Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-03-06
STAR ROUTE HISTORY.
oAusiEi = rosir,os EMPHASIZED.
startling Disciosures Made bv ex-UsLiust
Othccrs In tho Matter ot the st.r
Koute tsrpssCuti,us

tue uepartmcuI Oi luSLlCc III LuN pINSCCu
tion of the Star Route cases MIR. James
said his attention was frs specifically
called to tho matter by cx Uuijcd States
Senator George 4. Spencer of Alabama,
and other we'll informed gentlemen. IL
was thelr belief that millions OF dollars had
been wasted on unnecessary "Star" ser
vice. While witness was postmaster IN
New York, he refused when asked 10y
stephen w. Dorsey to certify IN his official
| capacity to a large number of papers con
| nected with the contract Office Of the post
| Office department ThiS accounted ior tho
bitter opposition to his appointment to a
| position in the cabinet.
| Witness then gave an account Of his ap
pOintment To position in the cabinet.
tie went to Washington on the night OF
| March :, in answer 10 tClegraphio de-
| spatoh from Whitelaw Reid, and ia the
lattor's company he called on the presi.
| dent. "Mr Reid said he had told me that
General Garfield expected to get on salts
faototily and without friction with factions
in Now York and hoped my appointment
if made, would help to that end, but
wished to know whether, in case contro
vcrsics should be forced upon him, ho
| could be sure II were made postmaster
general that my political affiliations in
New York would not iuterfcre with my
support of his administration. General
Garfield said Yes, that is about it,, and
| replied Such contingency, in my
judgment, will not arise, but if it should,
If accept your nomination, | must, as a
gentleman, either be loyal to the president
or resign General Garfield said THAT
| is satisfactory aud the conversation then
turned to the work of the postufii oe do
partmeDt. General Garfield said that he
| w hot SRr, 81
in the department itself that il 50 he ex-
pected me to find it out aud thon Z" put
the plow in to the beam aud after that TO
| subsoil it,"
On the 9th of March, Mr.. James having
been appointed postmaster general, the
president sent for him and brought up the
subject of the Star Route service. He
said he was satisfied there had beeu wiliul
waste OF the pubic money, aud gross
corruption, that while he did not wish to
have mail facilities necessary to the wei
fare Of any community cuTtaiied, all uu.
necessary and eEtravagaut service must Dc
relen,lesSly cut off; that the proposed
Investigation must be Aimed at a system,
aud not at mcn, but that if the inquiry
should disclose the fact that any person OI
persons had been guilty OF corruption OF
fraud, such person or persons must bC
1 j
MIR. James chen gave an account OF his
appointment of Mr.. II. II. Wood ward tC
conduct the Star Route investigation.
Upon the Recommendation of John SwintOr
, he called in \, NJ. GIbson's assistance aud
the inquiry was pushed and au appalling
, state ut affairs were revealed. The Sta
a Route service was then under the contro
OF Kay Z. Eaton, assistance superintendent
of railway mail service, after ward removed
and now q collector OF customs in NJ Iiue
Garfield surprised.
J., Having colated his facts, Mr. Jane
waited upon President Garfield aud mad
- an exhibit The president was great
surprised and wished to know if the fl
!, ures had been unified by the records. ii
= also added that he had been proYidentiall
saved from falling iuto trap which ha
:, evidently been set for him and seemed I
= be contemplating some peril which he ha
/ escaped. We asked whether the paper
, had been shown to the attorney genera
a | replied no, when he requested mo to cal
), with that official and Nr. Woodward th
next day.
. In conformity with his request, "
called the next afternoon and length
= consultation ensued. Iu answer 10 m,
| suggestion as To whether it would not b
: | wiser to institute civil suit for the re
I, covery OF the money obtained throug
y | dishonest contracts rather than to con
. mence criminal proceedings against tn
!, implicated parties, hs said " No.
y zone moment, Mr.. President" said th
- attorney general CONSIDER whether {
= no the postmaster general is not righ
A Before final decision remember thi
- these proceedings may strike meu i'll hig
- places (; that they may result ia changin
in all
States Senate into Democratic majorit
:. that they may affect persons who clai
~ ~ that you are under personal obligations
70 them for services rendered during the la
- campaign, and one person in particula
- who asserted that without this manag
- - ment you could not have been electe
~ Look these facts square in the face befO
taking fiual stand, for neither Il
- postmaster general nor myself will knC
80 80 friend or foe in this matter"
h The president walked across the roof
NJ reflected moment, and said - No
m have sworn to execute the laws. Go ahea
regardless of where or whom you hit.
a direct you both, not only TO probe th
NJ ulcer to the bottom, but to cut it ont
!. spencer's and Rerdelrs Disclosures.
4. The witness further said that DORIS
Q. came to him and denounced Brady, al
Il Inspector Woodward, after inquiry, d
is cared that Brady ought to be remove
~ Witness told the president and he order
n, Brady's dismissal, but alterward sa
in he would accept his resignation, viii
o was done. After Investigation, !
nc routes wore reduced in the territories
ie the old contract rates, saving &, 900, 0O0
ly year to the government, aud then Dors
IL started his cry Of persecution" doing |
TO best to thwart tho prosecution and
cause rupture OF the cabinet. Tho witnI
A then told how Rerdell had confessed, a
al described the entire history and mod
70 operandi of the Dorsey Brady Star ROu
Y. swindie. Ex Senator Dorsey told {
ce Senator Spencer that he was ruined m
on because his confidential clerk, Rerdell b
an "sauealed on him." Later he called
yn Spencer and told him sit was all right,
n. Jim Bosler had fixed Rerdell and got an
10 fidavit out of him denying his confessions
No The witness explained how Mess
D. Gibson, Cook, Brewster and Bliss came
be retained, and said that on one occasi
nd when the president was closeted W
is. Dorsey and others Colonel Cook b
VS. taken him into another room and told h
II. how serious the case was in his oplnit
d. and that he had heard that terri
or event was about to happen. Mr. Jan
We declared that he believed General CART,
ng proceeded regardless of this warning
TO his assassination, and did his whole du
he in regard to the prosecution of the 5
Route frauds.