New-York tribune., 1876-04-08

BEFORE 1hf S'"'4i'N
IIAMs TO BE CALLED
fay TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE'I
WASHINGTON. April THE true story OF INC IN; Dl?-
.r;c+ fof Columbia safe-burgary, whereby ~
nation of rascals sought, by the couiiii'NSJT
crime 10 ruin the character OF geh'ic'i'a" -
49,, conspicnous in making known Their d,Shoi'S'
peeh 90 reoch the public. There has
never been within reasonable memory '":o ~
-. "a r,,s+erv. Ii surpasses the most intricate
v 49, o,d in its conception and ramincatlohs IL
- most wonderful cases known In hls'ory'
- 80. a. ,lot were embraced some very mgh locaI
- ,o,iopal officers and beside them, worhlns manu-
g. bopd were convicted thieves house-oreakeIs'
r,rrors and outcasts all seeking one ooJec~ Tic
,l;syrace and conviction Of one man. Inc STORY ID
N Iu-, Columbus Alexander, an old ana re-
snocted citizen of the City of Washington, had been
COO rrominent in opposing the old DISTRICT hihg al"
=. fr;e,ds His disgrace was Sought ana pioI W
i,,licate him IN robbery was devised. Inc saie
I tho Assistant District Attorneys Otice was 10 DC
lbod and the documents and papers were 10 oe
dl;,ored 70 Alexander. and he was to be arrested
T;+h the papers in his possession, tired ana con-
icted and sent to the penitentary Inc piot hhscar
- Trereol burglars were discovered, put upon
,bcir trial jury packed disagreement ioiio"lhF'
and finally q discontinuance of the trlals was
,r1a
states TIE combination TO dispose OF TINS one
-, of the old regime reached in its line OF
.rot;ves from the lowest grade of house-hrtakero
90 tho official family Of the President of the United
c+otes The officers of the Government, unuer tEc
le.dof one who was sheltered by The White House,
leptthemsclves TO plot torob aCoyernmehtS&de"
swear the robbery on defenseless private clt2ehe
Government paying the whole bill. For years th'ie
has been a well l-rounded conviction IN the minus oi
tbe pcople that the mel under trial for the CRIME
were guilty in themselves, but that the Inspiration
Of the crime had higher origin, reaching ABOVE
detectives secret service men, and assistant dls'ivV
attorneys: but evidence was not at hand to cstab-
lisb the facts What was lacking then Is now al
hand.
A subcommittee Of the Judiciary Commit &c OF
the House. consisting Of Mcssrs. Knott, huNd ana
Lawrence has had thesubjec ectunderiny5 sigalcn tCr
several days, and to-day struck something eN"''ah-
tal. H. c. Whitley, late Chief of the Secret Service
Division of the Treasury Department, was indicted
with Harrington, ex-Assistant District-AttOrney,
and some others. for the burglary conspiracy.
The evidence was very strong against all bat tho
iurv failed to agree. ThereupOn Attorney General
Williams stopped the prosecution. Whitley was
examined by the Committee to-day, and Tor three
hours gave the history of the conspiracy
and the manner of carrying it ont. His
testimony, if true, cOnvcts Gen. o. L. ia5cocF,
late private secretary to the President, Of having
gwen the first orders that set the conspiracy at
work and Of having had knowledge and certain
participation in il TO the end. Whitley testified
that Gen. Babcock sent for him, and in his own
house DEVELOPED the service he was expected to per-
form The particulars were not discussed at any
length, but Gen. Babcock directed Col. Whitley to
90 to Assistant Di,tTict-Attorney Harrington, from
whom he would get specific directions. This was
the beginning OF the famous conspiracy Col.
Whitley said he had nothing to do except obey the
orders from the White House. He and Mr. H&IIlhg-
ton with the assistance of certain employees IN the
secret service division and some professional raSchs
organized the conspiracy. He was ail the time
assured of the support and protection Of The whole
Administration and ho vent on with the JOB in the
same way in which he would obey orders on any
Other duty. When the conspiracy failed and his
safety was endangered he had frequent conferences
with Mr.. Harrington in gard to getting out of it.
He saw Gen. BaLcock rarely On one occasion after
the failure of the rObbing he saw Gen. BaDcock,
who told him that be and MIR. Harrington bad
made o very bungling job of 1t. After
Mr.. HariDgtOn's trial began, or shortly before, an
arrangement was suggested by which il was thought
they could get free. This was to be accomplished
through Nh Harrington, by the packing Of iGries
and other management with the wayo Of which he
was familiar on account Of his position IN the court
Three men were to be indicted, Mr.. Harrington, Col.
Whitley and Summervlle, the New-York lawyer,
whose name viii be remembered by those familiar
with the case at the time The tral was TO be post
ponod and set aside on one prctense or another and
this was done until finally by some trick OF other
they were to be dismissed or got rid Of. Col Whitley
now thinks il was Mr.. HaTrngton's plan 70 kee the
case along until the statute OF limitation could be
taken advantage Of for himself and thon at tho last
moment turn in and convict Col. Whitley.
When Auorey-General Williams dismissed Mr.
Biddle. the Government counsel, from the cases
after the disagreement of the jury, sr. Riddle man
Tested great deal of surprise. Upon this Judge
Williams intimated in actions stronger than words
that he had orders from the White House The ex-
Acknowledgement VIII be called before the Commit
tee and it need not surprise the members if he tells
them that Gen. Babcock brought linn the verbal
order puip0rting to come from tho President, AID
that he acted on The order. II this should
prove to be the case it will probably be
shown that that was another case wherein Gen.
Babcock assumed to act for the President without
bis knowledge or consent, and on matter Of which
The President knew nothing. Mr. SummeTyillo IS
now in Washington, and also ex-SOiicitor Banfeld,
who vas directly responsible for the secret service
division. Col Whitley did not implcate Mr.. Ban
field, although it is difficult to how the whole
se,rt service Of the Department could be used in
the safe burglary case without his knowledge. A
large number Of witnesses will be summoned, aud
this investigation promises to produce more start
ling revelations than any row in progress.
Splendid NAME ATTACKED