The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-03


! friend and TO Mr.. Robinson for examination. When
the examination was made was present They con.
tanned what always supposed they did-my original
office drafts OF my operations against the WhisKcy
Ring, the safe burglary and some other matters OF
highly confidential and private character, which
thought then and still think the administration was
quite as much concerned keeping secret as was,
and that was really tho reason why Suggested that
the boxes be examined by the Presidents private
Secretary ana GeLcral Wilson
The Barnard letter also found by myself as tho
gen temen who were making the search had over
looked It, being marked 'prvate and confidential
on tho outside which is doubtless III" reason why II
was overlooked by the youpg man who did tho pack
The question as to whether l should have the
originals or carefully prepared copy that had been
prepared under my instructions by Mr. winsow and
left On the official llcs the Official record sub
mitted to the Secretary of the Treasury,
or the other lie thought had better
official copies be turned q fur
Their copy OF them could be made for uso OF the de-
I partment This was entirely satisfactory to me- !
have never yet however, received the copies, but
wish to add afnaavi,s of McssrS winslow and
AFFIDAVIT OF MR.. WILLOW
wAsnryGToS July q, 1875
IT for e S nS
relating detection prosecution Of frauds the
s .h uo os piia
tni as..sa 10 and % wsn S him. Which,
however contained vai"aSis ino,la.,iOs on general
the Of this rosod and oSs TO-
The correspondence to present Consecutive and in;
prosecution In the part Of June added
@ since copy Mach an 'e tie on dy ans
Immediately prior to The departure of Major wis ss
from the copied aforesaid and place among his
ais, nunbsr Of semonic.l letters ,eerrams which
On Ss ss The h p.ens
these papers, together with such letters AS. from
.s ss Dxe ss''-f4 ssss sy'sy
after !. concerned can say that no document was in
Guided wiz, knowledge ana sonssn, smong the personal
classes above described Of which did not
n '' 70 aforesaid "Sf coS occupied
% paen hs s"s so n ss s s
no personal knowledge individual characser Of
any paper '''d " the boxes es
ihaye read Tie ioreoing and fully concur in tho same
and belief. j. 4. DIXON
sworn and subscribed before this 9th day July,
BY Mr.. Cochrane- What were these private letters
and papers VIII CHI you spoke of few moments agoy A.
must decline To answer that question.
q. Did they have any bearing in any way on the
whiskey trals9 A. They did; series of papers had
direct bearing the whiskcy prosecutions; another
of papers had reference altogether different
subject; to Cabinet officer.
q DO yon not feel at liberty TO give statement OF
their bearing on whiskcy transactionsy A. went as
far in that direction in my examination last Friday as
fairly and justly could IN view OF the position as
sumed by the Secretary of tho Treasury and tho Pres
dent
your supposed privilege? A DO
@ But you thought that these papers were Of suf
fcieniy private character to necessate the presence
Of President Grants one Of the examiners A.
Oh not especially. ! mentioned him because
thought that he would at once and appreciate the
, highly confidential character of the papers
| q (By Mr. paisted) Who the mutual friend
who examined the papers with you and Robinsony A.
My brother, Genera Wilson
@ DO you feel that the letter OF the President to
Secretary Brisow, relieving him Of all obligations Of
secresy applied to all subordnaics OF the Secretary AS
4 |
doubt that such the Presidents purpose but he
did not express himself in his letter
q. DO you feel that any construction of that
letter would include all subordinates Of Secretary Bris
tow9 a. Yes mat was my warrant partly in testify
ing as fully as did last Friday.
BLACK FRIDAY TRANSACTIONS
By Mr.. Cochrane-ln your examination last Friday
you stated that President Grant had become satisfied,
from iac,s submitted to him. that General Babcock,
who was then on his way from ST. LOUIS to Washing.
ton. had been implicated in Black Friday gold specua-
lions State FULLY and in detail any facts within your
knowledge bearing that mattcrY A. To that have
bearing On tina, question WERE believe submitted to
His Excecncy the President and left IN his possession.
| They the best ience of their contents.
q Have You knowledge of the contents Of those
By Mr. Plas,ed-Personal knowledgcY A. | have
personal knowledge OF their contents.
BY MIR. Cochrane-Did you sec the papers? A did
O. Did the President state to you what they con-
tanned? A. He has not made any statement to me In
reference 10 them.
O. Did the Secretary Of the Treasury state to YOU
what they contained? A. decline go any further
in answer to that question than went my cxanina-
ton The other day and call attention TO the state
ncnt which have just made that the papers them
selves The best evidence of their contents.
. understand you to say that the Presidcn: OF the
United States had in his possession papers proving
that General Babeock was connected with Black Friday
gold speculations
Mr. Paisted objected to the word s'proving"
The witness-l have said that have satisfactory in
formation that papers are understood to establish that
fact; whatever papers exist delivered into the
hands Of the President on the morning Of the 21st 22d
23l OF February.
Mr.. Plastcd- Do you know that General Babcock
at St. domingo during the Back Friday specula-
tons? A. No, do not know anything about whcro he
rHE ANONYMOUS LETTER SCANDAL
Mr.. Cochraue-ln the Cincinnati Daily Gazette Of
Monday. July 81, 1876 see the following statement
Some weeks before Attorney General Williams was re-
and showed hun part ., ~ ananym"Ss letter which he had
the Of the rens arms sales that as he WAS well
hguns in the affair and the writer he bel
hp woman also ~s ssnas the IDENTITY ct
Solicitor Wilson shend atiemp, through the Secret
undertook the work made private report t, tho
OF he . on ns ss which the rss
OF Ar. wilson i showed that OF similar style
in the Cabinet families making char es np""
Specific charges preferred ssinss the President ina
The destroy the Navy Department
promise the secretary. s,atcments were Also made
L, To-, him about hi, family aud nh the whole Sc
Acquaintance with inside CaSinc, affairs relations to
excite General interest among those OF the inquiry
in 70 its results The letters Hli printed
close INSPECTION under light showed that they had
been "a inc hand ii the in forming
forgotten for the moment the
that these words bad been linked
hand and the style ofetters been somewhat changed
! thereby These slight changes. which uniform in
,aons letters led the that the retouchn
been Colonel whelcy exchief OF the
Division. who. which had been
understand had after he removed. given
piorment by Mr. Williams tn. step the dsccv
the author of the nc handwriting The pcremporv
% o General followed II
wilson attempted steal papers Wilson's friends will
PROBABLY continue their description of those which he
cliEed to leave for the iss of the department.
The question desire TO ask YOU this:-You have
stated That there were certain private papers contanod
IN t..ai box which Tie. ! desire to ask YOU
whether tie papers mentioned in thai article
tanned Ia that BOX. and were on nley A. To that
rsinnn To xiA,