Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-07-31
BLUFORD WILSON'S REysIArIOys.
The Continuation Of HIS Story.
Romance OF the SylPh Dlspatch-The
woman In the Case Tho Pfosfdena's
COntemPtuOusD Denial OF the slander.


COntemPtuOusD Denial OF the slandes
The following Is the concluding portion o
| the testimony of ex-Solicitor Bluford VIII
son, given before the House Committee oil
whisky frauds, the Injunction OF secrec,
having been removed:
THE CHARGE OF PUTTING SPIES UPON TIL.
PRESIDENT.
Quesuop: Prior TO the discovery OF the
"Sy pm" telegram, do you know of any OF hel
lact or matter indicating that the President
OF the United States was not In symoatny
with you and the Secretary OF the Tressury
In your prosecution OF these disttllers?
Answer: In answer to that question Wish
cases generally, there never was, to Inv
knowledge, any lack OF co operation on tue
Presidenrs part. There were delays, 1t f.
true, during the fall OF 1875. In turning on
some men who the secretary and myselI
thought ought TO have been removed sooner.
put on The whole we got along very well. It
was not until we struck Babcock In what
seemed to be strong suspicious evidence OF
his completely that we began TO grow apart.
After the Presidents return from his trim Ia
Des Moines, Colorado and st. Louis as
certained, upon Information both from the
Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney
General, that was in trouble-that L was
charged with having put spies upon the
plicity in the whisky frauds. Tnis learn
on my return from the west, where 1 b Id
been, under the direction OF the Attorney
In consultation with the officers charged
with the prosecution, which was late ia DC
tober or early in November last. will give
the committee the precise date as soon a.
can refer 10 my private letter books.
THE SUSPICIOUS AGAINST BABCoCK
Relying upon the Presidents Endorsement,
and ia view OF the "Sylph" telegram and toe
rumors which have already referred to, 1
had, early in August, submitted the teie-
gram to Mr.. Henderson and Mr.. Dyer fu the
presence OF the Attorney General in this
U q nd VIZ md
highly suspicious character that Gen b 10
cocks case should be thoroughly but fairly
Investigated. To that end on or about the Sth
OF sth OF September, after Messrs. Hendsr:
wrote Mr.. Henderson letter. In which /
said to him substantially This will be
handed TO you by Wm; 81. Herr. reliable
and trusted agent OF the secret service d.
vision. He will report to you for duty. 1
sta ed that during the hearing of motions
to qussh the indictments in McDonala's
Ter, l thought 1t Important that Nc
Donald and Joyce should be put un
der the strictest surveillance, and that
every proper precaution should be taken to
prevent their escape; that IL was highly i'm
portant also that the associates and co col-
spirators with Mcdonald and Joyce, IL tn ere
were any then unknown, should be discov-
cred and brought to punishment, aud used
the words that It was of the utmost imp t.
ance to the public interests that he Should
60 TO the bottom or top OF the combin alton
ana unueTScOr61 Lle WOr1S "OOttDm ton. -
and knowing that Gen Babcock would be
in St. Louis with the President, and know
Ing his relations with Mcdonald and joyce
intended 70 use and did use such term; as
that Gen. Henderson might clearly sea tn at
his relations with Mcdonald and Joyce
while in the city should be carefully looked
after and inquired into. This L believed 1
was fully authorized and warranted TO do
by the terms OF the Presidents Endorsement,
and / supposed that in so doing 1 would re,
ceive his support and approval.
THE w. II. FORGERY.
1t turned out that this letter OF mine was
10 zen from among the papers of Gen. Hem
dersOn while ne was engaged 10 a law argu-
ment II the courts OF 81: Louis; that MELON
aid or Joyce got possession of IL, aud, to sup
port the charge that was putting spies On
the President, after the word stop" in my
letter the capital letters "W. H." were forced
therein. The forgery was apparent on c. IA
parison with the letter press copy whic.i 1
was lucky enough under the circumstances
to have retained In my letter book, and tn II
moval. Toe forged letter or copies contain
ing the forgeries were brou ght back by Gsl.
BabcOck from the west; and after the a st
Cabinet meeting which was held GA t4e
Prestdenps return he (Babcock) called A.
torney General Pierrepont and Secret .ry
Bristow into the private secretary's Oil g
and showed them that letter OF mine vi ii
the forged letters "W. H. In it.
The Secretary OF the Treasury and the At
torney General We're both greatly disturbed,
and manifested that disturbance in inter-
my return from the west, and for the reason,
as they said, that they saw no Justification
and no explanation Of the letter. laughed
70 s i not
got my letter-boOk and proved IL, and that
was the end Of the matter with them.
Gen. Horace Porter, . warm friend OF Gen.
that Sunday In the city. In going down for
my letter book met him somewhat dis
turbed about the matter. We torched upon
~ awzA 10
regret that had got myself into such a Do Do
sition, and without telling him anything
more said to him, "Just wait, general, un
I'll have seen the Secretary and the Attor-
office in the Treasury building" He said he
would. We went together after I was
through with the Secretary and the Attor-
copy of the letter said to him to hold his
copy and would read the original from the
book; / read the original, which was word
for word ord Is sit It was 10 the copy Cen Porter
polation "W. H." / then said to Gen. Porter
TO take the letter book and satisfy himself
that the ietter1Press copy did not contain
thermore asked him to note the position of
The letters. the word stop" being the last on
the line; ! asked him If he had sesn the
handwriting of the original Nv. H." aud ne
taid he had, and he said at once, "Wilson, I
don't want to hear anything more; that is
the end Of that matter. The letter is for
out" "Now," / said, "a word with You,
General, about that letter. I wrote thai let
ter intending that Gen. Babcock should be
looked after. Ii he was In the ring
INTENDED TO CATCH HIM
II IL was in my power. Tit was not, In
tended to demonstrate his innocence beyond
the shadow Of a doubt, If 1t were possible TO
do. asked Gen. Porter what explain alton
he had OF the "Sylph" telegram, and he gave
me an explanation to the effect that Sylph
was lewd woman with whom the Presi-
dent OF the United States had been In init
mate association, and that she had bother Cd
and annoyed the President until at one
time IL CHANGED that McDonald's attention
was called TO her at some place where she was
either In reach Of or In the vicinage of the
President, and he said, /" Why is this Sylph?n
Gen. Rabcock said, "Do you know that
woman, McDonald9'' and Mac. said, eyes, /
know her WELL" Babcock said, to use Gen,
Porter's own words, "She WaS giving the
President great deal Of trouble. wish You
would relieve him Of her In some way,n and
Mcdonald said, Certainly, that il easy, I
can manage her" and he did manage her,
and 20 impor tant was the service thst Me-
Donald rendered the President that the term
"Sylph" became Q common matter OF Joke
between Gen. Babcock and Mcdonald. 40
that both were In the habit e. location
might require Of addressing one snot her
under that name. He also said to me win.
out endeevoring to explain definitely that