The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-04-01

Of the guilt or innocence Of Gen. Babcocl
sent him to St. Louis to ascertain VIII
he could on the subject. Babcock ar
Luckey, knowing he was going TO S
Louis on that errand, wanted him to stei
the evidence out Of the District Alto
ney's Office in st. Louis, this he did nj
do but related their proposition 10 NJ
Dyer.
G, L. Bell, Of Jackson, Miss, testife
this morning before Mr.. Clymer's Con
mittee, that he made application for
post leadership ut Fort Davis, Texas, an
came here in June, 1872, to see Belkna
about it. he had a number Of recon
mendations from army officers, but Seer
tary Relknap told him that il be ha
known he had come to make such an al
Iplieation he would not have seen hin
Witness replied that it would take hir
very little time to get outof his ofiice, an
he then got out. This brusque treatmer
made him angry, but as be got to the wes
front Of the building, young man cam
running after him and requested him I
come back. When he returned Belkna
said rather apologetically that he wa
greatly annoyed over SO many applica
tions for post traderships. Belknap the
turned to him brusquely and asked, "Ho,
much is that position worth" He re
piled that he did not know. as il wortl
$4,000 u year?" he asked. Witness re
piled that he supposed it would bt
worth that much. "Would yoi
be willing to pay that?" Belknap asked
~ would not be willing 10 pay anything,
he responded, and then he left. Bel
stated that he did not believe the Secre
tary meant to make him an offer Of th,
post for $4,000, but thought the Secretary
attempted 10 entrap him into offering ,
bribe so he might have some reason L
decline to appoint him. Witness could
not remember that he had said to any.
body that Col. Goodiellow and Mr.. Girls
tey, the secretarys chief clerk, were
Belknap's go-betweens in post leadership
bargains.
The examination preceded as follows
Q. What business are you in now?
A. l am in the detective work, but not
at present under the government.
@. You were detective and scout for
years in Texas?
A. Yes, sir. Ihaye also been acting as
special agent Of the Internal Revenue
Department.
Q. Who appointed you?
A. Mr.. Chandler.
Q. Have you rendered any recent ser.
vice to that department?
A. None since the 10th Of February
this year.
q. Are you personally acquainted with
Afr. Chandler?
A. am.
Q. Did he appoint you in his own mo-
tion, and il not at whose solicitation?
A. The President Of the United States.
@. Are you acquainted with him per-
sonally?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How long have you know him ?
A. / have served him at intervals
since 1862.
Q. Had you his recommendation when
you went to the Secretary Of War.
A. had.
Q. Had you General Reynolds?
A. did not ask for any, but the Presi.
dents was Of such character that did
not think l needed any other.
Q. Have you got that recommendation
OF the President with you?
A. have not.
@. Can you send for it?
A, don't think can reach il at pres.
ent.
@. What time was it dated?
A. The latter part Of December, 1875.
Q. thought you said you had II with
you when you went to the Secretary OF
War?
A. l had papers from the President
then, but they did not pertain to that
matter, they were general.
Q. Then. This recommendation You
speak OF was a accommodation to the
Secretary Of the Interior to appoint you
as detective?
A. 1t did not specify that; it was gen.
eral Recommendation to give me an APP
pointment. It was on card, and think
il ran like this:
"Hon. y. Chandler:
! recommend to you the bearer, S. G.
Bell, for an appointment. He has rem
dered valuable service during the war
and since"
l know it covered one full side OF the
card and portion Of the other. l hand.
ed it the Secretary Of the Interior. l
went there day or two after 10 get it
and he could not find il, although he had
a very careful search made.
@. On that recommendation the Secre-
tary OF the Interior appointed you?
A. l suppose he did. 1 know the
President and Mr.. Luckey both spoke TO
him personally about appointing me. 1
received the appointment dated January
9th. The witness produced his appoint
mint as first-class clerk in the pension
office. He explained that there was no
such office as special agent under the In
terror Department-men acting as such
being clerks detailed for that duty.
@. What was your salary?
A. Thirteen hundred dollars year,
and three dollars per diem and travelling
expenses, agsregating about S2,l95 a
year. l entered an office on the Tth OF
January last. The best ofthe cases were
sent to me at st. Louis to be worked up
but / never worked them up.
In the cross-examination by Danford,
witness said the reason he did not 20 to
the President and tell him that Secretary
Belknap had proposed him to pay for the
post tradership, was that the Secretary
Of War weighed somewhat more than he
did and he didn't think it would do to at
tack him.
By .Clymer-Q. Under this appoint.
ment were you interested in Babcock's
case in 81. Louis?
A. No, was not.
Q. Were you sent out there to take
part in it?
A. No sir, not under this appointment,
@. Under any appointment?
A. No, sir.
Q. Were you ever employed in any
way in connection with that case?
a. Not by the Government.
Q. By whom then? Gen. BabcoCk?
A. (Hesitatingly), No, | can't say that
/ was.
q. By his counsel?
A. No, sir.
@. By anybody for him?
A. By some one acting for him-I sup.
pose acting for him-they said they were.
L was employed in November.