Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1876-04-18
| Special dispatch to the N. Y. World.
THE SAFE BURGLARY,
Startling Testimony OF COlonc
Whitley.
The Conspiracy Alleged to have
been COncocted in tho
White House.


safe burglary investigation is bringing
the Williams of that job home to its
high authors, as The lVOrld has stead
lily predicted would be the case. To-
night, Babcock is th5 fox chased to
cover, and the end is not yet, for the
scent of the Presidents trail is 80 eX-
ceeding fresh that little short of q
miracle can accomplish his escape
To-day the House judiciary Commit
tee finished the examination of ex-
Detective Whitley. His story is start
ling in its revelatiOnss He sWears
that Just before the safe burglary lob
was put up he was in Florida. While
there he received word from Banfeld,
then, Solicitor of the Treasury, that
one Felker was trying to get his whit
ley's) place. Whitley at once sent
word to BabcOck, asking him to inter-
cede for him, which he did, saving
Whitley's head. When Whitley came
on to Washington he paid his respects
to Babcock, thanked him for his eff
forts, and promised his assistance in
case BabcOck should ever need his
services. He then went to New York.
While there he received a dispatch
from Banfeld to return to Washing
ton Immediately and report at his
(BanfCld's) house, as BabcUck want
ed to see him on important business.
He came, arrived Sunday morning,
took breakfast at the Metropolitan,
and then went to Banfield's house.
Banfield reprOYed him for stopping at
Metropolitan, saying that BabcOck in
tended to have him breakfast with
him. He then gave Whitley one of
BabCOck's cards, with direction on
it in Babcock's handwriting, and he
went mt once to BabCock's house and
then to the Executive Mansion, where
he found him. At that interview
Babcock told him that the memorial
ists-who at that time were fighting
the ring-were trumping up evidence
against them and the Administration;
that they were in trouble and that
they wanted him to carry through
plan which would blow them the
particulars of that plan, Babcock said
would be unfolded by Harrington,
then the Assistant District ttOrney,
whom he would meet at l o'clock that
day, at the Washington Club House.
After leaving BabcOck he met Ban
field, to whom he reported what was
to be done, Banfield said he would
go with him to the clubhouse, did 60
with him, and waited inside till Har-
rington went apart with him and un-
folded the plan for the blowing up of
the District-AttOrney's safe and the
fastening of the crime of burglary on
Columbus Alexander, the head of the
memorialists. Whitley promised to
send an able man who would do the
Job, and went TO New York and sent
on Nettleship, of the Secret Service
From that time on the job was in
Nettleship's charge, under Harring-
toms direction. Whitley met Bah
cock in Washington three or four days
after the explosion, when Babcock
said that the job had been bunglingly
managed, and regretted that Whitley
had not been present to suTerinteud
it. Last summer he met Babcock at
Long Branch, when Babcock asked
him how he should like to live in Eu-
rope for two or three years as agent
for the sale of bonds. Afterwards
Whitley told BabcOck that he Thought
of going to Colorado for his health,
which Babcock thought was very
good idea. He did go to Colorado last
fall, and, while there, received two
letters from Newcomb, one of his de-
tectlves, urging him to remain in Col
orado, and saying that babcock do
sired it.
Whitley also told the whole story of
the payment of the money to him, and
of the payment by him to SOmeryille,
the New York lawyer, who was the
go.between and hired ard paid the
professional "cracksmen" and secured
the straw bail for Benton, with Har-
rington. AT one time he paid Somer-
Vile $500, and at another time $3.50.
Both of these amounts were paid to
him by HarringtOn-One in New York
and one in Washington. Harrington
also paid Somerville $4,000, which was
decided would about pay Benton for
lying in Jail, and also paid Somerville
money order Of $3.50 for Nettleship.
The most utterly unanswerable testi-
timOny, however, is letter written
by Babcock to Whitley. who was then
out of Office in Boston, The detectives
had not been paid, and Whitley in
formed Babcock of this fact, said they
were getting uneasy, and expressed
some fears himself as TO the ultimate
result. TO this, on the 18th Of Sep
tember, 1874 BabcOck sent the follow
ing answer, written in lead-peacil and
undated:
DEAR COLONEL! Your letter from
Boston has been received. attended