The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-12-27
FRAUD IN HIGH Places
star-Routers Who We're Fro
tected.
4. corvrss.ional Committee Declares I"a''
rnor,a. 7. Brady and Other Govern
ment Omcials were Participants
In Gigantic Exauds

The Committee on Expenditures IN tne
Department of Justice, which, aur,nS
the last session of Congress investigated
the star-route prosecutions, has COM
Melted its report for submission 70 tno
House on reassembling. The report
stoned by Messrs. Springer lthe chalt-
mani. Nax Alstyne, Hemphill, ryan,
and Crisp, Democratic members VI .uo
committees. IL details at length tnel :
history of the star-route FRAUDS hvnl
HAYES Administration down to the
commencement OF the suits, anu uo
clares the frauds upon the SER
vice could not have been commit
ted without the knowledge, co-opeT7
alton. and assistance OF Thomas o'
Brady. and that not only the contract
ors. but many other persons IN nignf
official position in the Government
were either criminally cognizant OF the
frauds or guilty participants therein.
II declares that the amount ont OF wnlcn
the Government was defraudei IN the
star-route mail service during hayes
Administration exceeded S4,OOI.Voo. Az
one time the Government was payin3
$3.50, 600 per year for carrying man 10
Offices that yielded less than Slz'oVVl
revenue. The report has the ioiiowlnSl,
to say concerning the Salisbury anu
Parker combinations:
II nppears from the evidence that two OF
the most powerful combinations OF postrous%g
Contractors were known as the SALISBURY anu
Parker combinations All efforts ct procuring
indictments against these partles iailoo- ~
| material witness against tne sa.s . }xnr the
| principals who held large amount OF expe-
| dited service McDevftt had been indicted IN
| Philadelphia for fraudulent bidding on sorI
L IL, q
| from those In which his evidence was cn,ony
| sought WOODWARD was directed Dy AGornss,
| General MacVeagh and Postmaster eneral
/ James TO procure an affidavit from Mcuea.S
/ "a to his knowledge of fraud in the SALISBURY
cases McDeyitt maze tuii sod WAS riveu BY,
| Woodward an implied promise uf immunity -
| consideration of his making 2 ful dlsc osurc.
reco9nizede Nv James and MacVeagh. Nc
| Dewitt added that he would freely commune
cate any further information wlt mn e n
| ernments Notwithstanding this full disclosure
on the part OF McDevitt. and the impiieo
ps promise from 81 wooaward the phia IN
| dictment was pressed to trial, ana McDevIs
was convicted and sentenced TO the penite n
| fiary for one year. woodward protested "
the President and Acknowledgement that IN
tine trial and conviction of McDevitt the SOL
emn pledges 81 the Gove n,s behsf f~ was not
4 grantei. Woodward also testifies that MO-
4 Dewitt was the witness he should have reneU
Il
4 and show their methods of doing business.
Il and that he was the only witne g acceesio e 70
make proof against this powerful comoina-
ton but that the Government took that wiz
i ness and sent him to the penitentiary
The manner Of procuring expeditlon was
| reduced TO q science. The atfidavits OF con-
tractors aud others were used as foundations
| upOn which expedition and increased serv1coi
were allowed. The braxen enrontery and per
Il iury of these afidavit-makere IL wirnout par
!, allel in the history of criminal prosecutions.
A considerable portion OF the repoTe
is devoted 10 the subject of employ
ment and compensation of attorneys.
The amount paid for this purpose. as
far rs ascertained, was $l44, 846, OF
which George Bliss received $57, 1872.
A review of Mcrrick's testimony, in ex-
p,anation OF the failure of the Govern
/, ment to secure conviction in two OF the
!. star-route trials, is g.ven. but the report
saws the committee did not have time
!, to pursue the investigation in reference
TO attempts to bride jurors. In refer
. ence to contractors not indicted the re-
u9rt says tabulated statements in the
: Post-ofiice Department show that the
= amount which it is claimed could have
! bgeurecovered from the Salisburys and
: Paykers b estimated at 1854, 40S. They
shdhld have been indicted and convict
edSand the committee is of opinion
that some mysterious and powerful in
fluence secured their immunity. In
: referehce to the failure to indict ex-
. Governor Kellogg the committee says
there.yis q. wide issue Of veraclty he.
: tween Bliss aud the members of the
: Grand Jury as to- the efforts made tc
procure the indictment. Four members
y Of the jury, including the foreman
testified before the committee, and from
= the testimony given the jury intimale
. the opinion that greater effort to ind C
y Kellogg might have met with success
- The case against him failed because TIL
y court held that his offense consisted il
- the receipt of drafts and was barred b!
4 !, the statute of limitations. In conclu
- SION the report says:
70 FfFour committee is of the opinion that Their
Q. we're many causes which operated 70 proven
- offenders. Whatever these causes may hav
ne been, 1t is doubtless true that those who.w
- taken by your COMMITTEES ON this subject
1t Cd matter. viii reach diaersnt conolusions.
il There was great diversity IN the testimony
and many Contradictions win be found who'll
irreconciahIe upon any other theory tina
q w int 81
state that while the evidence against the Sta
route contractors and public officials wa
=. the Government was def auded Of large sun
90 of money and that largo sums were alec 81
OF pended to secure indictments and conviction
All yet no person was convicted or punished, an
- no civil suits have as yet been instituted
eo recover tho vast sums illegally and fraud
it lently obtained from the public Treasury.
rt W0ssingtOn Special
I'D Hon. Hamilton Fish ought 10 I
nd as good authority among Republican
s's as the New York Tribune is, and this
lid what Hon. Hamilton Fish has said
m Cleveland: II have the greatest respe
ief and admiration for the Democratic cal
ID. didate. and personally should like
he see him President. He has made
ed splendid record as Governor, and b