New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-10
Customheuse nvestfeafion-Ceneral Bah.
cock on the Stand.

| Customheuse Observation-Disclosures Bah
cock on the Stand.
WASHINGTON. March 6.-General Bah
cock was examined before the New York
customhouse investigating committee to
| day. He swOre that he had no interest
whatever in Leet & Stockings general
order business. He had never received
| money from it in any way or shape, nor
was there any arrangement to receive bene.
fit from any customhouse officers. He also
swore that he is detailed from the engineer
CORDS as secretary to the President and
has charge OF public buildings and grounds,
and is engineer Of the Potomac aqueduct,
and receives and draws no pay what
| ever, except as a major OF eng ineers. He
knew Lect intended to get into some bust
ness, and from what Leet said witness OBJ
tanned the idea that Leet had thought of
| going into the warehouse business and Leet
might have mentioned the general order
business; he then had no idea of what the
| general order business was. He knew a te W
| days before the appointment of Grlnnell
! that the latter was to be appointed collector
| of the port OF New York, and thought a
general letter of introduction, written by
General Grant to Leet, was written few
days before that appointment, and that its
| date showed that fact.
In answer to the question whether the
witness knew Leet was drawing $500 a
| month a sinecure at that time, General
Babock replied that ne knew nothing, ex-
cept from reports.
| lie had first met Lindsay during the last
year Of the late war, and did not remember
seeing him again until the close of the war.
He could not say whether he next saw Lind
say in New York or Washington. He
| thought he saw him on the same boat com
| ing to Washington in lS64-he could not
| positively say. He saw Lindsay from 1864
| to 1869 He did not remember Of writing
| any communication to Lindsay, except re-
| turning bis thanks for having sent him some
| trout. Lindsay had never been at his house
| or private rooms. He did not remember of
seeing him at the executive mansion but
once.
Senator Bayard asked General Babcock
to- look at the letter handed him.
General BabcOck said it was written by
him. but he did not recollect that he had
done so until he was reminded OF the fact.
He read the letter us follows:
EXECUTIVE MANSION
September 81, 1863
My dear Lindsay:
Your letter reached me to-day. It is just
as l expected. l sent it simply to show you
how people presume on Others. BY same
mail received nclosed. l do not intend
to answer such assumption, or, if at all, in
a short, curt note. You need have no fears
of their imposing on us. l shall be pleased
10 do whatever l can for your friends. when
l know what you want to recIprOcate your
kindness to me- l am alone in my glory.
General Porter will be back to morrow.
Remember me kindly to Lieutenant Parker
and gentlemen in your house. Hoping to
hear from you when can be of any service,
l am yours truly. o. Z. BABCOCk.
To J. P. Lindsay No. So John street, New York.
Senator Bayard asked General Babcock
whether he did not know at the time he
wrote that letter, that Lindsay held the
confidential position of secretary to Col
lector Grinnell!
General Babcock replied that he did not
know that Lindsay held that position, but
supposed SO.
He was further asked whether he knew
of any proposition from Leet TO Lindsay
relative to speculations in San Domingo.
and speculations in Liberia!
General Babcock replied that he had no
knowledge of the fact to which the CORE
spondence referred He repeated that he
knew of no plans by which specuiations
were to go into operation. He was not |
aware of any more than the first payment |
of $l0000G, which had been made by the !
government to San Domingo. This was pro-
vided for by the treaty which he nego-
tiated. The 100000 were on account of |
the lease of Samana bay. A further provi-
sion was so 900 in arms and munitions of |
war, which was included in the treaty. The
payment was made IN November, 1869, after !
the signing of the treaty. 1t was made to
the Dominican government. The money |
was paid through an American agent.
The chairman of the committee inquired |
whether witness knew of any one who had !
received money on account of lease
Mr.. Babcock replied that he did not.
I,.a IL l,n
knew of no American citizen who was in
terested in railroads in San Domingo, but
Mr.. Sullivan informed him that he {Sulli-
van) had an interest in railroad from Sa-
mana bay to Monte Christie. He believed
Sullivan represented other parties.
He did not know of anybody to be bene-
flied by land grants in the event of annex
alton. He knew that a gentleman had
surveying contract, obtained previous TO
his knowledge of the proposed annexation.
He could not say that sullivan did not hold
an official position, as he may have been
employed by the Secretary of State.
Senator Casserly Intercepted General
Babcock at some length in regard to San
Domingo, aud in the course of his replies
he said there might have been large pur-
chases of land in 1869 and in 1870, but not
to his knowledge.
General Babcock presented the following
letter, which was read:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
Washington, July IA 1870.
To Hon. Thomas Murphy. Collector of Customs.
New York:
SIR am in receipt of letters applying
for recommendation to you for place in the
New York customhouse. | do not wish to
you or the working of that office
in any way. ! have, therefore, given no
such letters. nor shall do SO. | wish you
all success and l know that if YOU are to
be responsible for the great office. sou must
appoint y0nr own assistants.
Yours, very truly.
O. f. BABCOCk.
The committee then adjourned till Mon
day, after ord. ring the following gentle
men to be summoned for examination on
that day: William II. Townslev. George
w. White and John Bennett, of New York
and to lie examined on Wednesday:
Thomas Murphy, William Orton, A. II.
Hafn and T. E. Howe. of New York.
This is said by the Chicago TriJ"ne:
1t is reported. that President Grant has
decided to remove General Longstrcet from
the survey orship OF the port OF New Or
leans. If SO, there can be but one reason
fer the act. viz: that Longstreet is almost
the only honest officer OF the lot, the only
one who enjoys the respect of the commu-
nifty, without regard to party, Casey and
Packard whom the recent congressional IN
vestigation showed to be involved in bride
ries, intrigues and corrupt practices enough
to sink ten OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES an adj
ministration along with them-are to be in
dorsed, and the war Gu their behalf re-
newed. This policy is said to have been de-
termlned on after weeks lobbying of the !
President by Casey and Packard them