National Republican., 1883-07-24
TIE srAn ROUTE cAsEs.
Civil Suits TO he brought 90 Recover ON
the Routes FrauduIentIy Expedited.

civil Suits 20 lie Hrought 90 Recover on
the Routes FrauduIenuy Expedited.
The preliminary work on the civil suits
which arc to be brought against certain Of
the star route contractors for the recovery of
moneys paid for expedited service, whore the
order of expedition is alleged to have been
obtained through fraudulo It representations,
is so far advanced that Second Assistant Post
master General Elmer has been able to noe>Gy
che department of Justice that he is ready
TO state theaccounts against these contractors
to the solicitor Of the treasury. This Is in
accordance with the provisions of section d0j7
of the Revised Statutes, which relates to the
method Of bringing suit to recover wrongful
or fraudulent payments made from the funds
of tho PO5tOllice department. Under the law
the second assistant postmaster general has
charge of this preliminary work, and under
his direction the sixth auditor of the treasury
for tho POstoilce department prepares state
ment Of the amount paid each contractor for
expedited service, whore such expedition is
believed to have been fraudulently obtained,
less any deductions from the several accounts
that may have been made for failure to perform
the expedition. No oallowance is made for any
expedition that may actually have been made
Oh the route suit being brought for the en-
tire amount paid for expedition, where the
of fraudulently securing said expedition.
The department has been at work over since
the first star route criminal trial gathering
the evidence on which TO bring these civil
suits, and has had agents in the states and
territories whore the routes were located OBJ
tanning sworn statements in relation to the
expedition actually performed on each route,
the number of men and horses employed, &c.
The auditors Office has prepared state
monts Of accounts against ten contractors,
against whom suit Is to be brought. There
accounts aggregate emitting centsl S1,073,-
4S0, divided among tho contractors rs follows: (:
Against John w. Peck, on seven routes, in
California, Oregon, Nebraska, and Utah ter
rtory, S27l PIG; against John r. Miner, on
five routes, in Colorado and Dakota
territory, Sl20,Sl2 against John w.
Dorsey, on six routes, in Colorado,
Arizona, and Dakota territory, S112,0S0;
against o. j. Salisbury, on three routes in
Nevada, Montana, and California $126,0l6; (;
against o. j. Salisbury aud NJ. V. Nichols on
one route in California, $S3,256 against WV.
Parker on one route in the Indian territory,
$l70,3i0 against L. w. Parker on one route
in Arkansas, $3S,5l6; against w. NJ. Griffith
on one route in Arizona S66,2i4; against b.
ii. Peterson on one route in Louisiana, $i5,-
go and against Luke voorhees, on one route
in Dakota territory, $2i 300.
In stating these accounts the sixth auditor
presents with each contract the names of the
sureties on that particular contract, these
suretios being liable where collection from the
contractor cannot be made. 1t appears from
the auditors tables that Samuel ~ Hoyt, of
Washington, d. c., and ID. w. G. Wheeler, of
New York city, are sureties for John w.
Peck, John Il. Miner, and John W. Dorsey, on
the eighteen contracts on which suit is
brought against these men and on which
the government claims in the ag-
gregate $5l3, 100 In the case of O.
]. Salisburys three contracts he has
three sets of sureties. On the first for
which the government claims $4072S, Luke
Voorhees,, of Cheyenne, Wyo., and NJ. Sails
bury, of Washington, ID. c.; on the second,
on which $li,932 are claimed, II. Wads-
WORTH of San Francisco Cal, and William
X. Sloan, OF Hiliard, Wyo., and on the third,
on which $70,392 are claimed, William X.
Sloan, of Hilliard, Wyo., and John w. Kerr,
of Salt Lake City; on the Salisbury and
| Nichols contract, X. G. Chambers and John
| w. Kerr, both of Salt Lake City, are the
suretios; on V. w. Parker's contract, X. L..
Pease and r. A. Park, for whom no ad-
Dire > is given, are the sureties; on Il. w.
Parkers contract, James III. Parker and ID.
T. Parker, of St. Louis, are sureties; on w.
NJ. Gritlith's contract, Jesus Redondo and
| Lyman A. Smith, for whom no addeess is
| given, are named as sureties on Peterson's
contract, Charles Il. Hovey, of Washington,
| ID. c., and George +. Boott, of New Orleans,
| La, are sureties; and on Luke Voorhees,
contract o. j. Salisbury and j. L. Gilmer, OF
| Salt Lake City, are sureties.