The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-04-13
HOW RJIuJygS WAS APPOINTED.


HOW BILLINGS WAS APPOINTED.
The whole country was shocked when
the President appointed v. q. 'illings
United States District Judge for the DIS
trict OF Louisiana. and disgusteh Wheh
the Senate confirmed the scandalols az
pontmeut. The Infamous character ot
Billings was well known in every state
Of tho Union, and his connection with
Durell and his participation IN
that worthy's great crime against
Louisiana were household stories.
II was difficult to understand
tho shameful action Of tho President IN
making such an appointment, and there
wcro whisperings abroad Of corrupt in
fIuenccs having becn used. Col. Geo.
Williamson. the present Minister to
Central America, and the Republican IN
Louisiana who most commands the con
ndence and respect Of the people. was
an applicant for tho vacant District
.Iujpeshi,. He visited the President in
Washington. and on his return to New
Orleans. and subsequently TO his home
in Caddo. no told his friends here and
there that his appointment was assured.
We arc aware Of the fact that while
IN Shreveport he was daily anticipating
his appointment Instead Of William
son. however. the President gave M
Billings. and the reason Of it. unintel-
ligible then, Is very clear now.
Billings was appointed Mt tho instiga-
| ton OF ring organized to obtain his
appointment, the chief members OF
which were West. Babcock and Porter.
While the appointment was pending,
and when il was generally believed that
| Williamson would receive it, Billings
approached Jim Casey and proposed to
put up forty five thousand dollars Tor
| the appointment. His proposition
| was that Casey should receive fifteen
| thousand dollars West like sum. and
| that fifteen thousand should be divided
| between Babcock and Porter. in con
sicleration for this money tho quartette
| we're to influence the President to
make the appointment and the Senate
| to confirm it. The investigation bust
ness was just then being talked about,
and Casey. irrnsolute himself, submitted
the proposition TO Babcock and Porter.
This pair Immediately jumped at the
proposition: but Casey hesitated still.
and they parted without coming to an
understanding. At one o'clock that
night Babcock and Porter, eager TO en-
gage in the dirty business, visited
Casey at his room, and vehemently
urged him to close the compact with
Billings for tho $4,000. affirming that
they were certain they could have the
appointment made. Casey. however
finally declined to have anything to dc
with the matter He told them he had
good thing in New Orleans and did
not care to run the risk of engaging in
SO unsafe business. Nevertheless
| the appointment was subsequently
made, and there can be no doubt that il
was paid for and that it was obtained
by ring of which Babcock, West and
Porter were the leading spirits
Whether the whole sum of $4,000 was
given TO Babcock. West and Porter. OF
whether Casey's refusal to be q party t.
the transaction saved Billings iifteer
thousand dollars. our Information is not
thorough enough to enable us to state
But all tho facts OF the case can BE-
made perfectly clear and satisfactory t
a committee Of investigation. as the
evidence Is ut hand.
There is not the shadow OF doubt
that the purpose Of the President was f
appoint Williamson to the District
Judgeship, and that Billings bought
up tho Presidents favoritcs for $500
or some other large sum. Corroborativt
Of our statement is tho fact that, while
the appointment Of DuIell's successor
was still I'm doubt. prominent con
sentative Republican member Of the
New Orleans bar approached one OF the
leaders of the party here to solicit his
influence in obtaining the appointment
and the Radical chief very candidly
told him that his chances for obtaining
the judgeship depended entirely upon
how much money he was able OF willing
to put up on it.
Tho remarkable statement we have
made in this article is. beyond question
literally true and it can and will be
established to the satisfaction of any
honest committee appointed to investi
gate the matter. The evidence can be