Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-01-04
James b. COIgrOve's Star Route Recor

THE GOVERNMENT NEARLY READY TO PRESENT THE
EVIDENCE OF HIS WRONG DoINGs TO THE CRANE
JURY.
A special from this city to the New York Times
says: 1.-THE government Will, within a few days
lay evidence before the grand Jury in the case OF
James b. Colgrove, star route contractor He is
said to have been originally clergyman and he
was the Intimate friend OF John L. French Bradv'S
CHIEF clerk who was dismissed by Mr.. James His
name appears as that OF a contractor In the four
years term from 1874 TO 1873 but he most proml-
nent IN the following term 1878 to 1882 The report
made by Mr.. Gibson to the Attorney General shows
mat out OF list OF 4l9 routes the pay upon which
mad been increased during that term, ColgrOve held
Il. The original annual pay for these was SOS 500
and 1t was Increased to s42 6l. COlgroye also had
much larger number OF small routes upon which
the pay had not been increased. Most OF these he
had sublet at small profit. The field In which
he was most successful, however, was that OF tenn
enormous prices In the term from 1873 to 1882 he
was given forty-eight temporary contracts, the
! ! annual pay Tor which was sso,s70 In this
Brown, with whom Charles Andrews was some
times associated. There was no necessity for
raising the pay on these temporary contracts, for
it had been raised at the original letting. When
this temporary service was afterward opened to
competition II Was taken for about one-thrd OF the
On route extended from Georgetown to Kokomo.
COL: James stevenson, OF Omaha, was carrying the
m ma h SIX r months u the year for annually
could carry the mails also in the winter months or
each year II required to do So He asked the clerk
In charge to inform him II the department should
decide to have the mails carried in winter and the
clerk, William II. Turner, agreed to do so Ste.
yenson went on with his work, and the depart
ter, or giving him any notice, awarded the winter
service, without competition to Cogrove the CHIEF
CLERKS intimate iriend at the extraordinary pay OF
N41oo IuTner says that when he found out what
french had done he prepared a letter to Stevenson
giving e nun notice and French refused to sign It
Ia
example of ColgrOve's temporary service. Under
one advertisement Colgrove secured $50 routes,
were bOndsmen for him on other contracts He
wrote to French, then acting IN Brady's place,
OF this city, recently removed. 80 That his Miss5nr
bondsInen could be certified here by MIN French
ala 30. highly recommending the Missouri bonds
approved the bonds. Colgrove wrote Inat he de.
sired the change to avoid delay and expense 10
gong 70 Missouri lis The department inspectors
refusal OF the local postmaster In Missouri to
approve the bonds. The Inspectors say: Il was
his misrepresentation passed unchaiienyed. than
IN the little village where the Responsibility OF
the proposed securities could no longer be i'm.
according to the insI ectofs. were some OF the
worthless sureties approved by Anger. :
6esnnins ssy .i ss @ r Alvin vas
Buck for $7.4G per amman. There were nine bid
dens; the bids rangfeg up to eis,s0o and the in-
Among the bidders were Chase Andrews, A. II
brown and A. X Bocne. Bu.kS bonds were
worthless His bondsmen were ". g Barringef
ana q. Hoyt Bauinger confessed his perjury.
ana admitted that he was paid az for it Hoyt
was also surety on the Dorsey contracts with De
Witt Clinton Wheeler. The inspecton say maj
MS ponds were without value. Buck tailed, ana
tne department. paid tor temporary service sc the
the route e his bid Of ,71a but offered TO DO the
work for SIS 20a All the bidders whose bldS had
oeen below that sum failed @ respon1. ana Col
say that Boone controlled this BY an Offer &C
Nx.s9o made Through . man named Cailan, which
the route. By FrenchB ogder, o. MAJ Vke lnSpeo-
tors say WAS fraudulenfly executed bond. Nh
worthless eureneA winch were approved b. Aim
which, of couySes was not collecee0s