St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-30
The Committee has Complet-
ed It's Report for Submis-
sion to the House.
1t Details the History of the Star
Route Frauds from Hayes
Administration to the
Present.
1t Declares that the Frauds Could Not
Have Been Committed Without
the Assistance of Brady.
Were Criminally Cognizant and Guilty
Participants Therein.

Oh expenditures IN the department. Oh JusIlco
which during the last session of congress in
vestigated the star route prosecutions, has
completed its report for submission to the
house on reassembling The report is signed
by Messrs. Springer (chairman), Van Al
styne, Hemphill, Fyan and Crisp, the Demo
cratic members Of the committee.
1t details at length the history Of the star
route frauds from Hayes administration
down to the commencement Of the suits, and
declares the frauds upon the service could not
have been committed without the knowl-
edge, cooperation and assistance of Thomas
j. Brady, and that not only the contractors,
but many other persons In high official posi-
ton in the government, were either crimi-
nally cognizant of tho frauds or quietly par
Elephants therein. It declares the amount
out of which the government was defrauded
in the star route mail service, during Hayes
administration, exceeds four million dollars.
At one time the government was paying
s450,000 per year for carrying mails to Of
fees that yielded less than $12, 900 revenue.
The story Of the attempt to arbitrate the
Salisbury and Parker cases is told at some
length, and the report has the following to
say concerning these combinations:
1t appears from evidence that these two
most powerful combinations of post route
contractors were known as the Salisbury and
Parker combination. All efforts at procur-
ing indictments against these parties failed.
A material witnIss against Salisbury was
one Thomas A. McDavitt, a nominal con-
tractor for the principals, who held a
large amount of expedited service.
It seems MeDevitt had been indicted in Phil
adelphia for fraudulent bidding on certain
routes in Texas, q matter quite different
from those in which his audience was chiefly
sought. Woodward was directed by Attor-
ney General MacVeagh and Postmaster GEN
eral James to procure an affidavit from
McDevitt as to his knowledge of the frauds
in the Salisbury cases. McDevitt made q
full statement OF all the facts within his
knowledge, and was given by Woodward an
implied promise Of immunity in con sidera
ton of his making full disclosures. The
binding force Of this implied promise was
recognized by James and MacVeagh.
McDevitt added he would freely communi-
cate any further information within his
knowledge whenever called upon by the gov
eminent. Notwithstanding this full dis
| closure on the part Of McDevitt, and the i'm
piled promise OF immunity which he had re-
ceived from Woodward, the Philadelphia in
| dictment was pressed to trial, and
| McDevitt was convicted and sent to
the penitentiary for one year. Woodward
protested to the president and attorney gen
eral that in the trial and conviction of Nc
Dewitt the solemn pledges of the government
had been broken, and urged executive Glenn
ency in his behalf, which was not granted.
Woodward testifies, also, that McDevitt was
the witness he should have relied upon to
break into the Salisbury combination, and
show they methods Of doing business, and
that he was the only witness accessible to
make proof against.the powerful combina-
ton. But the government took that witness
and sent him to the penitentiary."
The report continues: ''The manner of
procuring the expedition was reduced to a
science. The affidavits OF contractors and
others were used as foundation upon which
the expedition and increased service were
allowed. The brazen effrontry and perjury
of these affidavit makers Is without parallel
in the history Of criminal prosecution. The
affidavits were signed and sworn to in blank
and were kept on hand by the contractors just
as they laid up supplies Of grain for their
horses. These affidavits were the sole meas
ure of the cost of the expedition, and nc
other evidence was required by the depart
ment for granting an increase OF service,
and ami Increase of speed, which cost the
government hundreds af thousands Of dol
. lars. A stock OF these blank afIidavits wa:
kept on hand, and the blanks were filled
when occasion demanded, and the papers
, fled with the department were the basis OF
, securing large and valuable additions to the
contract. Thus puriury was made the basis
of all the frauds perpetrated.
A considerable portion of the report is de
, compensation Of attorneys. The amour
, for this purpose, Us far as ascertained, il
s144, S46, of which Geo. Bliss received $50,
= 1872. A review of Merrick's testimony il
explanation Of the failure OF the government
to secure q conviction In two star rout
trials is given, but the report says the com NIT
tee had not time to pursue the investigation
q in reference to attempts to bride jurors. In
reference to the contractors not indicted th
q | report says:
''From tabular statement from the offic
of the second assistant postmaster genera
the amount which it Is claimed could be re
r. covered from the Salisburys and Parkers
b estimated at 1854, 403, while the record o
= evidence in the postoffice department at tn
h beginning Of the investigation by the depart
:. ment was meagre against the Salisburys an
Parkers, yet the evidence subsequently pro
purpose, showed that the operations Of thes
y parties as contractors were glaringly fraudu
i lent, and that they should have been in
dicted, convicted aid prosecuted in civ
= suits for recovery OF large sums Illegally OF
u tanned from the government. Some mys
FERROUS and powerful influences must haY
4 operated to secure their immunity.
The next subject considered is relative I
the feature of the indicted governor, Kellogg
and the report says Geo. Bliss seemed to OF
pose the efforts looking toward such indie
ment, andupon this point continues as 70
lows:
'sThere Is a wide Issue of veracity betwee
Bliss and members Of the grand jury as /
the efforts made By Bliss to secure the in
dictment against Kellogg. The foreman {
the grand jury, Mr.. Mitchell, and Messr.
Willard, Edmonston, Stewart and Truesdel
appeared before the com mittee, and eac
corroborating the other stated substantial
that Bliss, after the evidence OF Walsh ha
been concluded before the grand jur1
stated that James B. Price wa
expected TO arrive In the city the followin
day, and would appear before the jury
a witness for the government in that case
and secured an adjourn meut over one ds
on that account. This was on Friday, an
the promise was that on Saturday Price ":
to appear as . witness, intimating thi
Prices testimony was necessary TO make o.
the governments case. On SATURDAY. whe
the jury met, Bliss announced the failure
Price to appear and was compelled to subm
the case on evidence already taken. II
jury then voted not 70 present the indie
ment. Bliss stated he did not promise Price
attendance, but might have said TO the Jul