New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-08-03
GARDNER's AND TUrToNs TESTIMONY

lGENLKAL PRESS DIsrATCHI
WASHINGTON, Aug. Tile subcommittee which
is investigating the conduct of the whisky fraud
trials took the testimony of Col. Asa Bird Gardner
this afternoon. The proceedings IN committee were
as follows:
Mr. Plaised called the attention OF tie witness to the
following extract from Bluford Wilson's testimony:
On sunday night Feb ~ sta were submitted
TO the President of the United states, by winch II a-
reared tit Oryc f. BabcUck. private secretary OF the
President had been engaged in the Black Friday gold
transactiDu that he and Others had lost ~ thdl trans
sciion Id OOO flat the money was lost JAY Cooke
Co: That 40 make good his own loss and HAT ~ his
associates, Gen. BaDcUck made tis. dvd OF ms prop
erty creating asa Bgd Gardncr o.. west Pom ->''p''-
0uently tho Judge-Adyocate Of TIE Mm'aIy court OF
Inquiry NJ CEicag0-his trustee. .
Inc with. ss-I was in the recruiting service IN New
York III the Winter Of ls6s60. when matter OF p2-
likeness attended TO real estate TRANSACTION Tor COL
Babcoc6 DO not tbiuk had guy letter % COmman.cd-
ton from him for three four years before the ordering
feld I8%in" Lnowlelge Of real estate hat furnished
such infonnation- To officers o. tme army as ena.
bed them to invest IN j.; Ia l70J fIeslurht G.'ht
Col Babcock bought piece Of pIopery which I%i De,h
offered Inn FOR $500 acted as trustee, IS bal IL"
other army Otc in real estate transact ols, bt re
celved commission for doing SO; when Col Babcock
paid for TIE property Geed WIS given 10 Lin. ana lie
afterward disposed OF the property 10 Nj Holmes; jAe
property was originally owned ~ john Ogcrs; u Was
not convenient Tor Gen. Buticrield to purchase tine
property, and the desdOlches5 o. me Investment WIS
mentioned 10 Col BabcOck with tie results ABOVE men
toned the l2th Of February 800 the first p1y meut
the property 5000, Was mad" Dl Zen BuJtfAed ~"
Col Babcock: IL at Butt,rdC.ds request tnat iE'
property first decided to me- not Is trustee ont aOs1
iutey. bat a.trrward decided 10 BabcOck by me- wa
attending business for Gen P0rer at the time
that gentleman having purchased Two lots IN The same
locality "a Coz. BdbcOckS property.
Representative yochraue--Do You know Thetbcr Coz.
BaDcOck ever nd dollar for the property a NoI Oh
my own knowledge. 49,
O Did you negotiate mortgage on TIE property win
The banki \. Gen. Buttereld negotiated with tie bank
for - OOO the property purchased with the unci-
standing that BabcCck should have 10 most Of The arrange
mcnt was made by Cen Buterfed, WITH whom Wa 81,
duty at TIE time am quite certain thai Gen ButcilrII
spoke to me prelninay about advancing nOGcy una.
money should be received from Gen. BaDCDck am also
quite positive that BaDcock pau purchase money
know this ONLY from impressions ana cJENeIsaGOnS IN a
letter BabcOck thanked for tht friendly pilt lad
taken In the transaction which, ao between BaDcOcE ana
myself, was OF honor
could say either Porter or BbcOch paid one copper
ana he answered that he had knowledge derived from
memoranda which state that they sent dfait To Cen
Butteied for $1,000. The witness was Ie!nlhued by
Representative Clover that he mad said nc was rot vel
enough acquainted with BaDcOck ana Porter 10 haV'
drafts sent by them To him. and was asked now ~ We"
OF this statement, witness ntristed Win Their fca
well known IN the army, ana TINS entire TRANSACTION
without ordinary safeguards, was purely based on u
Confidence Porter and B1bcOck had ia I'm as an Oiucc
and gentleman Being closely inicriogdted as To ~"
Bu;,creld became mixed up all the Time III ines" idhs
actions, witness said that ButtcriIed WAS warm
personal friend Of those gentlemen ANA was desrou' o
dong them Kindness ana therefore he assisted them III
TUITION AGAINST IMMUNITY.
Alex P. Tuition Collector Of the Port of Philadelphia
and formerly Supervisor Of Internal Revenue, es;hLc
iLat while in the latter position he was transferred e
Chicago In May last He went tter under instructions
TO seize certain distleres, having organized force fol
that pnpose, and account OF the proceedings t.
that end
Dit PiaiS;cd asked whether Gen Henderson, in his Id
dress before The court al st. Louis took 10 cen
sure tue Ilesldent Tor cOuntcgnang the order Chaug
Ing localities OF SUPERVISORS ana Say TINS WAS done
the benefit Of Gen Babcock.
Dir. Tuition answered he satisfied that Gen Bah
cock had nothing 10 do with the matter changing ire
Presidents mind as TO cOuuternaudiu the ordcr t,e
had conversation with Mr. Dexter one OF the srecia
counsel In the whisky cases. who said that tin. Cavern
frauds who should testify Toe witness asked Nh Dex
ter whom he meant by the Government, when he re died
Secretary EistOw, solicitor Wilson, aud COnMis
lTat" Tho witness said 10 Mr. Dexter that there usi
be some mistake 10 Secretary BrisOw who iud-iup
from previous conversations Wh him. could not have
promised such immunity. He therefore tc!cgga hcI IL
the secretary the Boob OF January last that certain
persons were TO plead guilty the next day. with the
OCFsdGS that they not To ne sentenced protested
against immunity being granted to any gully parties
and SAID II you do approve OF these gencu
or bargains telegraph me at once" Al the time
nj WashDurn sent similar telegram 10 Solicitor Wilson
The next morning at9 o'clock witness went to h,
DlstiictAIt0lney's 0nlee, and found there Messr5
Dexter, Aver and BOutcle, the special counsel. Col
rector webster ana supervisor Matthews were ais.
present: The witness Informed them that he was vel
eusned mat the Secretary was opposed immunity {,
whisky thieves, and that he tclegraphed him in!Oma
on OF what mad been done ME- Dexter again stated thai
tno bargain was made with the assent the prOpe
authorities, and also said 1t seemed such an Important
SiA,.er th;d he was not altogether satisfied with wha
Ao tateh pace between Solicitor Wilson and himself