Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1876-02-22


Donald in his carriage for ride and
that whisky matters had found no
part >of their conversation. Mr..
Storrs proceeded to refer to the list Of
letters, the first dated in March, 1874.
He said this not only proved that the
trusted agent of the government was
corrupted at that time, but that was
NOT THE BEGINNING OF HIS CoRRup-
lfne government had been unable to
prove where the leak of information
about revenue affairs at Washington
existed and therefore asked that Bah.
cock be convicted.
Was there anything wrong in this
position of Babcock? Doesn't the
proof as to Beriasba, Hoag and others
show that the system of sending gov
ernment detectives over the country
WAS more injurious than no systemsat
all? Was there anything criminal-in
Babcock having that letter -in-liis- pos
session? If it were a'guilty posses
sion would it have been so humbly
acknowledged? or that Babcock
should show the document to both
the president and the commissioners?
Storrs finished the reading of the
Hoag letter with most eloquent de-
.nunciation Of that scoundrel as the
chief Of the conspirators-the head
devil-the Keystone of this inquitous
arch. The moment Rogers found out
that that famous plan for raiding this
district was known to Mcdonald
he abandoned it and Mcdonald
sent his :exultant dead dog tcle-
gram and Babcock discov-
cred several days afterwards,
that the plan was abandoned and
thinking he was telling some news
telegraphed Mcdonald. There never
was more worthless telegram sent,
as it conveyed information that thing.
had been abandoned which abandon
ment had occurred before he ever
knew it was contemplated. Tic
speaker revised the letters until he
came to one giving information of the
very raid the discovery Of which had
caused such great degree Of commo.
tion. Could there he said he any
doubt where the leak was: There
lis no more honorable than
Mr. Brooks, yet suppose that he was
On trial and that Hoag was brought
as a witness against that Brooks let
ter to Rogers, asking that the corrup,
fHoag be associated with him in these
raids. Could he escape conviction?
There is no man in the entire district
who ever had any correspondence
with the St. Louis district against
whom stronger case than this
against Baocock could not have been-
made. Mr.. Storrs differed with Col.
Broadhead as to the character of that
letter. Of Brooks to Rogers. He held
it was very liable TO misconstruction.
Mel Donald prepared Babcock for con.
strueing by declaring that he would
not submit to having men of doubtful
character sent into his district to work
over his head. Babcock recollected
this feeling rs natural, showed the let.
ter to the president and. feeling that
Mcdonald had just cause for COM
plant, urged, not that raids be aband.
oned, but that responsible man be
sent to make them.
Storrs then took up the colnmuni:
cation Of the order transferring super.
visors. Joyce sent to Babcock on
February Sd, 1875, about noon the
dispatch which he signed Sylph.-
"We have official information that the
enemy weakens. Push things" Bah
cock received this dispatch at 8 O'Clock
/ in the afternoon. The prosecution
. had argued that Babcock had under
stood this dispstchand pushed things
!; but the trouble WAS that at the tim.
j Babcock received that dispatch, thing
had been pushed and the order he,
been revoked. The interview Bah
) cock had with the commissioners re
t lating to the. revocation of this orde
was nothad as result Of this Telegram
! but was had full week before. Thi
! prosecution was actually invoking
: review of the reasons to sustain thei
J. case and asking jury to believe tbs
{ an act on 2sth July was If an effec
I of cause, namely the telegrar
y which did not exist until Feb Sd. III
}. testimony of the president and Fulto
il shows that latter called on the forme
n at one o'clock on the day when Joyc
d sent the telegram and that during TIL
]. interview. the President determine
r. to make the order two hours aft
o Babcock received the tclegra
a which advised him push thing
n The counselthen referred to the opp
e. sition to supervisors all over the cou
20 try,to the order transferring them Il
* political influence which had be
used tc effect the revocation Of I
S. order, the visit Of snperintende