The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-09-30
THE STAR ROUTES.
A History of Brazen Effron
terry and Perjury.
A VERY INTERESTING REPORT.
Which Gives Some Facts and Fig
ures. The British Grain
Trade.-Butler and Grady.
Other News.
Star Route.

committee on expenditures in the De-
partment of Justice, which, during the
last session of Congress investigated the
Star Route prosecutions, has completed
its report for submission to the House
on its reassembling. The report is
signed by Messrs. Springer, chairman,
Van Alstyne, Hemphill, Fyan and
Crisp, the Democratic members of the
committee. 1t detailed at length the
history of the Star Route frauds, from
Hayes administration down to the time
of the commencement of the suits, and
declares that the frauds upon the ser
vice could not have been committed
without the knowledge, cooperation
and assistance of Thomas J. Brady, and
thatnot only the CONTRACTORS, but many
other persons in high official position in
the government, were either criminally
cognizant of the frauds or guilty partic
ipantS therein. 1t declares that the
amount out of which the government
was defrauded in the Star Route mail
service, during Hayes administration,
exceeded $4,OOO,000. At one time the
government was paying $i50,000 per
year for carrying mails to offices that
yielded less than $4,000 in 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: at appears, from the
evidence, that two of the mostpowerful
combinations of post-route contractors
were known as the Salisbury and Parker
combinations All efforts at procuring
indictments against these parties failed.
A material witness against Salisbury was
one Thomas A. McDevit, a nominal con-
tractor for the principals, who held a
large amount of expedited service: 1t
seems that McDevitt had been indicted
in Philadelphia for fraudulent bidding
on certain routes in Texas. That mat
ter was quite distinct from those for
which his evidence was chiefly sought.
Woodward was directed by Attorney
General Mac Veagh and Postmaster-Gen-
eral James to procure an affidavit from
McDevitt as to his knowledge of fraud
in the Salisbury case. McDeyitt made
full statement of all the facts within his
knowledge and was given. by Wood
ward an implied promise of immun-'
ity in consideration for max
ing full disclosures. The bind
ing form of this promise was recognized
by James and MacVeagh. McDevitt
added that he would freely commune
cate any further information within
his knowledge whenever called upon
by the government. Notwithstanding
this full disclosure on the part of Nc
| Dewitt, and the implied promise of I'M
munity which he had received from
Woodward, the Philadelphia indict-
ment was pressed to trial, and McDevitt
was convicted and sentenced to the
penitentiary for one year. Woodward
/ : i - H. Drnc nd A r
| torney-General that in the trial and
conviction of McDevitt the solemn
pledges of government had been broken,
and urged executive clemency in
his behalf, which was not granted.
Woodward testifes also that McDevitt
was a witness he should have relied upon
to break into the Salisbury combin-
alton and shown their methods
of doing business, and that he was the
only witness accessible to make
proof against this powerful combina-
ton, but that the government took that
witness and sent him to the peni-
Tertiary" The report continues: ''The
manner of procuring expedition was
reduced to science. The affidavits of
contractors and others were used as
foundation upon which the expedition
and increased service were allowed. The
brazen effrontery and perjury of these
affidavit-makers is without parallel in
the history of criminal prosecu-
tons. Affidavits, signed and sworn to
in blank, were kept on hand by the
contractors, just as they. laid up the
supplies of grain for their horses. These
afidavits were the sole measure of the
cost of the expedition, and no other
evidence was required by the depart
ment for granting the increase of SER
vices and increases of speed which have
cost the government hundreds of thous-
ands of dollars to stock. These blank
affidavits were kept on hand, and
blanks filed whenever occasion was
required to use them, and these
papers, fled with the department,
were the basis for securing large
and valuable additions to the
contract. Thus perjury was made the
basis of all the frauds perpetrated. A
considerable portion of the report is de-
voted to the subject of the employment
and compensation of attorneys. The
amount paid for this purpose, as far as
ascertained, was STA ,846, of which
George Bliss received $57, 732. A review
of Merrick's testimony in explanation
of the failure OF the government to Sc
cure a conviction in the two Star Route
trials is given, but the report says the
committee had not time to pursue the
investigation with reference to the at
tempts to bribe jurors. In reference to
the contractors not indicted, the report
saws: "From a tabular statement
from the Office Of the Second
Assistant Postmaster-General, the
amount which it is claimed could be
recovered from Salisbury and Parker i;
, estimated at 1854, 403. While the record
of evidence in the postoffice department
at the beginning OF the investigation by
t the department was meagre agains
Salisbury and Parker, yet the evi
dence subsequently procured through
special agents sent out for tn
purpose, showed that the opera
lions of these parties, as contractors
! were glaringly fraudulent, and tina
: they should have been indicted AM
convicted, and prosecuted in civil suit
or the recovery of large sums Illegal,
obtained from the government. Som
;. mysterious and powerful influence
must have operated to secure their In