Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-08-10
Mr.. Wilson'S Statement.

hEs w lISOIl
BLUFORD WILSON, ex-Solicitor OF the
United States Treasury, was before the
House Committee on the st. Louis whisky
trials in St. Louis, ON the 9th ult., and
gave in detail his knowledge in regard to
the late whisky prosecutions In the West,
and particularly in regard to the connec-
ton of Babcock with them. Wilson said
that there was no lack of cooperation on
the part of the President in the whisky
cases generally, until Babcock became
involved, when q GOODNESS between the
White House and the Treasury Depart
ment arose. He also testified that, in
conversation with Gen. Horace Porter,
soon after the discovery that the a" Sylph'
telegram was in BabcOck's handwriting,
Porter gave an explanation of the dis
patch to the effect that it related to move
on bridge business, and said that
the signature arose from the fact of
there being certain woman who had
given the President much trouble, and
whom Mcdonald had been requested by
Babcock to get away from Washington,
because she had been annoying the Presi-
dent. The President subsequently denied
to Wilson the story told by Porter VIII
son testified that when he first heard this
story from Porter he believed it to be
false, and he still believed So Mr..
Wilson was further examined on the
29th, and gave in detail his rea-
sons for thinking the President did
not show the same sympathy with the
whisky prosecutions after as before the
evidence tending to implicate Gen. Bah
cock in the frauds. The witness read
several letters and stated several converse
tons between the officials and others,
Hhich letters and conversation had led
him to the conclusion stated. He testified
that the annoyance which it was said the
woman Sylph" gave the President was by
her efforts to biackmail him in st. Louis.
Mr.. Wilson stated, in reply to question
by one of the Committee, that he
attributed the differences between the
President and himself to the fact that the
and, so believing, he could not sympathize
with the prosecuting officers or with the
Secretary and witness in the part they
took with reference to Babcock's case.
He further stated that his own judgment
was that whatever differences arose be-
tween the Secretary and himself on one
side, and the President on the other, were
due on the Presidents part to miscon-
ception of the motives and purposes
which actuated the Secretary and witness,
to misinformation as to facts, to willful
and deliberate perversionS of facts to the
President by scoundrels whom they were
endeavoring to bring to punishment, and
their friends, for the purpose of bringing
about disagreement between the Presi-
dent and the Secretary, to create embar-
rassment to the prosecution, and, if posi-
BILE, to defeat their purpose.
VIM. o. Gavitt, Special Agent of the In
ternal Revenue Bureau, was before the com
mittee on the 1st, and testified to the effect
that Mr.. Wilson had instructed him TO go for
Bristow for the Presidency, and had given
him to understand that the policy to be pur-
sued was to be governed by that idea. Mr..
w. had said the President was backing the
movements against the whisky rings. Var
yam had also undertaken to instruct the wit
ness to work for Bristow, saying it was pol
icy to do so.
Mr.. Bangs, United States District Attorney
for the Northern District of Illinois, was
also examined on the LIST, and gave an ac-
count Of the whisky trials at Chicago. No
evidence had been disclosed which i'll the
slightest degree implicated Gen. Logan or
Mr.. Farwen in the whisky frauds.
Mr.. Wilson was further examined on the
I'd. His testimony was mostly in explana-
ton of his private papers and their subse-
quent examination by Treasury officials.
His statement is substantiated by the aft
davits of Messrs. Winslow and Dixon, private
Secretaries OF the witness, who packed the
papers. Wilson testified that he had
never had any evidence duplicating Logan
or Farwell except the statements of local
prosecuting officers that those gentlemen
were suspected. He had never himself
expressed any belief or opinion that they
were implicated, and he preferred not to
do so now. In regard to the abandonment
of the prosecution against Ward and Wads-
worth, he said that he had always firmly OPP
posed it. Mr.. Wilson directly contradicted
Gavitt, the revenue agent, who had testified
that the Solicitor had instructed him
to go for Bristow for the Presidency, and read
letter accusing Gavitt of indiscretion and
disreputable conduct whilein Illinois, on ac-
count of which he was withdrawn from that
service. Yaryan, however, admitted having
STOP" because Gavitt devoted more time to
politics than to business, while it was con-
trary to orders of both Yaryan and the Com
missioner for special agents to interfere with
politics either directly or indirectly.
The Sioux Account of the Custer
Slaughter.