The Grange advance., 1876-02-23

;;,lp&Bs5nEf1 ;,l y GRANTS ;pFFqsl2lQBS:>
interesting Extracts Regarding Bab-
cock aud the Ring.
President Grants deposition in the
Babcock case is very lengthy. He was
first examined BY Mr.. Cook, one of Bah
cocks attorneys, and after stating that
he had known Babcock since 1868, and
explaining the confidential position which
he (Babcock) held in the White House
the following salient points were develop.
ed: #
@. Are you acquainted with the
general reputation Of General Babcock in
the city where he now lives, in the places
where he has lived among his associates
and acquaintances, in the army and else.
where, for honesty and integrity! A. I
suppose that might say have been &C.
quainted with his general reputation in
the army and where he is known, where
he has lived. Elsewhere / do not know
anything about it, but I suppose myself
to be acquainted with the reputation he
has in the army and in this city.
@. Now state, if you please, what his
general reputation is, and has been. A.
I have always supposed it to be good. If
twelve years intimate association with
a man gives one an opportunity Of judg.
ing what otherspeople think Of him I
certainly have had good opportunity,
not only Of knowing his character my
self, but Of knowing the reputation he
sustains.
Q. And from those opportunities
what has been his reputation. a. Good.
The question then turned upon the
appointment of Mcguire as collector at
St. Louis, vice Ford, deceased, the Presi.
dent testifying that Mcguire was ap-
pointed upon the recommendation Of
Ford's bondsmen and that Babcock did
not urge it.
@. Did Gen. Babcock, so far as you
know, ever seek in any way to influence
your action with reference to any inves.
tigation Of alleged whisky frauds in St.
Louis or elsewhere? A. He did not.
Possibly, might state right here, that I
remember but one instance of his ever
talking to me at all about the matter Of
the investigations, except since he has
been indicted, and then it was simply to
say to me that he had asked Mr.. Doug
lass why it was that they threatened all
the officials. as though they were dishon.
est persons, by sending spies to watch
them, and asking them why they could
not make inspections somewhat as they
do in the army-send man Of character
into their distilleries and take their books
and make report that could be relied
upon-and believe that he simply told me
that he had said this to Mr.. Douglass.
Q. If I understand you correctly, Gen.
Babcock's conception was that in making
the investigation it would be wiser to have
it done by men Of superior character than
by men Of inferior and suspicious charac.
ter? A. Yes.
@. Do you remember the circumstance
of Gen. McDonald's being in the city of
Washington on the 7th of December,
1874? A. I do not remember the partic-
ular date. l remember the time in ques-
ton.
Q. Did you ride with him on or about
that date or occasion, and was anything
said then by him to you with reference to
the investigation of alleged frauds in his
district? A. did pick him up on the
sidewalk, as was taking a drive, and in
vited him to get in and drive with me. I
have no recollection Of single word of
conversation on any matter touching his
official position or business.
@. Do you remember the circum-
stances of the promulgation Of an order
transferring the various supervisors from
their own to other districts? A. I do.
Q. State fully with whom the idea
upon which that order was based, origin
ated, and the particulars of reasons which
induced you to direct it. A. Some time
while Mr.. Richardson was Secretary Of
the Treasury, / think-at all events be.
fore MIR. Bristow became Secretary of the
Treasury-Mr. Douglass expressed the
idea to me that it would be good plan
to occasionally change the supervisors
around from one district to another, and
l expressed myself favorably to it; but
it was not done then, and not thought Of
any more by me, but when it became
pretty evident that the treasury was
being defrauded of portion Of the
revenue that it should receive from
the distillation of spirits in the west, Sec
retary Bristow called on me and made a
general statement of his suspicious, and I
then suggested to him this idea. On
that suggestion the order making these
transfers of"supervisors was made. At
that time did not understand that there
was any suspicion at all of the officials,
bat knew that each one Of the officials
had his own way Of transacting his buis-