Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-09-20
The Safe Burglary Conspiracy Trial.
The Second Day.
Argument and Testimony.

Argument and Testimony.
COLUMBUS ALEXANDER AND WHITLEY AS
WITNESSES.
This morning, In the Criminal Court, udge
Macarthur, the trial OF o. E Babcock and
Thomas P. SomeIville Indicted with Hsr-
rtngton, Whitley, Nettleship, Bliss, alias
Miles, and Benton,) on the charge of con-
spiracy In connection with the alleged safe
burglary In the District Attorneys Office, In
April, 1874, was resumed. There was much
larger attendance than on yesterday, aud
numbers of new faces were among the audi
ence. General Babcock, with his counsel,
Judge Fullerton and Col. Cook. was the irst
10 appear. followed by Mr.. Somerville and
Col. TOtten, his counsel.
MR.. WILLS OPENING ARGUMENT.
District Attorney Wells commenced his
opening argument at 1910 O'CLOCK, stating
that the defendants were Indicted with
Others, among them one man fugitive and
and II would be for the jury, AFTER hearing
the evidence, TO pass upon the guilt or inno-
cence or the accused. He described the
offense OF conspiracy, and said that II they
proved that these men on trial here had
committed one covert act In furtherance OF
the conspiracy the government was entitled
verdict; 1t was not necessary to prove more.
He then recited the charges OF the indict-
ments, that on April nth, 1874, the defend
ants entered into conspiracy to injure Co
lun,bus Alexander by engaging certain
safe ana take the contents to the
house OF Alexander and to cause him to be
suspected of being concerned in the burglary
and to be arrested therefor; that on April
18th, 1874, they caused to be represented to
Alexander that certain books used in the
District investigation were false, and that
he would be furnished with the genuine
books; that they caused the books to be
placed In the safe; that they caused an
anonymous letter TO be sent TO Harrington
informing him that the safe would be broken
nm q q Nv, oh D fuvn
GERS were procured to watch the building;
that two of the coueplrators entered the
building and blew open the safe; that they
was followed TO the house OF Alex ander. but
falling to obtain admission there, the con-
spiracy failed In its object, and one of the
they procured an affidavit from Benton that
he bad been employed to break the safe by
Alexander, and on May 9Th they induced
Michael Hayes to make an af1idavit corrob.
Grating Benton.
The government expected to prove that
there was at the time pending In Congress
an inquiry as to truth of the charges in the
the BOOKS Of Evans were used; taat BaScocR
was engineer in charge OF public buildings
and grounds, and that his measurements as
such was one subject OF inquiry; that Har-
rington was Assistant District Attorney
and counsel for the board Of public works;
that Whitley and Nettleship we're of TIE
Treasury secret service; that SommervilIe
.
professional thief. They expected to prove
that on the nth OF April, Alexander having
expressed his doubts as TO the genuineness OF
the books presented, they formed the con.
spiracy; that Harrington had frequent in
terviews with Babcock, and Babcock went
TO Banfield and asked for Whitley; that
Whitley was sent for; that Babcock invited
Whitley TO dine with Harrington; that
Whitley on Sunday went to Babcock's, and
was Instructed to meet Harrington at the
club house, and that he did so; that
the memorisiists to Mr.. Whitley, and
explained that they would give anything
almost TO get the books of Evans. The re-
suit was that Nettleship was called In and
Ztrruth and Over worth, two Treasury ope-
ratives, were employed, but Harrington did
not Ike the latters work. Harrington so in
formed Whitley, and said that he had q plan
which was the breaking open OF the safe and
taking the books TO Alexander, to bring the
the memorialists into derision. Harrington
said the parties would not be punished for he
was 10 manage the details, and Carter was
employed in place OF Overworth to work
with ZirIuth In getting In with Gibson, of
the St1, Adams add Others. Hayes was then
employed, and was told that the case was In
Controller GreeL's safe in New York. He then
proceeded TO relate what Hayes did In getting
In with Domaine, and related an interview
Nettleship had with Harringto In Which
the latter said that they wanted to blow the
thing up. Nettleship was surprised that
Harrington knew all the details which he
y,
the latter communicate to Ba6cock. The
introduction Of Hayes to Domaine by Zir-
ruth under the name OF ButleI) and the in.
terview Of Hayes with Alexander was next
related, as also an interview OF Hayes with
Nettleship At Philadelphia, when Nettle-
ship spoke of the anonymous letter TO be sent
to Harrington, and was told to get the man
TO crack the safe, and Hayes went. Whitley
suggested that Miles would be good man,
and Nettleship went to Somerville to find
Miles, and 1t was arranged through him that
y, Hn tvx<w Tskx<x
took place, and Nsttieship explained the
work to Miles, leaving him with Hayes.
Somerv1lle subsequently, went to Whitley
II was All rieSt. and to be- done under the 4.
rection Of the District Attorney. Benton
was taken by Hayes to Alexander aud
introduced. Benton wanted the combination
so he could open the safe. load 1t, and blow
1t mp. 1t was arranged, as Bliss was too
valuable, that he should escape, and Benton
should be arrested, but should not be kept in
prison over 10 or II days.
Mr.. Wells proceeded to detail the arrange
ments made by Harrington with Major Rich
ardr, and recOunted what they expected TO
Is TO the open the safe
not be arrested in the building, and that one
should be allowed to escape and the other
followed. They followed him, and Benton,
missing his way, asked Major Richards
which was street, and was told, and he
was followed TO No. 1907 F street north
west, where he rang the bell several times.
back to 10th street and asked If Columbus
lived there, and Harrington answered Alex
ander did. He went back to the house, aud
Major Richards ordered his arrest. The
making Of the affidavIts by Benton and
Hayes, to the effect that the work was done
for Alexander, are alluded to, and Mr.. Wells
charges that the conspirators by procuring
them were guilty OF subornatiOn to perjury.
Hayes was induced to sign the affidavit by
SOmerville, and at the instance of Nettleship
wenl TO Canady. The interview of Harring.
ton and SOmerville with NettleshH at the
Bingham house was referred to, in which
Harrington was accused Of going back on
them by not getting Benton off. There were
other interviews, he said, as to getting Cir
ruth and others out Of the country, in one
OF which Harrington advised Nettleship
that there were three things he could do
leave the country, stand trial, or turn states
evide ace-and he chose the first, receiving
81 900 therefor, and he went to the wilds OF
Canada. Harrington on one occasion was
appealed TO as 70 the payment Of witness
board at the st. James, nor had he liar
rtDgtOn) paid Gen. Henkle for defending
Whitley; and he said his money was ali
gone; that from nrst to last e22 900 had been
spent, but that the other bills would be paid.
Harrington, in addition to $3.50 paid through
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