, 1876-08-13
| WASHINGTON.
Cen. Horace Porter Takes
His Turn in the Whisky
Mill.
His knowledge Of the Famous
Letter from Wilson to
Henderson.
And the Presidents Remarks
When He Perused That
Document.
Wilson's Version Of the
"Sylph" Story Enphat-
ically Denied.
Senator Window Skillfu1ly Turns
the Confederate ''Stocking"
Inside Out.
And Shows How Little Retrench-
ment Has Actually Been
Effected.
The Appropriation Bills All
Disposed Of in Com
n1ittee~
Speaker Kerr's Physical Condition
Rapidly Growing Worse.
WHISKY.
GNy PORTER BFP0Br T7tR ra.rrwrr~
The Appropriation Bills AL
Disposed Of in Com
mittee-
Speaker Kerr's Physical Condition
Rapidly Growing Worse.
WHISKY.
GEN. PORTER BEFORE THE COMMIrTHB,
.SAttfnf 1fxuntch tn 11x TxtAu.a

WASHINGTON, D. c., Aug. 12.-Horace Portel
was examined vt length to-day by the Whisk,
Committee He testified in reference to tht
letter from Maj. Bluford Wilson to Gen. Hcn
dcrson At st. Louis, that neither Gen. Babcocl
nor anybody else recognized the handwriting
He did not believe TINT Maj Wilson had writer
1t as an anonymous letter, and Porter said fl
would be but justice to send the letter to Mai
Wilson, to deal with him in frankness He took the
letter to show it to Maj. Wilson; told MIN thu
letter had been received, and ut the same time
handing it to him. He appeared to know
all about It. Said he was not surprised tt
learn that the letter had been lost or stolen ii
the Courthouse in st. Louis. He said it vat
not correct copy Of the letter. He introduced
letter-prcss copy Of the original In the
copy which Porter brought appeared
AN INTERPOLATION
Of two letters, "W. H." inserted in brackets
after the word "top." Upon this discovery
being pointed out. he suw at once that the let.
tcrs '' w. H." had been interpolated, and told
Maj. Wilson he was convinced of that fact. He
said very positively that this letter had no ref:
ercnce whatever to the President or to Gen.
Babcock, but t1at it related entirely to
the whisky thieves in st. Louis. He seid lle
thought it necessary to hnyc increased watch
fulncss, writing the letter to prevent thc1r es-
cape.
Porter testified that Wilson asked him to
show the letter to the President, and to say to
him that the "W. q. " w'as interpolatcd in the
copy. In the course of the conversation Mai.
Wilson asked Porter what he understood to be
the origin Of the term Sylph, and an cxplana-
tion of the ''Sylph" dispatch. Porter knew
nothing in reference to it Of his own mowl-
edge, but repeated what Gen. B2bcock had told
him at Long Branch the previous summer,
which was this: In the fall Of 1874, when the
President was in st. Louis, Mcdonald pointed
out to Babcock on the fair grounds woman
very handsome, and rather large, and called her
sylpl. 1t was referred to afterwards by way
Of joke, and afterwards became sort Of by
word.
Porter Was asked If he had entered into any
ZEAL ESTATE spECULAT1oNs.
he said NO, but afterwards admitted that be
did in connection with Gen. Babcock through
third party, purchase two lots in New York
In reference to Black Friday !" he know OF it
according to general rumor only" Never made
any Investments or had any dealings in con1lec-
tion with it, and don't know that Gen. Babcock
did. Did not believe that he did, but have no
knowledge Of the facts. :'Bclicyc so because I
know nothing about it, he said.
The Chairman asked him if any papers we're
received by the President showing
GEN. BABCoCK's C0SNKCTloN w1TH THE BLACK
FRIDAY CONSPIRACY.
He said he did not believe that any papers we're
transmitted to the President showing Gen.
Babcock's connection with tue conspiracy.
He founds his belief upon what Gen.
Babeock has stated since this matter
came up Within u few days, Babcock, lie
says, told him that lc never had anything to DO
with tue matter, and that no papers could exist
unless they were false papers: The Chairman
said he would have to insist. Porter then said
the President did not say. SO directly. lie init
mated that there was nothing whatever which
could ilnplicatc Gen. Babcock in any man.
ner with the q Black Friday" transactions
in New York The Chairman then pressed
the question about the papers. Porter said
that there were papers ip the Presidents pos
session, but they conntaihed nothing affecting
the question,
NOR REFLEcTzNa ON BABcock
III the slightest degree =
The Chairman asked him if he saw the papers.
Porter hcsitatcd 1oug time, and iillally went
to Mr.. Plaisted and consulted with him private
~ short time, much in tho manner OF counsel
and client, and At length he said liz had seen the
nothing duplicating Gen. Babcock. They were
simply letters relating to the lots mentioned
purchased in New YORK.
Emery Storrs told him that the President said
The testimony OF Maj. Wilson III Regard to his
{Wilson's) explanation to the President Of the
origin OF the term "Sylph," was incorrect.
Wilson did not recite this vulgar SANDER about
an improper woman to him. lie commenced to
Wy something about an improper wulnan, and
,hc President stopped him directly, and would
lot hear anything about it.
Special Moore appeared IN the Committee
:uoln with d lot Of prepared statements against
Wilson, but the Committee decided not to cu11l-
)er the record with that sort Vi material, aud
he investigation MAS closed for the session.
PoKrEK's STORY.
To the WeslerH associated Press.
WASHINGTON, u. c., Aug. l2.-Gen. Horace
Porter was before the Subcommittee OH tho
whisky frauds to-day. In reference to Bluford
Wilson's, testimony, le' said he did not alludc
. "Sylph" as Il icwd woman, in speaking of
lcr to Mcdonald. Gen. BaGcock made an |
explanation to the President and the |
Attorney General. II the witness had thus
poken of "Sylph,' he would have been in |
enting a rumor, which would have reflected |
N the President. The witness denied positive
Y that be told witness that - the greatest |
avor he could do the President was to shield |
}abcock." He denied other assertions Of Will |
Oh. The witness said that he never heard Gen. |
Sabcock referred to as concerned in the specu- |
ations except from the Newspapers.
Cochranc asked the witness whether he did |
ot know that
CERTAIN PAPERS
flown to the President, duplicating Babcock, |
Tas the reason why the President retained /