The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-12-03
o. II. HnhcOck.

q. T.. Babcock.
While GRANT was at the head OF the
army, BABCoci. was n member Of his milf
tary family, and was recognized rs young
officer 81 good standing and fair merit.
After the prcsidcutinl election he was
transferred with Horace PORTER to the
White House, whore tucy both continued
10 perform staff service. but were called
secretaries. After PORTER resigned 10 be-
come NIcc-prcsidtnt OF the Pullman Car
Company, BABcocH stepped into his place
Of nearest confidence TO GRANT, and has
occupied it ever since.
Daring iEc investigation ~ the Custom
House in this city, the LEEr & STOCKING
contract, which had acquitted great noto-
ric,y, was examined by the WITHDRAWING
committee. HoRNcE PORTER appeared rs
"a witness and testified that lis own family
with that Of BAutocK. and with Lrrr
alone. had formed q military me-, ut wash
iugton for the sake Of economy, rs the
three officers had nothing but their pay to
yc upon aud were all poor. lie produced
vouchers TO show that the average cost per
capita did not exceed So per month.
That testimony from one of his own
conn AIDES and friends, proves that in 1>G9.
when GRANr entered the White House,
BABCoCK was wholly dependent upon the
pay II major ~ engineers to support his
family. He Is now a colonel. ana draw the
pay Of that rank, although acting n Sccrc-
taly to the President aud Engineer in
charge ofthc Public Buildings and Grounds
three Offices entirely disiilct from each
other.
1t is not pretended that BABcocK has
acquired forum by gacy. or IN any prop
or foitutous way II these few years OF
service In tho White House. Yet 10 is well
known, ana capable OF positive proof. that
he has grown suddenly rich. ls tue owner
Of large r"al estate NJ Washington. has
erected blocks Of buildings there IN part
uership with Boss SHEPHERD, wears dia-
mond,, rs doe MS wife. and ma utains n
style Of lfc wholly Incompatible with lis
income rs an officer Of the army
How lie managed tomnke all tlis money
in 50 short space Of time. is CO.
nundrum which has plagued officers with
much larger pay aud with some private
fortune; while il has astoui-hcd another
class who find tho policy Of s.lci ice imposed
BAncocK's associations at Washington. be-
eyed HIM 90 be vcnal ana watched his
operations, there was no secret whptcver
about his aolui-i'i1us. Tho Investigations
of the Washington Rnr, imnor.r,t rs they
were, demonstrated that BAHcocK was not
only u mc;abcr of il. but oac OF the chiefs,
who, rcprcs the Government. was
able 10 contribute most LARGELY to the
pmudcr in which he undoubtedly shared.
HI certificates, aul the moasurcmcnts
mad" 10y his orders ald through hi, subor-
climates. ar filed with daring frauds
which would have sont any other man with
less official profcc' ION to the pouitcntinrv.
The law which GARFIELD and lis us,o-
ciatcs passed Tor the Ring, gave BAncoCK
alone absolute d scrcton over nearly four
millions Of dollars. And lie uscd it to tue
fullest extent.
He has exclusive control 81 an tie APP
preparations Tor the public bindings and
grounds, winch have exceeded more than
half million annually. Under his mnl-
ascWent tens Of thousands Of dollars have
hccn voted every year for rcfuruishiugand
repairing tine Writr House and green
house aud Improving the grounds, nppro-
prations never known under any former
President, and which have not been ex-
r'"de for those objects. or course ia, re-
are voucher. filed 10 pass the accounts,
and they appear all regular ON the surface,
n Boss SHErurHu's Ring bills DO. But
nobody believes the money charged 10 the
Treasury was spent for the all, ged objects.
BAncncK ha- been publicly and repeat
edly cha gel with corruption, ma his con-
nection with the Washington n:ng was 80
public t. uefy contradiction. Standing
G. 81 10 the President, he was supposed to
represent GRAST's power and partially,
aud often with good reason. In the pefsc-
cution Of the pre- = in the safe burglary,
aud in other outraSes Of the combination
OF thieves at the capital, he is known in
some cascs aud believed in others to have
cAorted an thu authority that could be de-
rived from the WHITE House 10 further
their wicked aud atrocious designs. lie
never resented these CHARGES or asked for
an inquiry, -uoh as any other officer of the
army would have boon compelled TO d.
mand Protected 10y n stoll. ,md'ctiyc,
aud selfish Pre- ,dont, whose nnrmitIcs he
tried to conceal, BADCOCk was permitted
10 de pise the regulations Of the army, TO
defy decency, aud 10 threaten with malice
every superior who thought he should be
called TO account. Assured by long i'm
punity and confident IN his strength. he
recently started an intrigue to dispossrss
Gen. HUMPHREY as the head OF the En-
glneer Corps, and to furnish himself ms "a
III associate for INGALLS,, who, after long
effort had supplanled Gen. MEIGs
| 1t was suspected at Washington that he