The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-04-15
From Washington.
hell,

pio4'hC VI hc" sehsatiohs every gay Among
the most notable revelations during the week
J is the story Of the witness Bell IN regard tc
the maneuvres at Washington to secure Bah
cocks acquittal at St. Louis. Bells story
which is very long minute and circumstan
tial, can be summed up III Il few words BY
consent of Grant and Perrcpont he was given
an appointment rs detective at $40 month
and the business entrusted To .him was to &c
to st. LOUIS, make himself intimate with
Dyer aud others engaged in the prosecution
Of Babcock, steal all the important papers in
their hands he could lay his hands ON, and
otherwise, by fair means and toul, TO work
for Babcock's acquittal. Bell succeeded in
stealing various important papers from Dyer's
office, but Dyer was too sharp for him and
his success was limited. However, he got
hold of enough to cripple the prosecution
Bells character is none the best, but his sto
ry is corroborated by Dyer, Henderson and
Others, and there is no doubt of It's substan-
tal truth.
THE SAFE BURGLARY.
Another still bigger sensation is the unrav.
cling of the profound mystery that for two
years had hung over the famous safe burglary
business About two years ago, it will be re-
membered, Boss Shepherd was in his glory
at Washington, spending not only millions of
government money in the most reckless and
corrupt manner, but grinding the people
down with eXorbitant taxation A number
Of leading citizens, headed by Columbus
Alexander, banded themselves together to
hunt out Shepherds rascality, put a stop to
his ruinous expenditures, and bring him to
trial, like Boss Tweed. Shepherd and his
ring lecame alarmed, and contrived plan
to.head of Aleyander's citizens combination,
who were known as the "memorlalsts." The
plan was to put up job on the memorial.
lists, in this way: Harrington was Grants
district attorney, and was supposed TO have
in his safe important papers that would i'm
picate Shepherd and the ring Whitley was
at the head of the treasury detectives. Bah,
cock sent for Whitley and told him the plan
was to get up sham burglary of lIarrlng-
ton s safe The burglars were then to take
the papers to the memorialists and while in
the act of handing them over Whitley was to
have his detectives on hand TO arrest both the
burglars and memorialiss for the robbery, and
then all of them would be placed IN away to go
to the pentcntlary and Shepherd and the ring
would be etiectually rid of their enemies.
The plan was actually carried out-the safe
robbed-but Whitelys detectives made the
blunder of arresting the burglars before they
handed over their papers to the memorialsts,
and thus the main object failed Afterwards,
however, the burglars were prosecuted, bur
as they were in reality innocent and had
worked only under the instructions of White
ly Babcock and Shepherd the prosecution
against them, by indirect orders from the
White House, was dismissed. The story is
told in all its minute details by Whitley him.
self, and there is not the slightest question of
its entire truth. OF course it leaves Babcock
in a deplorable position, from which, by a
bungllng and most improbable story before
the committee next day, he valniy tried to ex-
tricate himself.
ANOTHER CORRUPTIOEIsT
Has turned up in the person Of Clapp, the
superintendent of the government printing
ogice HIS stealing was done IN very bun
Cling way, mainly by the sale Of waste paper
His sales for the last two years, according to
his own books, amounted to $4,000, and
when asked where the money was he said
it must be in the safe, but when the safe was
examined but $4,000 were found in it. He
could give no explanation of what had be-
come of the balance.
BELkSAP.
The articles of impeachment were formally
presented to the senate by the house mana
gers u week ago, but Belknap got two weeks
time 20 prepare for his trial.
MISSISSIPPI INVESTIGATION
Mortons resolution, AS amended by Chs
tancy. for an investigation of last falls cleo
ton in Mississippi, has been passed, and the
committee of five senators Are about to start
for that state. The committee are simply 10
inquire whether anybody was intimidaied in
Mississippi in that contest, and If 50, how
much. The real object of the inquiry is TO
obtain interesting narratives from iniimida-
ted Philippians, for use of the bloody shirt
section OF the presidential campaign
MISCELLANEOUS.
After a weeks delay, deficiency bill, In
GLIDING an appropriation for lighting post
office and public buildings for the remainder
OF this fiscal year, was reported in the house
on Thursday. Itmay possibly pass today.
Congress has refused TO extend the patent
for "the fourmotion feed" in sewing ma
chimes, owned by the Wheeler & Wilson and
Wilcox * Gibbs companies, which required
all other manufacturers TO pay heavy royal
ty for the use of it, This breaks up most
unjust monopoly, and promises to reduce
the price of machines before long about 80
per cent.
The committee of ways and means OF the