The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-03-08
THE NEXT.
AGAINST PIERRE
PONP.
A Damaging Accusation that he
Played the People False in
the BabcOck Trial.
GONE TO MEET BELKNAP.

THE CASE AGAINST THE ATTORNEY GEN.
ERAL-DID HE BErRAY DYER-soLICIroR
wilson's DEFENsE-JEALoUsY TOWARDS
BRIsTow-A SERIOUS MATTER.
ST. LOUIS, March 4.-The Times to-
morrow will publish somewhat lengthy
statement of what purports to be part of
the secret history of the whisky ring
prosecutions here, and especially the Bah
cock trial. Il a. seris that although Gen.
Pierrepout was very active and jealous in
the prosecution until Babcock was indicted
when his ardor cooled, and he began TO
use his influence and the power of his
office to save that gentleman. With this
Wow, 1t is asserted, the attorney general
sent for District Attorney Dyer to come to
Washington. Dyer went, and while there
was very important, and even
necessary, that he, IS the head OF
tie department of justice, should know
what the prosecution would be In the
Babcock case, obtained from, him by the
gros sest and most inexcusable hypocrisy,
detailed statement of all the oral testi-
mouy against Babcock, the whole plan OF
the prosecution, what he in-
the order in which he intended to present
he evidence, etc. This information, it Is
alleged, Pierrepont made over for the use
of Babcock's counsel, in order
to defeat the prosecution, and this
too with the presidents knowledge and
consent. Storrs, the senior counsel fer
Babcock, remained in Washington, and
wis tever Pierepont obtained from Dyer
in regard to the case he first repeated To
the president, and, after a consultation
with him, Storrs got the benefit OF all he
had learned. The attorney generals
private office was the place where the
plans 10 defeat the governmeIt In the case
against Bdbcock were mstured. Every
night preceding the time sci f r Babcock's
trial, Babccck and Gen. Horace Porter
met Pierre popt in his ffice and closely
STUDIED EVERY POINT
contained in the evidence for the govern
ment, and prepared to overcome it. Gen.
Babcock was admitted to the conferences
between the president and Pierepont when
the plan was frs; arranged, and whenever
Dyer sent any additional evidence to
Washington, Storrs was sent for, and
when the plan of prosecu-
was as familiar with it as the attorney
general himself. Those familiar with all
the circumstances sbsolve Col. DYER from
all censure. Dyer had reposed implicit
confidence in the integrity of Pierrepont.
and had been deceived. Dyer could not
be made TO believe that one of the chief
officers of the government would violate
his oath OF Office and disregard his duty.
Hence he accepted Pierrepont's pretended
interest In vigorous prosecution as sim
cere, and even relied upon him as his su
psrior officer for aid and counsel. 1t is
then asserted that, while Pierrep0nt was
at the outset very earnest In prosecuting
the whisky ring, believing 1t would rebound
to his credit as the chief law officer
of the government, be soon found he was
overshsdowed by Secretary Bristow, the
people and the prosecuting officers giving
that gentleman credit for every blow
struck against the ring. This filled
Pierrepont with envy. He became jeal-
Gus of Brlstow's popularity and joined
heart and soul with the Grant faction ard
abt;-Bristow combination. This gave him
firm hold on the regard of the president,
but enabled him to aid in defeating Bris-
to1's plans and thus weaken
ing Bristow among the peo-
PIE with tie whole administration, so
he had a double purpose in joining
ton, He would establish his - sltion in
the Grant party for the present and future
to weaken Bristow by making it appear
that the indictment of BsbcGck was a
scheme TO injure Grant and advance
B-istow's political interests. AS to
Why Solicitor Wilson did not warn Dyer
oil Pierrepont's plan to defeat him 1t Is ex-
planned, as coming from Wilson himself,
that he (Wilsop) had already been repre-
sented as scheming against the
act he had performed in the
furthersnce OF his duty was distorted and
borne to Grants ears as part of Bristow's
plan to obtain the nomination for the
presidency. Solicitor Wilson had for sew
eral months devoted his time almost
exclusively to working up the evidence
against and preparing to convict the leaders
OF
THE CHICAGO WHISKY RING.
He had acquired knowledge and arranged
plans to this end, which made it
impossible for any other man to step into
his position and carry this out. He knew
that great pressure was being brought
TO bear TO secure his removal and this
he wished to avoid, until the
Chicago ringleaders were convicted.
Just at this juncture when warning to
the st. LOUIS prosecution agains5 the
scheme OF the attorney general would
have proved valuable, he dared not
interpose lest il might result in his
removal and the escape of the whisky
thisves in Chicago. The secretary re-
prosecution OF the ring, and, had he un-
dertaken TO have exposed Pierrepont's
plans, his removal would GER
tsinly have followed the discovery
by Pierrepont of the act. Besides Col.
Dyer placed the most implicit faith In the
professions of Pierrepont, and any sugges-
tions as to the attorney generals scheme
against the prosecution might
have been resented. Considerations
of this kind prompted Solicitor Wilson to
refrain from giving advice that might
have undone all his plans. Will
son did not forget that he wrote
Henderson "a letter advising
him to keep "a detective on
Bsbcock's track during his visit In the fall
of1S75, and that a copy OF that letter was
sent to the president. Henderson loss the
letter, and by some means q copy found Its
way to the white houss. Col. Over and bis
sssls tanis ara fully aware of Pierrepont's