Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-04-01
BELL THE DETECTIVE.
A. StOrrs, Counsel for Bah
cock, interviewed at
Chicago.
He is Pronounced a Wholesale Dead
Beat.
Interesting Disclosures.

CHICAGO, April LIE. A. Storrs, who
was the leading counsel for Babcock,
was interviewed by a Tribune reporter
relative to BeIl'S story before Clymer's
committee yesterday, and says that Bell
is a wholesale dead-beat detective. BE
also makes the following disclosure:
QuestiOn-Do you know Mr.. Bell3
Answer-Well, / should rather think /
did.
Q.-Who is he2 Ala dead-bead de-
tective.
Odd he make any proposition TO
you concerning the Babcock csSe2 A.
Yes, he came to me at Washington and
said that the Treasury Department had
employed him to steal certain papers in
the cases Of Avery and Babcock.
Q.-What did you tell him2 Al
told him that he was welcome to all the
papers he could steal from US, and if he
got any they couldn't do him any good.
Q.-Whst did he say to that2 Ale
still insisted that he had been engaged
by the Treasury Department to do as be
had stated.
Q-Whst further did you tell himH
Al told him if he could produce any
written contract to that effect l would
talk business with him.
Q:-What did he say then2 Ale
said he would see and let me know in q
day or two.
Odd yov see him again? Ayes;
he came back and stated that he couldn't
get a written contract from the Treasury
officials, but he produced an affidavit.
written by himself, duplicating Bluford,
Wilson, Dyer, Bristow and other Treas
ury officials in such a scheme.
Q.-What did you do about it2 Al
esoss-e=smined him pretty closely. and
found out that he was q fraud, ready
TO sell out to anybody for a fye-dollar bill
if he could not get more, and / bounced
him.
Odd you make any propositions to
him to clandestinely corral any docu-
ments belonging tothe prosecution in the
Babcock caseP A.-Such an idea never
entered my mind and / never made any
proposition to him whatever, except to
get that contract between himself and
the Treasury Department, which he
boosted Of having made.
Q,-Where is that affidavit now2 A
1t is in safe hands and will be exhibited
to that investigating committee at Wash
ington.
A Washington special to the Inter
Ocean furnishes the following additional
evidence Of Bells being a fraud and Of
the Clymer committee having been sold
with a fat, stale story: Secretary Chan
dler says that in December he was in
want Of a good detective and mentioned
it at cabinet meeting, inquiring Of other
members Of the cabinet if they had not
some one they could recommend to him.
Some days after the President told
} Chandler that a man, who had been a
! spy in his service during the wal and
t was a very good detective. was in search
of employment, and hat he 1.-THE Presi-
dent had sent him to ChsndleT. Bell
called OF Chandler; had sent in bis card.
, General Hurlbut, Of Illinois, was in the
room and saw the card. He said to
Chandler: II know that man; be was a
spy in my employ during the war, and
did good service" Chandler then sent
for Bell to come in, agreed to take him
on trial and referred him to the chief Of
special agents, Mr.. Lebarnes. Bells
commission was made out, but he asked
a few days time that he might fix up
some matters he was engaged in. Lee
barnes granted it, and Bell wa away for
a month. When be came back be wanted
his pay, saying he had been in the ser
vice Of General Baboock. Lebsrnes 70.
{ fused to pay him and referred the matter
to SECRETARY Chandler. Mr.. Chandler
= refused TO pay him unless be would bring
I a certificate from General Babcock that
n he had been on government service.
Q Somehow he got General CoWen TO Ger.
! tify to his service while Mr.. Chandler
was gone, and got his pay. Then he
n wanted to be assigned to duty at St.
Louis because his family was there, and
Lebsrnes having some cases 10 work up
there gave him a lot ~Offraudulent pension
Z papers. Bell had not been away many
: days when the President told Secretary
Chandler that be had reason to believe
3 Bell was q bad man, and il he was ia
the department be had better be dis
charged. General Babcock wss con.
9 suited about the service Bell claimed
: to have performed he stated that