The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-12-17
Supervisor Tuition Like the I'm
mortal ]. N. Lifts the Veil and
Assumes the Pressure.

mortal Js Ne Ltll6 the Veil and
Assumes the Pressure.
WASHINGTON, December l6.-supervi-
sor Tuition has addressed the following
letter to President Grant;
To His EIeeliaey u S. Grant, Rfesident Oi
tie United SateS:
observe that Senator Henderson in
the trial Of the case Of the United States
vs.. Avery, III his speech be correctly re-
ported), charges Genl. BabCock, your Pri-
vate Secretary with having some connec-
ton with the ST. Louis rings, and having
improperly influenced you to revoke the
order Of the Secretary Of Treasury,
transferring the Supervisors on Janua-
ry 9th, 1875. As / have claimed the
credit OF having influenced you to revoke
that order, feel 1t my duty now TO as
sumo the responsibility, and receive what
ever odium in any way attaches thereto,
and with this IN view 1 beg leave to re-
mind you Of the facts as they occur to me.
On or about the lst, Of January 1875, /
received letter from Commissioner
Douglass, inelosing the secretary's order
Of the 9th OF January asCribing me 10 st.
Louis district, and directing me to report
there for duty on the 18th, Of February,
went to Washington on the Sd, Of Febru-
ary; saw Commissioner Douglass on the
morning OF the fourth and asked him
how long l was expected to remain at
st. Louis, to which he replied, perhaps
year, six months at least, ! said II so l
would have to resign, as could not 20
to ST, Louis for six months, Mr.. Doug.
lass stated that these tranfers originated
and were ordered by the Secretary, and
that l had better see him. then went
directly to Secretary Bristow and had
quite long interview, made substan-
TALLY the same statement to him, that II
It was proposed to keep me at st. Louis
six months or year would be compelled
to tender my resignation, as ! could not
take my family with me and would not
leave them six months tor the sake OF the
office, besides which had some property
and other personal interests that could
not be neglected for that length Of time.
The Secretary finally agreed should go
with the understanding that was
at liberty to return on the frat day Of
April, thus making my absence about six
weeks. To this l assented, but at the
same time with the knowledge that |
should not be able to accomplish any
good. II any OF tho extensive frauds which
he feared, were being perpetrated there
and at other points by tho distillers with
the knowledge and aid Of the local au-
thoritles, they would cover them up SO
deep that should not be able to discover
them. The fact OF these transfers Of
Supervisors and Revenue Agents having
been published, giving the parties full
notice for two or three weeks that there
were to be such changes, would give ample
time to the persons interested TO COM
pletely cover their frauds and render II
almost impossible to trace them. | re.
spectiully suggested that In my opinion II
would be much better TO send some com.
petent person who was not known, whose
movements would be entirely secret to |
see what was going on, and In this way
the parties could be caught In the act Of
deirauding and sufficient evidence obtain. |
ed on which to make the seizures, and
thereby get other proof Of fraud, and
urged that this plan should be adopted,
not only at 81. Louis but at Chicago and
other suspected points, and suggested to |
the Secretary that special agent Brooks,
who had been on duty with me for about
Eve years, would be the very best man for
that purpose. Finally the Secretary sug-
gested that had better see tho President,
az he had taken great interest In the mat
ter. l therefore went directly to the
White House, saw Gen. Babcock, with
whom, ut that time l had scarcely
speaking acquaintance. l told him l
wanted to see you, that l had been order
ed to report for duty at ST.. Louis
on the 18th instant, and / de-
sired 10 see you before going. He
replied that you were engaged with the
Senators and members, but that II |
would call In an hour could have an In
terview with you. called at the time
named and Gen. Babcock took In my
card and | was admitted at once. When
| made the same statement 10 the Cover
nor that l had made 10 the Secretary and
made the same suggestions that ! had
made to him, about sending suitable
person or persons without the knowledge
Of either officers or distillers 80 that they
might be detected In The very act OF fraud
and their manner Of stealing, and their
assistants and combinations fully dlscoy.
cred, and then II the department had not
confidence in the local officers a tempo
rary transfer OF Supervisors could be
made for the pupose Of making the
seizures land properly working up the
cases. You listened 10 me attentively,
and finally said the more you thought
about the subject the more you were con-
vinced that Tie transfer ofSuperyisors as
ordered would result in little or no good,
and said that you would suspend the
order that day. Thus you fully decided
to suspend the order, and 80 stated to me |
before l left you and before General Bab-
cock had an opportunity to speak TO you |
on the subject, as he was not present at
the time, and am quite certain that you |
arrived at this conclusion during our In |
terview. am confident, therefore, that |
General Babcock could not have inilu.
enced you In revoking the order, and
what l said to you on the subject was, In |
my judgment, for the best interests OF the |
revenue service, and the results In 81. |
Louis, Chicago and Milwaukee fully jus.
tiIes your action in the matter. | have
felt that Il was due both 10 you and Gen.
Babcock to make this statement Of facts,
to be used as you deem proper, in view |
OF the charges made from time 10 time In |
the papers and in the speech Of Hender' |
son above referred to. | have the honor
to be your obedient servant,
ALEX. p. TUrroN, Supervisor.