The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-02-18
BY TELEG GRAPH
TO THE
WHEELING REGISTER.
Associated Press Report. by Western
Union Line, office Northwest cor.
Of Main and 18th Sts.
BABCOCK'S TRIAL.
ALetter Carrier Retsils Some
Startling Testimony,
Which, If True, Knocks the
$500 Business into Pi.

ST. LOUIS, February 17.-Tnis morn.
ing number of witnesses testified as 10
the character of the defendant.
General Shearman testified: l have
known General q. f Babcock intimate
". | have known him since 1861; but
nv better knowledge of him dates from
the time he brosght me dispatch at
Savannah from General Grant; since
then / have known him almost constant.
lv; his reputation has been very good; l
never heard it questioned until these
troubles; | have seen General Babcock
hundred tunes IN the room in the Exec
utivc mansion next to the President
room: it might be called the ante room;
these who go to see the President see
General Babcock first, and perhaps ac-
complish the object of their visit without
seeing the President at all; General Bah
cock also opens all the letters, distributes
them and does all the business, except
the most important; he is Kind OF IN
termediate between the President and
the people.
Testimony as to his good character was
also given by Gen. James IL. Simpson, OF
the corps of engineers, General w. ,.
Harnev' Captain l.. 5. Babbitt, COM
manding the st. Louis Arsenal, Gen. ).
Sturges, commander of this post, and
Hon. f. A. Borie, ex-secretary OF tho
navy.
At this point Ex-Governor Fletcher
was put upon the stand and identified
several letters from Babcock to Joyce as
those placed in his possession lew weeks
aro by Mrs. Joyce. Only one OF these
letters was read ut this stage of the trial
Il was dated dated March 18th, 1874, and
directed to Joyce in San Francisco. II is
IN reply to Joyce's messig to BaococE
TO tel Douglass to call oil his scandaI
hounds that only blacken the memory OF
Ford and friends. General Babcock
informs Joyce that there were no charges
.osiust Ford and tells him he be
hcves he TJovce was sent TO San Fran
cisco because of his high standing with
the commissioners.
The defense then introduced two let
tiers from Deputy Commissioner ID. I
Rogers to General John Mcdonald, dated
respectively Washington, March Sd and
, March 22d, 1875, TO show, as the counsel
said that as late as the date OF these let
, tiers there WAS no suspicion OF General
McDoral either by Rogers or
the department The first letter
asks on behalf OF Rogers and
Commissioner Douglass, that Mcdonald
will find place as deputy collector IN
Arkansas or elsewhere for young man
we'll qualified for such position, and
states that such a favor on the part OF
Mcdonald would be an accommodation
TO a member Of the Cabinet. Tho other
letter refers to the probability of the ap-
pointment of Mr.. Douglass to the Judge
Shin of the Court of Claims, and soIiclts
McDonalds influence in his Rogers be-
half for the place to be made vacant by
the retirement of Douglass, This letter
was referred to by Mr.. Rogers in his tes-
timony.
f. \. Warner, cashier sf the Linden
Hotel testified: Hoge was at the hotel
in November, 1864.
Gen. J. G. Fullerton, lawyer of this
citv. testified to knowing Babcock in the
army during the war, and since then IN
Washington. His reputation was good.
Three gentlemen connected with the
postotiice in this city, testified aS to the
street letter box system here, stating that
it was wrong to deposit valuable letters
in the boxes; that the public had been
repeatedly cautioned against doing so;
there was no rule or regulation prohibit
ing it, however.
The defence then introduced several
letters from Joyce to Babcock, written
at different times from 1870 to 1873, the
same AS those enclosed in the editorials
written bv Joyce and published in the
st. Joseph. Mo. Herald on San Domingo
affairs. and were designed 10 show his
ieAlousness in political matters. Another
from Little Rock, Ark apprises baococN
1f the election of Powell Clayton as
United States Senator, and states that
mis- election would carry Arkansas for
Graft, and another enclosed resolutions
to the memory of Charles w. Ford'
adopted al the public meeting here soon
after that gentleman's death. The an
swers to these letters were then produced
and read also two or three others. All OF
these letters are of social character, and
Indicate that the writers of them we're on
friendly terms but contain no aliuslons
whatever to the ring matters. or any
thing connected with revenue affairs.
&C. Dickinson, chief clerk in the mrs.
comptrollers office. Washington, and u.
q. BENJAMIN. connected with the public
buildings and grounds under Bahcock,
was then called t. ideUtity, for the prose
catirn. the signature ot GEO ;. Joyce,
do,racnper al the White House, to whom
the dispatch of April 2$, 1875, addressed
; to Babcock. was traced. but they failed
to satisfactorily identify his signature.
The Court then ruled out the three dis
matches which have been held III reserve
two or three days.
The Following was Admitted:
ST. LOUIS, December 5, 1874.
To Gen Bo5cock:
Has the Secretary or Commissioner
ordered anybody here. Signed j.
The following two were ruled out;
WASHINGTON, Dec 5, 1874,
70 J.ha +. Jgyce, st. Loujs:
Cannot hear that any one has gene OF
is going. [Signedl .. L, BABcocK.
ST LOUIS, April % 1875,
Gen. O. Z. Ba5cock, Washington:
Tell Mac to see Parker of Colorado
and the telegram TO COMMISSIONERS
Crush out ST. Louis enemies.
[Signed 1klT'
Regarding the last dispatch the court
said although it was admitted to be IN
the handwriting Of Joyce and that it had
been sent over the wires, that it was nc
proof that the defendent had received Ii