 10
stop pay on routes or take similar steps
After this arrangement had been made
with the Sallsburys similar agreement
was made, under similar circumstances,
with the parkers rs TO the Vinitn and l.as
Vegas route, on which the annual pay was
raised by Brady from 50 $50 to $l50, 900, but
the agreement did not include any OF the
other Parker routes. 1t is said that in
neither case is there any stipulation that
criminal proceedings shall not take place.
except during the time while arbitration is
going on.
It is reported that the Government ex.
pccts to secure the repayment OF about
Sl50,0OO by this arbitration, while it conld
not be recovered any other way except BY
long litigation. The representative OF the
Government made the arrangements, it is
understood, after consultation with the At
torney General.
Although the arrangements incluGe only
five routes, yet these were the routes con.
ceruing which the witnesses were sent be:
fore the grand jury, so that it may be us.
sumed that the Government will not pro.
coed against either the Salisburys or the
rarkers in any. other manner concerning
these routes or Others, for the. statute oi
Limitation will have run against the greater
part OF the cases before the end OF the arbi.
tration. The total amount OF service held
by the Salisburys and Parkers was very
great On twenty-five routes originally lei
to the Salisburys for S2SS, 733, the annual
pay WAS raised TO S7l7,41G,s OF which SS30s,.