The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-07

one else which could possibly be tortured into pro-
position to abstract and destroy papers IRON Mr..
Dyer's office, and don't know how J. as his
friend c,uld have compromised General Babcock
homo FROM ST. Louis within the d. 81 few days Of De-
cember Some time after Bell came to Washington
and saw Ihad not doubted his sincerity OF pur-
pose Nor his honesty his protested attachments TO
the President account Of his army experience,
though doubted his conclusions very often. Mr.
Henderson's attack upon the PRECEDENT. his
ment on the Avery trial, had, to my mind, corrobo-
rated Bells assertion OF the bitter feeling HI enter
taned and seemed 10 add strength 10 all he had told
me IN that connection. Bell told me Dyer Offer
ing large Tor evidence against nbcock, aud had
and Try obtain something him by representing
that the President dared not pardon him. but. II he
would help them against Babcock, they would all
JOIN IN asking his pardon, and bring such
pressure that the President would have to grant
II tor fear that he would be thought through
anger at his Joyce 81 in helping to mplicale
Babcock. Bell showed me a note or card which Dyer
had gwen him 10 secure him admission 70 Joyce.
told him. as he was here he could tell the President
himself whatever he desired to, and would ask the
President 10 sec him. The President heard him and
recognized him rs having served spy under him
spalchcs for him through the rebel lines. General
Hurlburt, of Illinois, the Office the day
the next and, as Bell had testimonial from him,
asked him II he considered him reliable; he replied
that he had always been when with him during the
war, and no deemed hun Trustworthy. Bell
by the Post ONCE Department because, when
travelling. he had got out OF money, and had boon
obliged borrow Of postmaster order TO continue
the business he was on, and II was against the rules
OF the Department. but he could not at the time get
along any other way. lie desired get the Interior
there chances Of working up promotion sooner
in the Interior than anywhere else.
Within few days he came 10 mo and said that tho
Attorney General was going 10 send him to 81. Louis
10 assist Dyer in his wLisKey Investigations ant he
going just as soon as he could get away that he
was help all he could; but II amy unwarrantcd
unlawful means were resorted 10, such introducing
forged papers, or If inducements for evidence were
offered calculated to induce perjury no TO report
It. In Short as think he expressed It, TO SEQ fair
play. DC said that ~ case he discovered some.
thing gong on which the President ought
to know at once, IN order TO prevent
perhaps great wrong, how could he communicate II.
once. ana he would be turned Out and letter might
be late. told him It was entirely unlikely that
any such emergency would arrive and he could com,
municate anything he wished by mail; but for fear
might feel to blame such IN occasion should ARISE,
made short SIMPLE cipher and showed him how 10
1t IN case he thought he ought to do So did not
distrust the man, and considered cipher in tcle
graphing nothing moro than d device to the
Tor the purpose in sending letter through tho
mail With The purpose had in view believed It
proper TO give the cipher II saw at 20 do So
After providing him a means whereby hc could
telegraph what he thought ought to be brought to the
Immediate knowledge Of the President safely as no
could send It by mail thought very little more about
it until II garbled state published In the NEW
York HERALD about month later, when could easily
perceive how cipher. harmless in itself, could be
made TO appear against ono by designing, unscru-
pulous man. No dispatches were ever sent IN tho
cipher and whatever responsibility there may be In
President nor General Babcock knew OF t.
The Attorney General did not appoint Mr. Bell, and
that be was being put or and his complaints became
rather annoying. Finally he camc 10 say that he did
not think he would be sent 70 81; LOUIS as
consulted other officials about him and Dyer
would know Il and would not trust him. He wanted 10
be appointed somewhere else and the Inror
again. had not yet learned his true character and
felt undcr obgationsto assist HIM, as had told him
II s. Sna 30 Tine 20 MA.
Chandler in his behalf for An appointment AS special
agent in the Pension ONCE. arr not certain that
spoke TO Mr.. Chandler about him. but my impress
is that did ask him # the President had men,
toned Mr. Bell to him about place and he had not
done So l lost sight Of him very shortly after and
knew icr certain whether he got the appoint
mcnt.
General Babcocks trial and LETT for St LOUIS tho fore
part OF February but before leaving had heard from
MT. Woodward, the chief Of the Post Office special
department and found that he had deceived in that
matter and began TO distrust him very much. I
never knew he was in st. Louis during the Babcock
trial. nor have seen him since until yesterday.
THE EFFORT TO BREAK DOWN DETECTIVE
BELLS sToRY--oURIous ADMISSION BY ONE
OF BADcocK's coUNsEI-THE PRIVATE DE-
TKcrIvx SYSTEM AT THE CAPITAL
The testimony the Clymcr committee tends to
a. m tho statements Of Bell and strengthens
him with those who heard IL The republican men,
bers OF the committee for determined
10 break him down and make him out, II possible
mere adventurer and trader upon other peoples
secrets. General Babcock to-day owned to having
had several interviews with Bell and that
hc paid Bell 500 in all He put In as
part OF this testimony account by Bell Of cor.
tain things he had done Boil suspects that some
changes have been made In this, and It will up
again for examination to Luckey's statement
before tho committee generally confirms this affidavit
OF Bell, but the Testimony OF Bradley, one OF Bab-
cocks lawyers made tho greatest sensation to-day.
He confessed that he did engage, not he said to de-
st-oy papers against Babcock, which Bell might get nj
in Dyers Office. but TO make copies Of them for him.
If he could not do that TO send him their substance
This he thought all right to do General Babcock
attorney this being before the Grand Jury indicted
Babcock.
II begins to look, In the light OF recent develop
here, though this private detective business
was run into the ground by big and little people in
Washington. The air here smells Of detectives. II Is
pretty we'll known that during the St. LOUIS whiskey
the ring and their friends had detectives engaged
to hunt up record and private history Of General
Bristow and Solicitor Wilson. Now Of Babcock's
lawyers thinks he did wrong in employing de-
tccsive surrep.iously copy papers in the District
Attorneys Office. One hears OF detectives searching
out tho histories OF various Presidential candidates.
and on the WHOLE whatever industry may suffer, It
would seem that The private detective busness-the
trade or the spy-must be thriving. for good many
men do not think themselves equipped for public life
without private force Of such spies
Another thing which begins to appear here Is tn at
the republicans gradually assuming tho attitude OF
defenders Of the evils which the eating commit
tees arc developing 1t is not unnatural that they
should slip this attitude 1t is their duty to
fair play. and IL is easy to ovcrsep the limits and be-
come advocates Their course where they blunder in
this way makes the discovery Of malieasancc
ruption more dniculL But II must in the long run do
more harm to the party whose members obsti uct dis
coveries than the public interest
A LONG DESIRED REYoRx IN ARMY MATTERS
THE GExERAI~IN-CHIKy RESTORED TO HIS
LEGITIMATE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES TO