The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-03-01
DORSEY TALKS.
An Interview with q World Cor.
respondent, in Which some
Very Ugly Charges are
Made Against People
in High Positions.

very Ugly C0aT8e6 aEo
Made Against People
in High Positions.
In q lengthy interview published
In the New York World of last Sat
urday morning. Mr.. Dorsey makes
some charges which may furnish the
foundation for q congressional inves-
tigation. We have moi room for the
whole inter lew but the following is
the gist of it:
1T has been stated In the World
within the last two weeks" said the
reporter, ''that Mr.. Salisbury, one
of the largest of the star route con-
tractors, pub icly asserted here in
Washington that he had secured
immunity from criminal prosecution
by the payment Of 100000. Do you
"The only doubt there is about the
truth Of that statement" replied Mr.
Dorsey, lis that it was $780, 90 in
stead of 500. 0O0. In saying this l
don't neal to intimate that Mr..
Salisbury was any more guilty than
you ara. You know it is sometimes
better to sell a vicious dog than to kill
him. Salisbury was by far the
largest of the star route contractors,
and therefore afforded the best SUBJ
ject for black-maiI. Of all the ninety
routes that were expedited over 5000
each, Mr.. Salisbury owned AZ per
cent, Mr.. Sanderson owned Is per
cent, Kerns, Ro ,te g. Elkins, Is per
cent, and Parker most of the re-
mainder. 1 owned a half interest In
less than l per cent. I have not
heard that any of these parties
have been prosecuted either crimi-
nally or civilIy. 1t is said that M of
these large contracting firms agreed
to pay q large sum for the appoint
ment of a board Of arbitrators, and
after the trial was concluded refused
to pay"
do you know anything Of the
details of these transactiOns?"
parties to bribery have no o0m-
paniols, and when you add bribery
to cowardice they have nc associ-
ates. The dirty muck of the Blisses
and Brewsters and the gang with
which they associate was only worthy
to fertilize the garden of their infa.
N.Y.
by the payment of money to persons
representing the government"
"Why, certainly. Don't you know
that the whole Star route business
had two purposes? One vas to crafty
the ambition of idiots and pretenders
and the other was TO fill the pockets
of the black-mailers. A demand was
made upon me for $3o, 900 to guaran-
tee immunity. l remembered that
some man had said; millions for
defence and not u cent for tribute"
A man who commits q wrong knows
it and is generally willing to atone
for it. Resentment Is not always
wise, but as against power unlawful
ly used the man who would not
resent is not worthy of the name of
man."
"Who made you this ofier"
"That l will not tell"
"Was political influence used as
we'll a money to shield these large
contractors, or any of them?'
II had not married the niece of q
cabinet officer, nOr rad | contributed
large sums to the success of ambitious
people,"
lido you know whether the gov
eminent got the money paid by these
men for i~mmunity?"
"Brioe-takers never divide with
anybody. The books of the Treas
ury department will show whether
any of this eve went into the vaults
or not, and If your keen-eyed news
paper men can discover a dollar ~ it
that ever did reach the treasury l
will give you $4,000 for every dollar
you find"
IF this money was paid and it did
not go into the treasury, wnere did
it 60, il you know"
"Whiie l die MT see it paid, nor
trace 1t after it was paid, [ will make
. wild guess that the bank account
of George Bliss in New York, shows
pretty large deposits outside of his
$3.50 u day about the time this money
was paid. And Ker's lit ought to be
spelt with a c. account In Philadel-
phia-if he knows enough to keep a
bank account-makes a good show
ing. 1t Is more than likely that the
other two parties to this fraud, Brew
ster and Merrick, have spent their
ouAlC AOI WulShys 1ucSc cuOIIuOuS
sums taken from those contractors
under duress were obtained by q
black-mail of the vllest and lowest
character, and were stolen by the
men who demanded Them"
you say these enc rmOus sums.'
Was anybody besides Salisbury let
of by the payment of money"
"Well, SandersOn was indicted
with me-in the very same indict-
ment. Some Of the persons ] have
as being heavily interest
I'd in expedited Star routes were MI,
indicted at all, and others who were
indicted have been tried and will
not be-"
DS6 say your interest in Star
was very small a. compared
with those of other peopIe?"
II had no interest except what
came to me by loaning a little money
and every contract / was interested
In was transferred to tie late MI. j.
w. BOsler on the day / came into
possession of it. After three years,
on q settlement Of the accounts, Mr.. I,
being In charge all the time /!
underwriting every cent of the money
It was found that the profits of all the t
routes II 900, which we divided. I