New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-03
THE STAR ROUTE CASES.
FORMAL OPENING BEFORE TIE JURY.
GEORGE BLISS STATES TILE POSITION OF TIE
GOVERNMENT.

GEORGE BLISS STATES TILE POSITION OF THE
GOVERNMENT.
WASHINGTON. June Pin the Criminal
Court this morning Mr. Bliss began his opening address
In the star Route shortly after 10 o'clock lie SAID
IT was his duty TO explain tho jury the reasons why
the Government asked conviction OF the Defendants
Through their action more than 100000 had been
fraud uently taken from tho Federal Treasury without
an adequate return
From June 3d. 1876, until about March or April In
1881, Mr.. Brady bad held this office, being removed
shortly after General Gared's accession to the Pres-
dency. During this time large sums OF money had Deeh
Illegally taken from the Treasury Ostensbly for the star
Route service and the Government expected to prove
that Brady together with other parties, had entered
into a combination for the purpose OF securing
and had secured, large part OF TINS money
The Government claim said Mr. Bliss, that Mr.. Brady
habituay increased and expedited service where II was
not required going to the extreme amount OF compens-
ton allowed by the statute and allowing an eAIaor-
binary mpensaton for 1t.
Mr. Bliss was then about to read letter from
stephen W. Dorsey relative to the increase OF service OH
certain routes when Mr. Wilson objected the ground
that IL was the intention OF the prosecution TO after
ward put this paper in evidence and Mr. Bliss certainly
had 10 right to present IL his opening argument
After long discussion Judge Wylie said that the
prosecution while not having the right to present the
original letters could state the facts
Mr.. Bliss resuming, said that even II II should DC
aIIo cd hal
Justly still they claimed that the amount allowed was
and could not have been granted by any hoes
pubic officer They expected To snow tat tne lcrcaHcu
Compensation allowed by Brady when the increase
did not demand more men and animals, iiS the statutes
require. They would show that Mr.. Brady mao palu
for this increase not only when he knew that 1t was
not needed but when ho also knew mat IL hau nGNer
one Of the defendants appears upon the Department
records atant for the purpose OF securing IN
creases service upon the routes OF another dccndah
objection wa, again made by the defence 10 tc lnllO
ducton these papers, but the Court oyerrued them
Brady assumed Office there were seven expeditions:
From day he came in July 23 1877 until the end OF
granted sixteen Increases ana auulllondl
trips go other routes had Increased the expenditure
this purpose S3S249 40 or more than 100 per cent
The allowances would be shown to be far III excess oil
the required even accepting the false ngures On
the the papers true with the evidence before
HIM in IA lease where $4,000 had been granted Tor OK
petition, the papers showed that Brady knew that hc
subcontracor received $4,000 of this sum for doing
all the work. the contractor pockeed the remaining
$4,000 Yet knowing the cost OF the service 70 DC
$4,000 he had repeatedly granted $4,000 Tor It's per
forInance One after another was lnstanced by
Mr.. Bliss in which the Original eouIpI i t tau
been let for n lew hundred dollars anu aiter-
ward run up far into the thousands by Brady Orders.
In case of a route from bismarck, WITHIN three
months after the contractors had reported tht tnero
post offices, mails or trails on route apPhca-
tions were cd and allowed for expedition ana increase
based on The enormous business on .no lViee e ,i
another route the subcOntracOr had stated that wo
post Offices or trails along his route there
were few inhabitants guI IL tney wun,eu " l
would be necessary to send along company Oh sOulei5,
because the carriers had been chased ana soI at "
Indians. In three months tins same route had assumed
Importance i'll Budys eyes that II was run 10 10
Take the route from silycrton Parrot Cityone of
John ". DOrscy pet routes. He had taken IL AT Sl1oo
i'm the first place paid the suDcOntIactOr $3.50 Tor
uo,iE -, a. NJ ar, ~ h1 only few wears since mad been
an humble mechanic III "a New England town. >" am "A
Yankee myself" said the speaker, " ana confess
could not understand his acton rejecting credit upon
Yankee management at first but found reason to
modify opinion aftcrwaId, for within short period
through Brady orders Dorsey was receiving Sl174l
from TINS rome originally let MT Sl4co" Another
strong was the route from haWlngs TO Nhte
Extraordinarily let Tor ~ the subcUnactOr getting
~ 800 but before many day the Government was pay
ing for this service mt the Of F3O,2Sl % pr anhum
Alter Mr Bliss said that all Of the charges ne
had made susceptible OF proof. and they neld the
proof. IL the defendant turner's duty as CORE
spending clerk receive the papers and petitions place
them in a Jacket Tor envelope ana place upon the out
side correct Drlct OF their cOntcns Bul turner ulu
NOT do thi-. Everything written upon the jacket was
favorable that when IL passed under the Inspection
OF the ne would accept the prlcl as
creased service. THIS was small duty, Dut very es
scutlal one.
one case after another OF this kind described by Mr.
Bliss to the Jury. he remarked that II there was any
adopted by the ucfcndants ana contractors IL was ohy
for % inventive sknOt Tor the lack or VIII. In
thirty months some 400 routes operated Dy thirteen IA
yored contractors, increased from S1O2,S01 To
723 A6l On other routes, originally let
for SIlI35, Brady's fostering care caused TO Do eA
pended III three years and hreeluaters AFTER ali nhes
and deductions, the sum Of $50, 81 OIL
La the one month Of July, 1873 Brady had increased
the Service west OF the Mississippi moro
than 81 100000. Tie appropriation ran out ana Brady
had secured a deficiency Appropriation III tue same
yenr-this, from Democratic economical Congress
One year of Braoy's management cost 912o4o32; the
contracts be awarded july 81 OF TINS year VIII only
$40 90 under Brady - ~ ulttle more than ham I'M
Elners management, and TINS because there are
no favored contractors.
The trial was adjourned until Monday morning.