Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-08-26

l.. James, and direct I'd him 10 make an
investigation OF the star route con-
tracts, saying b. was satisfied that
there had been wilful waste OF the pub
lie money and gross corruption, Mr.,
James testified before the Springer
committee that the president urged an
investigation OF the most searching
character, regardless Of whom or whore
It hit The matter was taken up by the
encouragement, Wayne MaCNeagh.
after consultation with the president
and the postmaster general, At the
outset he found by papers In the post
office department that on one route In
Nevada and Arizona, en- which resi-
dent had carried the mails for $4,000 an
nually. John w Dorsey Of Vermont had
agreed to cary them for $4,000 Further
nestgyation revealed the facts that
under the new contract the mails were
delivered daily instead Of weekly, that
$50 600 was paid for the service. and
that the work had been sublet and per-
formed for $4,000. Later after a COM
mlttee OF Congress had been appointed
TO inesvtgate the matter. contract
for service three times a week was rec
ognized, at s22 1000, while subcontrac-
tors did the work for $4,000. Other eX-
aminatlons soon convinced Mr. Mac
Neagh that there had been "a gigantic
robbery OF the public treasury, unless
ordinary indications We're at fault"
p II. Woodward, an inspeC tor Of the
postofice department who was early
called In TO assist In the investigation,
found that. the total expense to the
government of the Las Vegas and Nini-
ia mail route for nearly three years was
about S30O,O and that the revenues for
the same period were about 5000. The
route was about 725 miles long, with
scarcely an Office on II, and part Of 1t
was through wilderness. Sometimes
there would not be a single letter In the
mailbag woodward also found that
the cost Of the mail route from Min
eral Park, A. r., to Phoebe, New, was
advanced in eight months from S29S2
10 S52.033 annually. He testified before
the Springer committee that both Press
ident Garfield and the postmaster-gen-
eral were amazed by the results af his
early examinations and that the form
err could at first hardly credit their gen.
uineness. In consequence Of the revela-
lions. Thomas j. Brady. the second as
slstant acknowledgement, resigned In
April 1881 at the request Of Postmas-
ter-General James, acting on behalf OF
the president. j. L. French one Of his
clerks, was removed soon afterward,
and Mr. McGrew. sixth auditor Of the
treasury. who had charge Of the post
Office accounts, resigned in June.
DORSEY COMBINATION.
After some abortiye preliminary pro-
ceedings In the direction Of prosecution
by the government. evidence In the
case OF what was known as the Dor
sey combination was laid before the
grand Jury Of the District Of Columbia
In February, 1882 under direction OF
Benjamin II. Brewster, then attorney
general Of the United States, A con-
spicuous figure In the alleged combina-
ton was Stephen w, Dorsey, ex-senator
from Arkansas, who was secretary OF
the Republican national committee In
the presidential canvass Of 1850, and
was believed to have done much toward
securing the election of Garfield and
Arthur Il was charged that he had d.
rected the course Of the star route con-
tractors and that the legislation which
they required had been procured
through his influence IN the senate.
Others accused with him were his
brother John w. Dorsey, John N. Peck
and John r. Miner. the original bid
ders and contractors. Harvey NJ. Vale,
to whom as sub-contractor the routes
We're afterward tr2nsferred, NJ. G, Rer-
dell. ex-senator Dorseys secretary, who
was charged win having been an agent
and manager for the combination in
Washington Second Assistant POST
master General Brady, who had official
control OF the star route service, and
w. II. Turner, clerk under the latter's
direction. The contractors IN this
combination had originally l3i routes,
upon which the compensation for SER
vice under the contracts amounted To
sll3ie This was raised by increase
and expedition" TO S622, sos. on 90 OF
the routes the increase OF pay had been
from S65, 2l6 TO S53OSls.
More than so witnesses were eNamln-
ed before the grand jury, which indlct-
ed the accused persons for fraud in se-
curing increase Of compensation and
for conspiracy 10 defraud the govern
ment. The latter was represented be-
fore the grand jury by the late Col.
George Bliss OF this city, who thereaf-
ter took a leading part IN the conduct
Of the star route cases. w. W. Ker OF
Philadelphia and Richard r. Mer-
rick Of Washington were also retained
as special counsel for the government
and District Attorney Cofkhill Of
Washington assisted in the prosccu-
tion. Tn, late Col Robert c. luger-
soil ex-Judge jeremiah Wilson, Messrs.
Totten. Shellabarger. Chandler ana 9TH
ers were arrayed as counsel for The
defendants. After a number Of post
ponements and arguments on motions
TO Quash the Indictment the trial was
begun before Judge Wylie in the crime
lnal court Of the District Of Columbia
on June 2, 1852 The trial was long
one. although the counsel for the de-
Tense endeavored 20 restrict the adj
mission Of evidence as closely as pos
sible. The jury was out three days be-