The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-12
HARRINGT0N'S CONFESSION
MAKING SCAPEGOAT HIMSELF
TO SHIELD ms FRIENDS.


Declaring that no Alone IL Responsible for
the safe burglary Conspiracy Facts that
Point to tue Real Authors OF the Plot.
WASHINGTON, April 11.-Dick IIar rington
has confessed substantially that ho alone ia
responsible for the riot TO inJure Columbus
Alexander by the safe burglary robbery. As
| Harrington spent several thousand dollars in
| paying the parties employed for their services,
his story is not believed, and his Spartan resolu
ton to shield Shepherd, Kilbourn, Evans, and
others will not succeed. lie told Alexander
that the affair had ruined him in every way,
and implored him not to prosecute min
further, but to remember his family and his re-
lations. Alexander replied that he Qlarrington)
did not take Alexander's reputation into con.
sideration when nc devised the devilish con-
splracy, nor did he cure whether Alexander went
TO the penitentiary 10y the conspiracy. lie adj
vlsed Harrington, therefore, not to make a scape-
goat Of himself any longer, but tell who he was
trying to serve when he got Whitley and his gang
70 put up tue dannable job To blast his reputa-
ton. Harrington protested that MIR. Alexander
wrongly accused those rites N he referred to
Snepnerd, kubOurn, and Evans.
Nevertheless. It has been escertalned that
eAtly IN the evening OF the night Of the safe
turSlry Harrington In search OF Tom
shepherd, who. II has always been claimed, acct
uentaliv fell In with tue Superintendent OF IO-
nee and detectives while the safe being
IoObcd. Memor1ndums made by prominent
parties here in Washington for Netteship's
guidance were copied by Ncttleshp and then
torn up IN the presence Of the writer, and the
scraps thrown into the waste basket These
scraps Nettleship secured, pasted together, aud
atill has them IN his possession; 40 that these
papers will appear to accuse parties VINO have
all along Thought themselves safe from impica-
ION rive daNs before ths robbery something
convincing him that Mike Hays and his
pal, who up To that time pretended they
could secure valuable evidence. were not all
right he name OF the ptrty VINO was to bring
the books was given as Butler, and the same
night the incident and name OF the party were
mmunicated to CONGRESSMAN Wilson, VINO
was on the investigatinx committee then prying
INTO the doings OF the shepherd Ring. THIS
Butler was supposed to be John NJ butler, now
clerk OF tue Keal Estate Pool COMMITTEES, and
ne was summoned. His examination took place
hNe days before the rohhery. lie was surprised
AT the questions asked bim a. to what the ma
ture 81 tue testimony was In the books he pro-
posed To get, aud his nswer was Ms astonishing
To wilson a. the question had been TO the nno-
cent witness. Two Of the questions we're:
Jon q b. E sab c 6so or n y2a E9sw
q You have no information at AL on that subj ct
A.-NO, siri none whatever.
Other questions followed and Mr.. Wilson
wondered why he had been mised, ana the wit
ness was cOnfounded that he should be asked
such questions. Harrington tumbed to the
mistake at once and saw that the plot 70 eaten
Alexahder was certainly suspected, or such
questions would never have been asked a man
by the name Of Butler. 1t was necessary. there
Tore. to hasten the Job before the plot was
wholly discovered and tho plan de Gated, and
on the night OF the following "Wednesday the
books were taken by the burglar Benton and
carried to AleXander's house.
Between the 18th Of April and the night Of the
ROBBERY none OF the parties In tue employ Of
BdocOck aud Harrington called at AleNaudet's
house The Jou, as has already been stated. Was
To havo been completed by 10 o'clock. which
would have found Alex nder and his friends
in mis- ofice. lie would undoubtedly have
received the book, and while he and his me-
mntialist friends were examining the books Ben
ton was To nave escaped, anu all the zeal Of the
conspirator, II HARRINGTON. and tho detectives was
10 nave centred on the house, into which they
were u enter pell nell and discover Alexander |
IN possession OF the stolen property 1t mas Of 40
consequence what the books were 80 long as the |
chafge Of collision with burglars could be estao-
llshed. The important fact Yet To be established
Judicialy, though already known, Ia another |
confession OF Harrington OF far IN ore Importance
than any Yet referred to, that will convict him
bevond a doubt, and Is regarded by those who
know the points as damning to Harrington.
Whitley says that MS position has been that Of
samson between two columns He knew by
pulling down Babcock and Harrington ne must
necessarily suffer himself for completely in the