The daily gazette., 1874-08-31
From the Ne,u York San Of Sat urday.l
The Last WashiMOtOis Rascality

it appears. Before it was perpetrated
the very strongest suspicious existed and
were justified by all the facts that Rich
ard Harrington, who is employed in the
District Attorneys office in Washington
to prosecute the criminal business, was
one OF the principals, or at least one of
the active accomplices in the so-called
burglary which has attracted SO much
attention recently.
His own office was selected as the
scene, and his own iron safe as the sub
lect of this operation. He placed books
IN 1T obtained from one of the most no.
torious contractors, intended to form a
link in the chain of fabricated testimony
against Mr.. Alexander, to whom, accord
ing to the plan OF the conspiracy, they
were to be delivered, and would have
been but for ,providential interposition
which defeated the villainy.
On the evening of the burglary, and
several hours in advance of it's occur
renee, Harrington informed the Chief of
| Police OF the events of that night, and
the Intentions of the burglars, Just as
they subsequently happened. He was
present on the ground with n chosen
| body OF confederates, and assumed to
direct the police in all their actions upon
the plea that his Office was invaded and
he was the public prosecutor.
| He refused to allow the burglars to
be arrested in the house, or after they
came out and deliberately approached the
| spot where he and his party were stand
| ing. He permitted one Of them to walk
leisurely off, and followed the other ben
| toni, who was appointed to entrap Mr.
Alexander, until he neared his house, and
| there pointed it out in answer to Ben
toms inquiry and gave him the full name.
After the explosion he left his own office
open, and it was visited by hundreds the
next day before any examination could
be made, which added to the disorder.
He Withdrew from the Police Headquar-
ters all the papers found in the bag that
Benton carried off, and evidently to des-
troy links of evidence that might De dam
aging to the Ring.
All these acts are signs of guilt, and
are incapable of explanation consistent
with innocence. They are confirmed by
others equally damning which have just
come to light. 1t is well known that
Benton was irritable under his contine-
ment, and had recently signified IL dispo-
sition to tell the whole story if he could
be protected against the hostility of his
criminal associates in New York. The
Ring who employed him had promised
only few weeks Imprisonment at most,
and large pay. Neither pledge had been
hCPo III BoOd tIltt llt WIS luuDiUlcHU
and resentful at being made the scape-
goat of the villains who had put up the
job.
He has been called before the Grand
Jury, bat refused to speak out. When the |
recess was taken few weeks ago, and he
was not released, he threatened to expose
the whole concern and all involved, when
the court should come together on the 25th
of this month. That was the moving cause
of the recent proceedings, md explains why
he was set free on the eve OF the reassem.
bling Of the Grand Jury.
harrington was absent. iom Washington |
in the East. He came to the city few days |
ago, and as 1t believed after an undeis stand |
ing with the parties who appear in the trans
action, went 10. Washington with Somerville |
and the bail. There he applied to Judge /
DIN for the order Of release, or appeared to
sustain the application, and that order OF /
the Judge Is IN Harringtons handwriting.
10 guard against publicity, the proceedings |
were delayed until late in the evening, and
it was after nighttall when The Clerk of
the Court and the Marshal were found 20 |
complete the formalities. Il. +. Fisher, the
District Attorney. Is known to have as sisted
In this business, He was seen
with Harrington in IA carriage in search OF
the officers OF the court whose pres .nce was
necessary before the release could be con
Yet he took care while thus |
participating to dodge the responsibility |
for himself, and to place it where the
law cannot reach him, except as a conspira-
tor to defeat the ends of justice.
Mark the trickery of this transaction. The
order Of Judge Olin reads;
THE Clerk Will take bail in the above case
In the sum OF two thousand dollars. and If the
District Attorney Is satisfied. &c.
The fprma axplicit o,d admit ~ |
evasion or substitute. Besides, Fisher was
present and In active sympathy with the
proceedings. Yet the certificate is given by
Harrington, as follows:
Il am satisfied that lie is good bail 1or the
amount named in the order of the Court,
RICHARD HARRINGTON
Assistant U. s. Attorney, b. O."
Harrington himself had sworn before the
that there wae no such office
as Assistant U. S. Attorney, and there is
none. Yet he not only certities in that
but the Maj shal releases prisoner
held on the most serious charges, upon an |
Illegal certificate without the least value and 8
m direct disregard of the order ofthe Court,
which commanded the "Dstiict Attorney"
% certify, and no other person. That this
.rck was part of the fraud which runs all {
through, Is hardly to be doubted After
Harrington had thus completed his special a
mission to Washington, he left there again, G
md doubtless concerted here for the con
,ealment OF Benton.
But there is still aworse feature in this n
The Department of Justice q q
onfided the prosecution of this burglary !
business entirely to Mr.. A G. Riddle, as :
special Assistant Attorney General. 1t !
vas taken out of the hands of Fisher and |.
harrington absolutely. They had no =
manner of connection with it. Mr.. Rid
lie appeared before the Grand Jury, and l
onducted the examination of witnesses q
lntil the Court took arecess. He is now I
.bsent from Washington and Fisher and q
harrington took advantage of that oppor- >;
unity to impose on aweak and creduIous .
udge and to obtain an order to aid the p
scapo of O notorious criminal, held sub p
ect to expected indictments, indepen-
ent of others already found against | 81
i'm, y
Here is the extraordinary spectacle of " .,
officers of the United States d
and conspiring against their u
worn duties, and helping to effect the
elease of an outlaw connected with one
1 the most diabolical crimes on record Il
his zeal was well understood, 1t is b
art OF the original conspiracy to..protect G
he Ring who connected the burglary to h
trike down the memOralists Fisher and | =