American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-04-22
QUE WASHINGTON LETTER
The eafo Burglary Investigations
Emancipation Day - On yelling
LiEcaln's Statue.
m our Regalar Correspondent. ]

Tolls are gradually ciOSIOB aiOuiiu
Gen. Babcock, Harrington, and
other and more prominent district
ex-oflicials. There never was Il
more elaborate and bungling con-
spiracy than that which has re-
ceived the name OF the =" Safe Bur
glary."
Over two years ago prominent
citizens of Washington, conspicu-
Gus among whom was Columbus
Alexander, were pu sizing an inves-
tigation into Boss Shepard admin
istration of district Affairs. They
had the district government by the
throat, and We're making it hot and
vigorous for it. 1t was becoming
evident that unless the investiga-
ton was paraly Zed Shepard and the
ring would soon he III a situation
a Ia Tweed. just at this iunctnre
the iron safe Of Richard Harring-
ton, Shepard's nearest friend, was
blown open by two professional
burglars, and bogus books of dis.
lrict accounts, with which UarrIng-
ton had previously stocked the
safe, were taken out, and an un-
successful effort was made to place
them in the hands of Columbus
Alexander. Let it be borne in mind
that Alexander had few days pre-
viously, during tho investigation,
expressed the opinion that certain
books of accounts produced in eyi-
dence by the Shepard ring were not
genuine, and that it was the object
of the conspirators TO make 1t ap>
pear that he (AleXander) rcsorted
TO the crime of burglary III order to
obtain what he supposed were the
genuine hooks. 1t will easily be
seen that the gentlemen who were
investigating the Shepard ring
would have been demoralIzed and
paralyzed bad tho stigma of the
burglary been fastened upon Mr..
Alexander, and the Investigation
would have been paralyzed and
foiled. The conspiracy failed of
fixing the crime upon Mr.. Alex
ander by being few hours too
late. 1t was planned to deliver the
books to him at 10 O'Clock, but the
burglar did not reach Mr.. Alexis
ander's residence until O'Clock in
the night, when he, not anticipating
anything of the kind, was asleep
so soundly asleep that repeated
ringing of the bell did not waken
him. His first knowledge of the
so called burglary was obtained
from the morning papers.
1 have endeavored thus briefly
to give an outline of this conspira
cy, emitting many interesting cpl
sodes, for recent developments
prove, as has long been suspected,
that it is Of scarcely less import
ance, in its moral and political
bearings, than the Belknap affair.
Harrington. who, it is said, has
fled to Europe, was Assistant Dis
trict Attorney at the time. lie is a
handsome young man, and pos
sessed of a shallow but brilliant
theatric style OF oratoIy. During
his trial he spoke III his own de-
Tense, concluding, amid great ap
plause, with the words: &c l am III
nocenr, SO help me God"
1t will be remembered that Har-
rington, during his trial, received
an invitation to attend q reception
at tie White House, and during
the reception was in long conversl-
ton with the President. The i'm
propriety of the chief magistrate of
a nation placing himself on a social
level with man indicted for
criminal offense did not fail to re-
ceive its comment from the press
throughout the country. And on
the other hand, the incident was
skillfully used by Harrington's law
yers as an emphatic recognition by
the President of a great nation of
the moral ard social standing of the
accused. The jury disagreed and
the suit was dismissed.
Mr. Beck, of Kentucky, made
logged efforts week after week to
have II committee of the 431 Re-
publican Congress investigate the
matter, but until Mr.. Knots com
mittee took it up, Mr.. Harrington,
aud the moro powerful men behind
him, enjoyed immunity. They are
now called to their account, and the
investigation promises to be one of
the richest in startling results that
the present Congress has taken hold
of.
L have deemed this short resume
of the much talked and written of
burglary not out of place, since it
is q matter that promises to be of
national and political Importance,
and it occurred SO long since that
many of its features are not re-
'membered.
The present Congress is every
day earning place in history for
economy and honesty. DemagouGes
like Hill, Blaine, Morton and Bout
well make spasmodic efforts TO start
new issues or to revive old ones.
Ever and anon they galvanize,
shock OF thrill with malignant re-
miniscence or gloomy augury. But
the constant, determined tenor of
the present Congress is 50 pro-
nounced for the honest, economical
administration Of the nationa, gov
ernme Mt that it will be so ceInem-
bered long after the S,Ily. frantic
oratory of these gentlemen, mingled
with the imc7ecations of thieves
and droras hurled from office, is
silent IN the land. There have been
many objections urged against the
policy of Investigations with closed
4 - LIZ . l..<N