The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-03-06
THE WHISKEY RING.
A Sensational Story by the st. Louis
Times.


ST. LOUIS, March 5.-The Times to-day pub.
fishes somewhat lengthy statement of what
purports to be part of the secret history of tine
whiskey ring prosecutions here, and especially
the Babcock trial. 1t asserts that Attorney
General Pierrepont was very active and Jealous
in the prosecution until Babcock was indicted
when his ardor cooled and he began to use in
fuence and the power of his office to save that
gentleman. With this view it is asserted that
the Attorney General sent for District Attor-
ney Dyer to come to Washington. Dyer went,
and while there Perrepont, on the plea that it
was very important and even necessary that he
as the head of the department of justice should
know what the prosecution would be in Bah
cocks case, obtained of him by the greatest
and most inexcusable hypocrisy a detailed
statement of all the oral testimony against
Babcock, the whole plan OF the prosecution,
what he intended to prove by each Witness the
order in which he intended to present the evil
dence, and the information it is alleged Pierre
pont made over for the use of Babcock's coup-
sci in order to defeat the prosecution, and this,
too with the Presidents knowledge and con-
sent. Storrs, the senior counsel for Babe ock,
remained in Washington, and whatever Pierre
pont obtained from Dyer in regard to the case
he first repeated to the President, and after
consultation with him Storrs got the benefit of
all he had learned.
The Attorney Generals private office was
the place where the plans to defeat the govern
ment 10 its case against Babeock were matur-
ed Every night preceding the time set for
Babcock's trial, Babcock and Gen. Horace Por-
ter met Pierrepont in his office and closely
studied every point contained in the evidence
for the government and prepared to overcome
it.
Gen. Babcock was admitted to a conference
between the President and Pierrepont when
the plan was first arranged, and whenever
Dyer sent anv additional evidence to Washing
ton StOrrS was sent for, and when the plan of
the prosecution was fully matured he was as
familiar with 1T as the Attorney General him.
self.
Those familiar with all the circumstances
absolve Colonel Dyer from all censure. Mr..
Dyer has reposed implicit confidence in the in.
tegrity of Pierreport and been deceived Dyer
could not be made to believe that one of the
chief officers of the government would violate
his oath of office and disregard his duty.
Hence he accepted Pierreport's pretended in
terest in vigorous prosecution as his senior,
and even relied upon him as his superior officer
for aid and counsel.
1t is then asserted that while Pierrepont was
at the outset very earnest in prosecuting the
whisky ring, believing it would rebound to his
! credit as the chief law officer of the govern
| ment, he soon found he was evershadowed by
Secretary Bristow, the people and prosecuting
officers giving that gentleman credit for every
blow struck against the ring. This filed
Pierrepont with envy. He became jealous of
Bristow's popularity and Joined heart and soul
| with the Grant faction This gave him firm
hold on the President and enabled him to aid
| in defeating Bristow's plans and thus weaken
minstration. So he had double purpose in
| joining the government. By saving Ba5cock
| from conviction he would establish his position
| with Grant for the present and future and aid
| to weaken Brlstow by making it appear that
the indictment of Babcock was a scheme to in
| jure Grant and advance Brstow's political in
| terests.
| As to why Solicitor Gen. Wilson did not
warn Dyer of Pierrepont's plan to defeat him
| it is explained as coming from Wilson himself
that he (Wilson) had already been represented
| as scheming against the President and Bah
Geek. Every act he had performed in the fur
therance. OF his duty was distorted and borne
| to Grants ears as part Of Bristow's plan to
obtain the nomination for the Presidency So
| licitor Wilson had for several months devoted
his time almost exclusively to working up the
| evidence against and preparing to convict the
leaders of the Chicago whisky ring. He had
acquired knowledge and arranged the plans to
this end which made it impossible for any 9TH
| or man to step into his position and carry this
| out. He knew that great pressure was being
| brought to bear 10 secure his removal and he
| wished to avoid it until the Chicago ring lead
| ers were convicted.
just at the juncture when warning to the
| st. Louis prosecution against the scheme of the
Attorney General would have proved valuable,
| he dared not interpose lest it might result in
his removal and the escape of the whiskey
thieves in Chicago The Secretary regarded
him as necessity to a successful prosecution Of
the whiskey frauds Had he undertaken to
express Pierreponts plans, his removal would
certainly have followed the discovery by Pierre
pont of the fact. Besides, Col. Dyer placed
the most implicit faith in the professions of
Pierrepont, and any suggestions as to the At.
torney Generals scheme against the prosecu-
ton might have been resented. Considerations
OF this kind prompted Wilson to refrain from
giving advice that might have undermined his
plan. Solicitor Wilson did not forget that he
wrote Henderson letter, advising him to keer
a detective on Babcock's TRACK during his visit
in the fall of 1875, and that a copy Of that let.
ter was sent to the President. Mr.. Henderson
lost the letter, and by some means copy found
| its way to the White House. Col Dyer and
his assistants are fully aware of Pielrepont's
| treachery now. The day Babcock was acouit.
ted Col. Dyer said publicly he had contended
against an element which was bound to defeat
| him. At that time he declined to give any ex
| PLANTATION, but the fact that his eyes had lust
been opened to this element of opposition was
| apparent.
The article also accuses Perrepont with man,
covering for the removal of Gen. Henderson
as special counsel for the government here, but
there is nothing said on this point but what ha:
| been already published.