The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-04-11
DETECTIVE BELL.
Solicitor Wilson Corroborates Some of
His Testimony.

Solicitor Wilson Corroborates Some OF
His Testimony.
WASHINGTON, April 1O.-The Clymer COM
mittee to-day examined Solicitor of the Treas
ury, Bluford Wilson, who corroborated Bells
testimony that Wilson had sent telegram to
Col. Dyer after the conviction of Mcdonald,
congratulatiDg Dyer upon that result. He also
corroborated Bells testimony on other points
and read a letter tina, he wrote to Dyer in De.
cember telling him of Bells suspicious move
pents in Washington and telling him to be-
ware of Bell. as Bell had come here and
pretended Dyer wanted to implicate the Presi-
dent.
Mr.. Clymer-What were the suspicious
movements
Wilson-He visited Bradley, Luckey and
Babcock, and was reported to me by the secret
service officers
Mr.. Cymer-Have you any reason TO believe
efforts were made by the defence TO look into
the hands of Col Dyer?
Wilson, have no doubt the defence were
exceedingly anxious to know what the evidence
against Babcock was. On February 10th Bell
came to his office and told him substantially
the same story he had sworn to before the COM
mittee. He sent telegram to Dyer informi g
him of Bells remarkable revelations. Dyer
replied that this testimony would be very Yalu-
able and asked him to send Bell. In the next
telegram from Wilson t, Dyer, Wilson said
Bell had Chambers commission in his pocket
and had rendered Jewell good service, and his
evidence would of course destroy the case of
the defence. In this telegram occurs remark
able statement of the evidence. He, 10 Will
sons judgment, was beaten because Judge
Dillon would decide in favor of the defence on
all questions, thus showing that Wilson feared
already at that time Dillcn's charge, which ac-
cording to Dyer and Broa1head really acquitted
Babcock.
Dyer subsequently telegraphed from St.
Louis that he did not dare trust Bell and the
government had decided only to use him in re-
buttal. Wilson telegraphed back that he was
content with their decision.
Mr.. Clymer asked whether he was more sus-
picious of Bell than he would otherwise have
been because others had been led to see into
the hands of the government, and Wilson alter
reluctance admitted that he believed Roger
w. Sherman was in st. Louis in the
interest of the defence. Since then however,
he had heard the explanation of District At
tOrny Bliss and Sherman and had somewhat
modified his impression, He believed Bell at
first because Bell showed him the cipher and
the commission from Secretary Chandler and
also because Bell repeated the contents of some
private memoranda from Wilson TO Dyer,
showing that Bell had examined then in
Dyer's Office. Bell had a conversation with
him in the east chamber of the White House
the day after he published the cipher telegram
in the Herald and Wilson told the President
that Bell had informed him of having been
employed by BaDc0ck. Bell said be had talked
with Robert Bonner of the New York Ledger
and the latter advised him to retrace his steps
and confess the iniquitous part he had played
Bell told him about January that Avery was
willing to turn states evidence and Avery went
to Bristow telling him Bell had informed him
Bristow wanted to see him, wheat Brisow was
astonished and declared he had never desired
to see him.
Mr.. Danford asked him if he did not regard
Bell as man willing to sell to the highest bid
der and Wilson replied that this was as accu-
rate statement as could be made although he
would not have stated it so roaughly on Mr.
Bell.