The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-08-03
THE WHISKY PROSECUTIONS.
Testimony of Col. Gardiner.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-The sub committee
on whiskey frauds this afternoon, examined
Col. Asa B. Gardiner, Professor of law in West
Point Academy.
Plaisted called the attention of witness to an
extract from Bluford Wilson's testimony, about
Babcock's connection with the Black Friday
gold transactions. Witness was on recruiting
service in New York in the winter of 1868 and
$50, when, as matter of poilteness he attend
ed real estate transaction for Col. Babcock.
Witness did not think he had any letter or
communication from him for three or four
years before the ordering of the Babcock court
of inquiry last year.
Witness Enthusiastically related the circum-
stances of Babcock's buying piece of property
for $500, witness acting as trustee as he had
for the other army officers in real estate trans
actions, but receiving no compensation for do
ing SO.
Representative Glover of the committee in
te rrogated witness about the property pur-
chased by Gen. Porter, from which it appears
the first payment was $3.50, which he thought
came by CHI eek from Butterfield as did the 9TH
er payment of $3.50. The question was asked
of witness whether he could say whether either
Porter or Ba bcock paid one copper Witness
answered he had knowledge derived from mem
oranda which stated that they sent draft to
Butterfied for $4,000. Being closely interro-
gated as to how Butterfeld became mixed up
all the time in the transactions, witness said
Butterheld was warm personal friend OF those
gentlemen and was DESTROYS of doing them a
kindness and therefore assisted them in max
ing the purchase.
Testimony of Supervisor Tuition.
A. P. Tuition, formerly Supervisor of Inter-
nal Revenue, gave an account of the distillery
seizures at Chicago, and the proceedings by
which certain accused parties were granted
immunity as witnesses during which he read
the following despatch dated Jan. IA:
Gas we have not directed anV Arrangement
with indicted parties, so we decline to interfere
with any that has been entered into by the dis
trict attorney with the approval of his associ-
ates and local revenue officers. Having conf
dence in their Judgment and fidelity we leave
the prosecution in their hands, not doubling
that they will do what will best subserve the
interests of the government"
(Signed) B. II. BRIsTow.
When witness returned to Washington be
asked Solicitor Wilson whether he agreed to
the compromise or bargain, and Wilson denied
in substance that he had authorized it, 1t was
simply question of veracty between Dexter
and others. Witness stated to the President
the substance of what had taken place with re-
gard to those engaged in the whskey frauds.
including large number of gaugers and store
keepers as well as dstillers, and said to the
President, 'If this policy OF immunity was car
ried out allowing thieves to steal by hundred
of thousands of dollars and then allowing them
to turn around and give information against
others and themselves escape punishment, there
would be no safety in business The inter-
view with the President was about the goth Of
| January. The President said that something
ought to be done to stop such wholesale bar
gaining with offenders, and witness informed
the President that Solicitor Wilson had denied
| that he assented to such an agreement. The
further examination of witness was postponed
| till tomorrow.
Ex-SolicitOr Wilson Again Testifies.
The examination of Bluford Wilson, ex-So-
Of ha Troo hafo he INIT toa
on whiskey trials, was continued this evening
He read a letter from Mr.. Henderson dated St
Louis NoY. 9Th, 1875, which he had shown to
| the President and Secretary of the Treasury
The letter states that in September, in obedi-
ence to a request from Attorney General
Pierrepont, he and Mr.. Dyer recommended the
| appointment of BENZ. r. Bonner as Marshal of
the Missouri district. Owing to the absence of
| the President at the time the appointment was
| delayed until other candidates found out that
| the recommendation had been made.
Therefore," said Henderson, "divers persons
| from st, Louis who seem to know more about
the duty of the government attorneys than
| they do themselves proceeded to Washington
| and most kindly informed the President that
| was most bitter and relentless enemy of his,
| both personally and politically, and that the
| appointment of Bonner was scheme devised
to aid in the purposes of my malevolence They
further urged him to think, as have reason to
| believe, that the developments in regard to his
| put up job, to strike the President himself by
| aspersions and calumnes upon persons occupy
| ing confidential relations with him.
These things were said not because they had
one particle of foundation in truth, but simply
| to affect the defeat of Bonner and the appoint
ment of their own favorites. These things SO
long delayed the appointment that NewcO NIB
had already been compelled to summon both
grand and petit jurors for the term. After this
was done it was exceedingly doubtful whether
if WOu1d hp polipv n chanUa tho officer until
after the court, and this conviction was the
more strongly impressed upon my mind by the
antecedents of some Of those who might be APP
pointed, how easy for the incoming man to prac-
tice treachery and place the responsibility of
our failure on the shoulders of the outgoing
officer who summoned juries hence with a
double view, one in the sinterest of public SER
vice here, and the other to thwart political
trick which its projectors expected to accom-
plish through falsehood to the President and
injustice to me. I telegraphed to Gen. Pierre
pont to postpone the change of marshals, but
in the course of ten days after that despatch
| signed by Eaton and myself, became satisfied
that the present marshal should not be retain
ed on my responsibility.
Eaton seemed to feel equally the necessity of
divesting himself of all responsibility in that
behalf. He requested that l should go to
Washington. Court was in session. L could
| not leave and he concluded to see abont two
| things, to wit:
First-What could be done in regard to the
marshal and to remove from Mr.. Pierreponts
mind all apprehensions in reference to the per-
sonal malevolence of the assistant prosecutors
here toward the President, and the secret pur-
pose on our part of injuring the party, as he
| (Mr. PierIepont) seemed to have been informed
Under the circumstances concurred in his 60
| ing and 1 hope and believe he has confined
himself to the objects Of his mission. After
he left, the night after. new facts were dsclos-
ed to me which made it certain not only that
Newcomb should not be retained but that no
| explanation in regard to Mr.. Babcock could be
made without making ourselves ridiculous in
| the future. Hence 1 sent the despatch which
you have and which you can easily understand
| in the light Of what have now said.
To conclude on this subject the departme Mt
| has my recommendation Of Mr.. Bonner for the
place. and do not and shall not change and
| still believe he should be appointed. The Cir
| cumstances are such as to make it impossible
| for me to intimate that Mr.. Newoomb should
remain.
Secopd-In regard to the prosecutions here.
You may have absolutely no apprehension-no
one will be indicted except those whose guilt
can and will be established before petit jury.
| AS to the progress of our work, you are
| doubtless informed from day to day by Col.
Dyer, and need only say that recent develop
ments here make it certain that the service in
Illinois and Wisconsin has been as corrupt as
| that in Missouri, since 1871.
1t is difficult for us to unearth it at this point
as it should be done, but we shall soon be able
to give you sign posts by which your officials in
Illinois, may unerringly travel to the exposure
and conviction Of the guilty.
(Signed) j. B. HENDERSON.
To Hon. BLUFoRD WILSON.
The Republican Senators held caucus inn
mediately after the adjournment of the Senate
today. No action was taken, but it was the
general feeling not to adjourn till the House
! has consented to adjust the differences on the
pending appropriation bill on the same basis as
was agreed upon on the other bills.
The national bank note circulation has de-
creased 1924, 222, 025. Legal tender notes out
| standing Aug. LIST, $3.50 1892
THE HAMRURG MASSACRE.