New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-11
THE STAR ROUTE FRAUDS.
INSPECTOR wooDwARD's EXPERIENCES.


rRLACaERy.
WASHINGTON, April 10.-P. II. Woodward,
.nspectar of the Poet Office Department. examined
nv Mr. spfinger's committee this morning In relation 10
ths alleged star Route auds He said he was first sum-
onsd towashnEton take part in the star Route nves
LEGATIONS on March 10. 1881 He made examination
Of the route Mineral Park. Arz 10 Phoebe, Nev
The pay Of which advanced Ia eight months FROM
s2sS2 TO s52033 annually. "on saturday evening the
witness ssd showed the results OF my initial exam
nations 60 Mr.. James lie amazed a the eNelauou
and hurried OF 10 the White House on looking over the
figures President Garfield shared in the astonshmen' OF
Che Posmaster-Goneral. AT first he could hardly credt
their genuneness In reply 10 question nom MI James
respecting policy 10 be pursued he said In substance
4 nave sworn uphold the Constitution and the laws
Z shall do my full duty My Instructions TO you
are cut the ulcer oft. matter whom II
hnrts' With much impressiveness of manner General
Garfield referred 80 mysterious attempt 10 enrap
him, the meaning OF which was now hrst reVeaiea W
him lie added that by wisdom or foresight Oh
his own that he had escaped great peril our silent
curiosity was not grstined by further explanation Al
this interview first learned that the investigation was
nkey 70 lead criminal prosecutions The decisive Or
der was given by the Commander In Chief
The witness referred the resignation OF Brady and
French Post Office officials, and OF the employment OF
NJ Gibson SPECIAL counsel the latter having init
mated taat he possessed minute knowledge OF the inner
history of the frauds and the influence to press Inn
.portant witnesses into use" Mr. Woodward desired the
information given by George +. Brott, which he said
lied to the forced retirement from ONCE OF
J. NJ. McGrew, sixth Auditor, ana OF
Frederick b. Lilly, Deputy Sixth Auditor
The witness continued: ain May, 1881, MI. Gibson
ardently urged the employment of William A. Cook in
these cases and invoked my aid SO far as remember
his Recommendations oral and orally, but mildly
reinforced them. Shortly after the engagement OF MI
Cook was publicly announced. received summons
FROM President Garfield be at the White House at
l,stv flouf mnQu
sent for me to ak could explain how the appointment
came made that the day before Judge OF the
Supreme Court had informed him that Cook was one OF
the depuable members OF the Washington Dar ana
that the selection disgrace to the Administration
Iattempied TO Justify tue appointment on the ground
that "a the investigation widened. II would DO desirable
10 have the local lawyer who possessed an nt
mate and extensive knowledge not only of the criminal
cass also OF the darker elements that go TO make up
the life Of the District The President seemed partially
satisfied"
THE CONFESSION or RERDELI-
The witness gave a detailed account OF the confession
OF RsrdeH. He said " Rerdell exhibited amemOrandum
alleged TO writing of stephen W. Dorsey charg
Ing TO tho frm The following donations OF mining STOCK
jane n Tyner 1 500 shares. $1,000; A. NJ. Gibson
I5OO SHARES 81 900; william H. Turner l,2OO shares
$1,000 instance, within the knowledge of Rcr
dell Dorsey paid $1,000 on the bonds OF failing bidders
60 secure settlement. or this sum SlOoo
reached the putle Treasury and $1,000 the
pockets Of the thea sixth Auditor and his deputy
Rerls soon yielded the opportunities OF his old asso,
otars A. that dine he possessed valuable papers ana
would have made en- important witness saali never
TERED me- nom cleavng ~ this TIL the last scrap of
evidence had been wulng from him Inc hand OF ono
could have held him firmly but from our JOINT grasp nc
cesiy ished away"
Trr PRESIDENT AND MR. COOK.
Mr.. Woodward said the representations OF MI COOK
that he had several private interviews with President
Garfield prior 20 the time he was introduced by Mr.
fa1se IN occasion, " the witness
continued other topics preached more pregnant
with Significance than comments on the progress OF
cases sensational warnings in reference 10 dangers
threatening the President and two of his Cabinet. Mr..
Cook insisted that immunity should be granted TO stephen
Dorsey on account OF great services 10 the Repub
ncan party In answer mOdcstly suggested that penal
laws and peneDtiarles were MOI devised Ior tne
toil depravity OF the star Routers, Mr.. Cook
told the President that General Brady had already ut
temp,ei 20 corrupt even him"
Him. Cook rInterposed Mr. Mlikin $500. . -
recpt4ve Of that gentleman the Portiand that fear
ng Trap he declined TO hither; but did receive me
concealed detective under the bed TO overhesi te con
cover the impresssn made upon his MUD by these
strange OutpOurngs bui his impasslye features gave $50
,S91 h had lived for nsny years aud where his
character waS INFINITELY Kswn the virtue OF Mr. CoQK
ins @ msntSy BOW ione it would be able resist Tie
shock General swain nc close PERSONA
the inner nc history Of his brief admnisra
ton, rcnenbers the INDIGNATION or Th sraons 70
the White liouse IN quest OF explanation He rensm
run orirrinc The summary dismissal OF Mr. Cook
count OF his moral unntness for the trust
CONFESSIONS or THOMAS a. MDEvIrT.
An interview with Thomas A. MeDevitt was cited The
gitness said: "McDevlu explained how farm and
quarry near Richmond Va we're conveyed at nominal
consideration Of $4,000 to James Zee and W IT, Crsw-
fond OF Philadelphia, for the express purpose quail
fling them become surees the proposals to be made
uxuer after the contract term began; how he hhAseI'
with proposals resting on such security Ootanel nun
Der of routes Dakota and Montana; how petUOhs Tor
increase aud expedition gotten mp ana ioIwaldeu 10
him without compensation Ivy one Ezra lfaFeitt, OF
Nevada; now be himself. with personal knO%edge OF
she matters involved, made the aIhdalIa Iespe.,l
ing stock and carriers Intended TO measure
the cost Of expedition: how. though stranger he Sc
cured nom General Brady orders which VASTLY Increased
the cost of the service: aud COW aef hls pie
work he sold his Hypothetical interests In the contracts
Through Colonel J. q MckbbeD. e the SALISBURY com
binaiiOn. for $500, aud then disappeared nom the
scene a he supposed for ever. -, ..o,. .,,r. ,,A
the spring aud summer oi ISL were OF ia.nev ee
sultOry character. In Washington Few wilntssss were
exposing paTis of the sores which had eaten deeply mo
me pubic morals and the public purse AZ the rI9r,s
Of tie inspectors came in the new adminraon oi the
iossy and vigorously 10 existing abuses that IN rev
months the deficiency in the postal revenues was pac
I" Mesnwlile the newspapers my.teriously in
tpred TO Route contractors 0f the speedy
deructon that was for q IN az the hands OF the
Goyenlment As the sultry summed wore away became
ad conscious mat toe consluon OF Our maya
zines was from iusIiying this tone OF exuatlon'
witness said that be began Systematically 10 pre-
marc the eases FOR trial the clsse OF september
3s6i using the hles and ether Departments PapeTs
There as added abstract OF the proofs furnished ~
the yelling isspecOrs This work was continued VII
June. 1882.
CHARGES AGAINST COOK AND GIBSON.
In reference 10 the Brott indictment MI woodward
ssid: civilian IA.lev told often that Will
lam c. Cook for $1,000. guaranteed immunity to
Frederick Illley aud that on the very da' when we
appeared before the Commission 250of the Fee through
the ground employed for the oonductof
business had already found its into the pocket OF
Cook Wtlam Lley finally told Inc that
Of M, ledge Cook and Gibson selling out tho
Gsyernta.nf: that burgarios OF the papers
had beru discussed and that when the catastrophe came