New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-06
THE STAR Route TRIALS.
CONTINUATION AND CONCLUSION OF THE OPENING
Address BY COLONEL BLISS.

Address ~ COLONEL BLISS.
WASHINGTON, June 5.--ColOnel Bliss resumed
his opening address 10 the Jury ia the Star Route
tins morning. He said he had gone the whole
scheme Of the letting Of star Route contracts and OF
their expedition and increase There coud not have
been any legitimate necessity for further increase after
pended by Brady during the first nine months of his adj
mnstration But the 1874 routes OF the Dorsey
binaton he had granted sixtyslx orders for Increased
pay in 1878 and seventynine in the following year.
There might be one and only ono, defence Tor Brady
H. might claim have been deceived, and to have
eyed That the adavits represented the needs of the
country; but facts could he produced to show that he
could not from the very nature Of the contracts have
believed this After referring the other persons
dicted and explaining who they were, Mr.. Bliss con
tnued;
The prelimnaries 10 the conspiracy begun IN
December, 1877. About that time Boone began sending
circulars posnasters and Others along the routes
asking for information concerning them offering iii
to transact any business they might have before the
departments Answers 60 be addressed James
H. Ketner & Co, Lock Boz ia, Washington, ID. c.
Boone also lad privately printed copies Of the official
forms FOR BIDS Of the Post Ohce Department IL was
necessary to have be surecs these bids approved
by postmaster, and stephen v; Dorsey had sent
numbers OF them to posasters IN his own state of Ar
kansas and over his OWL and sometimes using
official paper of the United Senate,
quested the p0stmaseis to sign tneD Mr. Clendenn,
pos at Fort Smith. had refused pointing to
Dorsey thattte action asked OF him clearly in viola
ton OF ia" One ladey postmaster at Little Rock, had
done his part however: no had approved them in bulk
Pccks name OF these bids, and lie in
NewMexico, someone had gone before the notary and
represented him. swearing that PecSs signature was
his own.
Tue combination was known under different names +;
sometimes Minor, Vale x Co.. sometimes Johu W.
a Disagreement among tie cOnspirators. Rerdel Dor
sey's confidential clerk. bad gone TO Clayton Powell
political opponent of Senator Dorsey in Arkansas and
had told nun OF the existence Of the conspiracy. Mr..
Bliss then detailed the circumstances OF Rerdcls CON
fesson James and Attorney Gen
MacVeagh Tdis confession is in substance state
ment thai Brady received sbou hree nr cent f
the receipts OF the combination and Turner another per
ceutsge. Rerdel had read to hessrs James aud Mac
Neagh letters relating TO the conspiracy, bat after
newing his allegiance to Dorsey the letters had been
destroyed. fortunately" said The speaker, we had
secured cOpes tracing OF many of these
| lett nj viii
number OF letters were quoted most Of them tending
TO establish a connection between stephen W. Dorsey
and Brady and the other members OF the combination
| Among them one from Stephen ". Dorsey to one
Joseph a sub-contracor severely rcprimandng HIM for
writing the Department and directing hi thereafter
TO address his complaints TO him Dorsey 1t this
route that the sub-contractor had been assigned an
utterly impractcabe schedule and heavily fined
carrying 1t into effect the fines being divided among the
consprators On one route terminating al Lake City
the mail carried in year amounted circulars
two newspapers, two official letters and ordinary
letter for this service the Government paid
year. Animas City directly route the stage
| passed. by tie very door OF the post office.
| lance was allowed for stopping at Annas City.
One OF the petitions for Increased in tue
hand writing John r. Miner first name being that
OF Edward Hail. Postmaster at Canon City. TINS eeu-
temsn had that signature for the first time since
this trial began and the other names orgeries
the persons who did net live within thousands
miles OF the routes. Upon such petitions increases
were allowed Petitions had actually been filed In the
Department with full list OF and the BLANKS un
hlled one undated letter signed oy Sidney Dillon
Government $4,000 year until an honest Aomnistra
| tlOn
humber OF letters from postmasters demonstrating
against expedition were quoted by MIR. Bliss they
mad dsregarded, he said, and the expeditions en-
forced ON March s. 1881, four days after the AID
mlnistrston came in, Brady had issued an
other order of increase of the favored roads
The order discovered by Postmaster enera James
upon the day he directed that it be revoked
An interview followed immediately between the Post
General and Brady, who inquired whether that
to be the future policy of the Department. and was
informed that IL was. Brady however, did revoke
tue order IL only after its discovery sometime
| afterwaId by Mr.. Woodward that il revoked.
las Gfafa Mt al
number Of contracts worked by the alton and
finished with appeal to the jury carefully to consider
subject and render verdict in conformity with the
evidence.
when Mr. Wilson Will begin the opening argument FOL
. had afa