The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-05
GENERAL WASHINGTON DISPATCHES

WASHINGTON August 4, 1874
KX-ATToRNKY GENERAL WILLIAMS ON THE
ANONYMOUS LETTER sCANDAL-''A DAMNABIx
OUTRAGE AND LIE.
Ex.Attorney General williams camo before the Sub
Committee on whiskey Frauds this afternoon asking
TO make statement what he called infamous
scandal contained the Cincinnati Evening Gazette
few days ago. He proceeding to remark he bad
the President this morning, who authorized him
to say -, when Representative Cockrcll Interrupt cd
him saying he objected to receiving anything from
tho President through third party, but II the Pres
idcnt desired he should have opportunity to DO
heard
After discussion, Mr.. Williams referring to tho
statement published in the Cincinnati Gdzette said that
such idea breathed to him by the President
TO any member of the Cabinet that anonymous
letters had ever created .any prejudice against
him In reiutation of the charge that Colonel Whit
ley, cxChief OF the Secret Service division,
pIoyed by him after Whitley had been removed
Mr.. Williams said he never employed Whitley for any
purpose alter he had resigned Chief of the Secret
Service DIVISION but he was paid for services rendered
previous 10 his resignation With regard
The tmputation that his wife was the author Of
the anony letters, 1t damnabc outrage and
lie, whoever the author might be When Attorney
General he received ymous letters OF infamous
character and he presumed they MI emanaed from tho
same source, IRON some enemy OF the administration
and some were addressed to the members OF the fam
ics of Cabinet officers. HIS wife greved by
these letters, but nothing could be then SAID about
them He knew 1t was impossible that she could
have anything TO do with such nmunicatious She
was much above such mean, low act as any woman
in the United States There never was more wantou
and wicked caumDy than that contained in the
paper article Mr.. Solicitor Wilson informed hun that
he twilson was in way responsible tor the publica
ton In the Cincinnati Gd,fe IL WAS assumed therein
that he tWilliamsl removed from the Cabinet
account OF these anonymous letters. The truth WAS
he not removed but resigned lie had never heard
breaihed that any supposed that any member Of
HIS family had aught to do with tho authorship OF the
letters until lately, IN Dom Piis paper,
bus the statement not sufficiently definite To en-
able Inn to understand It's meaning. Tho statement
in The gazette, however, IN tangible iorm and he
was surprised that 1t was introduced IN the coWmttce
and thus given consequences u would not otherwise
In reply to question from Mr. Cochrane Mr. VIII.
Jams SAID the anony nous letters contained obscene
statements about The President and his family and The
Iamilirs of different members of the Cabinet, and
charged that he (w s'nsl kept mistress in his de-
partncnt white he was Attorney General These let
| tiers were not On file They had been destroyed
Mr. Cocnranc asked whether the Presidents wife
received such letters. Mr.. Williams replied The
Prcsldept this morning showed him one Of those
anonymous letters only one he knew Of addressed to
Mrs. Grant The charges therein were against Mr.
Williams and his WIFE, and infamous IN their mputa-
tons The letters he himself received scurrilous
! and attacked everybody connected in any way with
| the adm Illustration
Mr. Paistcd said he had objected the reception OF
the newspaper article. which scurrious and they
shoud not keep any longer under their noses Be
fore Mr.. Williams retired he said, in reply to repor
"what I proposed TO say to the committee and
what they refused TO hear was that tho
President told me that the article. SO far
as It related TO him. absolutely false
that he heard Of any report that he had
no knowledge that detectives we're employed IN the
natter and that bc did not believe | my wife had
ANYTHING to do with the anonym lettcrs "
SPEAKER KERRs HEALrH-AH UNAVOIDABLE
REPORT
o,ter from Speaker Kerr confirms the report Of his
uniavorabie condition He writes that he feels
we'll that he is compelled spend Of his time
had