Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1882-09-17
THE GREAT sWINDLE.
A Concise Review of the Star Route
Conspiracy.
How the Case Against Brady and His Gang
Of Public Piunderers Was Begun
and Worked Up A
Gigantic Fraud.
METHODS OF THE DEFRAUDERS.

Just before the Christmas holidays Of
1880, Postmaster General Key surprised
Congress with request for an immediate
appropriation of 81, 700, 900 to enable. him to
meet a prospective deficiency in the money
available for service on the "Star Routes"
of the country for the current fiscal year.
Prior TO that time few people outside OF
the postal service knew what everybody
we're carried on three great classes of routes
the railroad. the messenger and the
''Star" routes, and the latter which were
served chiefly by wagons or stages, got their
name from three asterisks which stood in
the old advertisements for the
"Celerity. Certainty and Security"
with which the mails were to be carried.
Thomas J. Brady and the Star Routes have
made one another famous. Keys request
made on behalf of his second assistant,
Thomas J. Brady, who was in charge OF the
service on all the mail routes, excited much
comment. Almost everybody in Congress
knew that at the preceding session the Sec
ond Assistant Postmaster General had been
given all the money he asked for Is, OOOOO)
for service on the Star Routes for that year.
Some members and Senators, to be sure,
knew that Brady had been puttinga
Great Deal Of New Service
on some of the great Star Routes OF the
West, but even they shared the astonish-
ment of those of their colleagues who were
in absolute ignorancees as to the actions OF
the Second Assistant Postmaster General.
II frequently happens that Congress does
not give a Department all the money II
thinks necessary for its work, and that the
Department finds itself short as II
thought n would be in the middle OF the
following year. Sometime 5, too, an extra
ordinary emergency arises, and Depart
ment finds itself greatly in need OF large
sum of money, despite the fact that Con-
gress gave il a liberal appropriation at the
beginning of the year. But, AZ a general
rule these cases of necessity are as easily
understood as they are widely known. They
are talked about
Long Before They Occur,
and when Congress is asked for the needed
funds, everybody is familiar with the why
and wherefore. Brady's demand, which
was rendered urgent by an intimation that
serious injury TO the Star service would re-
suit from the delay, was like sudden
blow in the face.
60 SQOCkeu HdS lIc I1OuSC Va SPlOoOuSh-
tiyes, from which Brady had 50 confidently
expected all the money he chose TO ask for,
BY the sudden demand for nearly $1,000
COO that il permitted the. Christmas holt
DAYS to pass before it took the matter up,
and then, upon reassembling, ordered, on
the Sth of January, an investigation by its
Committee on Appropriations instead OF
an appropriation of the amount asked for.
1t was
The Committee on Appropriations went
right to work. Five OF its best known
members-three Democrats, Blackburn, OF
kentucky, Blout, of Georgia, and Clymer,
of Pennsylvania, and two Republicans,
Hawley of Connecticut, and Cannon, of
ulinois-were appointed q subcommittee
to conduct this investigation. In
four DAYS Brady was explaining his &C
ton to this sub. committee as a witness
against himself. Other witnesses followed,
until the subcommittee and the full com.
mittee become convinced that the second
assistant postmaster-general had abused
his discretion, and advised the House not
to give him the 100000 he asked. lie
got the money, though, through the action
of the Senate, but it was given because
Congress feared that the star route system
might be shaken from end to end If 1t was
withheld. The granting OF the request was
dy's conduct. Brady, however, believing
that the matter ended right there, spent
the money and swallowed the criticism
with a CuUl Indifference, which was charac-
teristiC.
Postmaster General James Appears
Thomas L. James, vino had been model
postmaster at the head OF the great New
York city postotflce, became Postmaster
General early in March, 1881, and shortly
~ Sarnn1 AsSiStant pnStmaStAr
General Brady resigned. Entering the post
office department poor man in 1876, he re-
tired rich man in 1881, and his newSpa-
pers The had by that time gained control OF
AZ least two in this city, announces that it
was all on account of fortunate investments
in Bell telephone stock. James had deter
mined before accepting the office to become
model Postmaster General. de had not
been at his desk many hours before he made
up his mind that the office of the Second
Assistant Postmaster General
Needed Investigation.
He went to work very quietly to verify
his suspicious, and with the assistance OF
skillful postal inspector, soon had all the
facts in veritCation requisite as basis for
an investigation, He was face to face with
an important alternative. He could let the
past alone and quietly and peacefully pro-
coed TO pure and efficient administration
du.ing his term OF office, or he could stir
up the rottenness under his nose and, at
the same time, the anger OF the men-some
of whom he knew TO be inhuential-who
were interested in keeping it out of the
public view. He went at once to the White
House. He told President Garfield that il
he would support him in his attempt, he
would go to the bottom OF the corruption
he believed to exist in his department, at
! the same time giving him the results OF his
preliminary investigation.
Garfield Was Astounded.
and the shadowy outlines of fraud which
had appeared in the background OF the Con.
gressional investigation we're brought
sharply out in full relief by the facts which
James presented. Garfield saw that there
| was but one course to pursue. go ahead,
he said; II will support you. Cut the
ulcer outw And he kept his word. except
| as to ex. Senator Dorsey, whom he tried
hard to save from exposure, but without
success. Thus encouraged, James laid his
plans The prompt publication in the
newspapers of the principal results oil the
preliminary investigation, served at once
| TO wake the country up TO the existence
| TO commit the administration, beyond the
possibility of Withdrawal, to hunt for
evidence with which 10
NOnNfCt
The hunt began at once, the first step taken
being to bounce the men in the Postot1ce
| Department who were suspected OF being
| inclined to obstruct it. Mr.. Brady's sccom-
plices were thus summary dismissed, from
| sixth Auditor of the Treasury. McGrew,
| down to the colored messenger who sat at
Brady's door.
The hunt for evidence was directed by
Mr. P. II. Woodward, Of Hartford, c.,
special postoffce inspector, whose services
| in this connection were simply invaluable.
By the time that Mr.. Arthur became
President and Mr.. Brewster, who had been
| of counsel for the prosecution, Attorney
| General. the investigators had accumuia,
ted so much evidence that Mr.. Brewster and
his associate, Mr.. George Bliss, were able to
proceed at once TO the
Preparation OF Cases
| against some of the members of what was
| now known as the Star Route ring, 10 be
| laid before the grand jury of the district at
| its spring meeting. Mr.. Brewster and hls
| assistants iMr George Bliss doing most OF
II K usf O. r,sRa NTNE