Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-02-17
BABCOCK.
First Day for the Defense-Speech OF
Ex.AttOrney-GeneraI Williams, of
Landaulet Fame.
The High Character of the Presidents
Private Secretary Testified 10 by
Leading Officers of the
Government Etc.

| upon tie opening OF the OnlIeu 6tates
circuit court this morning eX-Attorney-
General Williams arose ana addressed
the jury, opening the defense Of General
Babcock. The courtroom was thTonged,
the greater portion OF the audience be-
ing attorneys. Very few OF the govern
meDt witnesses were present, the most
OF those from Washington having been
discharged from service and allowed to
leave the city. General Williams de-
voted cons.d -rabla time to an argument
OF tie probabilities in the case, and 10
criticism Of the evidsL ce r the govern
ment. Assuming that what the gov
ernment hsd presented was competent
evidence, which was by no means ad-
mitted, General Williams said the case
might present some su'piciOUs ciFcum.
stances, but by no means the ground
on which to base a conviction. He
then proceeded with some explanations
which would throw 8 different light
upon the communications between
Bsbcock and the ring. AT that
time, he said, Joyce and M'Douaid were
trusted officials men CT influence and
possessing confidence with good people.
Babcock, on the other hand, Was
warm. hearted, confiding, generous man,
who did not give up friendship once
cementsd for the whispers Of calLmny.
Everything presented by the defense
was incomplete and could not but leave
painful uncertainty in every mind SIS
to whether ii was 10 convey q proper
suspicion, or to simply Indicate weak
ness ofthe judgment, TO which every one
was liable. The quaLtity of tbs kind
OF evidence, SAID General Williams,
svails nothing. A house Is made Of
bricks, bat q million OF bricks, scattered
over an acre of ground, does not make
house auy more than two bricks do.
General Williams then traced BabcOck's
military career from West Point, which
he euiogizeG as place where honor and
honesty were inculcated, and where
thieves and robbers were not educated.
He told of the defendants service in the
late war and how he rose to be chief of
engineers in the Ninth army corps and
afGerWaVd TO bs aid to Lieutenant Gem
eral Grant, with the rank of brevet brig
sdier-general. A good deal of attention
was given to General BabcOck's rela-
tions to the President, and to the trust
and confidence repOsed in him as pri-
vsts secretary to the President. In one
sense, General Williams said, he became
a pSrG OF the Executive; his official de-
IiLqusncies would mole or less reflect
upon AID degrade the chief executive Of
the nation; no ingr2titude would be SO
black as his if he would bring dishonor
on one who had put such confidence in
him.
While explaining some Of the tee
grams between Babc0ck and Joyce and
M'Donald, the speaker referred espe-
cialiy to the "5yIph" dispatch, and
called it the pivotal point OF the prose-
cution. II Bsbcock sent that telegram
for any criminal purpose, he took tke
Very curse to prove that purpose, be-
cause il he had sent that telegram over
his own name much of its significance
would have been lost; yet he sent it in
his own handwriting, leaving the proof
that he sent it easy to procure. The
"SyIph" signature was a mere act of
thoughtless less or playfulness, of which
all OF us are guilty a. some time or
another. The speaker then reviewed
seriatHna all the other telegraus and
correspondence in the evidence for the
prosecution, and said the testimony OF
Everest shows another trick of Joyce.
He did not pisce the letter privately In
the postoffice as was natural for 8 GRIM
insl to act, but he got one thousand del
lars paraSed, and envelopes addressed
to BsbcOck and Avery, and pretended
to put money in each and sent them by
Evertss 10 mail. This was only
damnable trick Of desperate villisn to
convince the distillers, through Everest,
OF their security. That no money was
sent to B Abcock would be proved to the
satisfaction If the jury before the case
was closed. The whole case shows, aud
will soon show far mora plainly, that an
attempt was made 10 sacrifice Bahcock.
AS to the order of the President re-
Voking the order to transfer supervisors
and revenue sgentF, it will b3 proved
that this revocation was ordered In the
presence and through the representa-
tions ard influence OF Supervisor Full
ton. General Williams closed with
quite brilliant perorstion, in which he
asked justice of toe jury, not mercy, and
LrUs ed that their verdict would be u tIi-
umphal acquittsl. General A. A Hum
phreys, chief Of the engineer corps of
the United States army; D. w. Mahon,
first officer OF the treasury of the United
States; J. g. Barrett, ex m ayor and ex-
postmaster OF Washington city; Gem
eral N. b Banks, member of congress
for Massachusetts,; A. P. Fulton,
supervisor OF internal revenue
If the States of Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and
the District Of Columbia; all testified TO
the good character OF General Babcock-
the after sus ainirg the tes'iUCny Of
President Grant-that General B ibcock
had nothing to do with the revocation
OF the order tran sferr;ng revenue agents
and supervisors. Telegraph and postal
clerks we're then put upon the stand and
examined as to the kilograms and letters
sent to and by General Babccck. A
great many letters by Bixby, the revenue
a gent, to G. B. Bingham, at Indisnapo-
lis, were then put in evidence to show
that Bsbc5ck was not in any way re-
sponsible for the removal or change of
the revenue officers. Adjourned.
RAY FOR Bah
WASHINGTON, February 16.-Colonel
Cook, of General Babc0ck's counsel,
STATED to. d ~ that he had received tel
egram from st. Louis announcing that
the general opinion was that the gov
ernment's case was failure, and that
the evidence was not sufficient to con-
vict. Colonel Cook was at the White
House to-day, and informed the Presi-
dent Of the contents of the telegram.
Devil of n Case.
hOSDONJ r6UIuaIy 4O.- 4H6 JUDICIAL
committee Of the privy council to-day
decided the cass of Jenkins sgainst
Cook appealed from Arches court at
Canterbury in favor of Jenkins. Jenk-
ins had denied the personality OF Satan,
and Rev. Mr.. Cook thereupOn refused to
administer the gacrements. Jenkins
instituted suit in court; and the curt
sustain ell Mr.. Cook. The judicial ccm.
mittee, however, condemned Cook to
pay ali costs and admonished him not
TO refuse to administer sacTsmcnts to
Jenkins.
Erie Railroad Enterprise.
CHICAGO February 16 1t is under
stood that the Erie rsiltOad has lately
competed a contract that by the frat OF
May third rail will be laid on its line
between toe suspension bridge, Buffalo
and Wsvsriy, connecting the Michigan
apd / Oh