Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-02-25

SOME POINTS IN THE PRESIDENTS pEPos

President Grant deposition IN Inc bao-
cock case
Have known Baboock since 1858; have
known him intimately from March 1864 to
March 1869; he was aidde-camp on my
military staff Since that time up to the
time of his indictment he has been acting
as my private secretary and in addition to
that. for several years, he has been super
intendent of public buildings and grounds.
As private secretary his general duties
were TO carry all communications from the
President to Congress to have charge and
supervision over all of my correspondence,
and in his capacity of private secretary he
received my mails, opened my letters and
read them. In regard to many of them he
gave directions to the department with
reference to me and such as required any
dictatiOn. or answer from me. he submit
ted to me His relations with me were
very confidential.
The questions, whether BdbcOck had been
applied to by individuals to lay their spe-
cial matters before the President and the
departments and as to the manner in whieh
Babcock had discharged his duties, were
objected TO by prisoners counsel. but were
anSwered-thc icrmer in tho affirmative and
later. that he was regarded as most efficient
and faithful. A. to Babcock's reputation
outside OF the army and his Ciicial capacity
| in Washington the President had no knovl-
edge: but from opportunities he has had
to learn, during the last ten years, he con-
siders Babcock's reputation good remem-
ber- the application Of Joyce by telegram
to Babcock tor the vacancy Occasl0ned by
the death of collector Ford All questions
and answers pertaining TO this matter were
objected to by prisoner counsel unless the
telegram IN question could be produced.
To the question. did Gen. Babcock 50 far
as YOU know. ever seek in any way to IL
| luoncc Your action in reference to airy
| charge made OF proposed to be made against
| joyce or Mcdonald or either If them, it
/ being objected to. the President replied
/ Do not remember of his ever speaking TO
me on the subject at all. He certainly
/ took 10 lively interest in the matter or |
| should remember Il.
Q. Did Cen Blbcoek 50 far a. you know
| ever seek in any way to influence your
| action with reference u any Investigation
of alleged whiskey frauds in st Louis or
| esewh here Objected u \ lie did not.
! Possibly | might state right here that | re-
member but one ins,l nce of his ever talking
- me at all about the matter of invc-tIga-
tons. except since he has been iudlcted.
and then il was simply to say u me that
he had asked Douglas why 1t wa that they
Threatened all the ON 'iais d though lhey
were dishonest persons 2y sending spies %
watch them. and asking why they e'u!i
not make inspections somewhat a. tn.y 90
IN the army-senl men ot character % tnelr
distIilerics and take thelr BOOKS anu make
a report that could be relied on. nelieEc
that he simply told me that be had said
this TO Mr. Dlugla-s Answer objected to
bv the prosecution as immatc-ia. and iu
c1ruDatent in STATING conversations be
tween the accu.eI ana wines
IN regard - Mcdonald V1H - " ash
lngion and Tlling OUT WIKI 'he i.h',
TAO latter rem 4erei the occ4@leh- ne nau
plckci MeDonald up on thc N!le"AiA Us ne
was taxing l9i'e, nut hal no ree94'e''l'h
OF a single word oil conversation On any
matter t9lcnln- niS G 'lal P'-'S'9h OF n--
sIhes>. Inns in-'tsT was o'Jee'ed 10 us 'ue
prosecution a. having no connection Win I
the present Tial. IL regard 20 the oIder
Transferring the supervisors the same oN-
lection Wa made as 10 the previous matter, /
but the Prc~iieii male the ioI!o"-ns SAFE /
ment
some me Wine l'lchafls9n wa sccrtta-
~ OF the treasury, think AZ an events ue-
lore brlSto" became secretary Oh lAe treas
ury, Douglass expressed the liea to me that .
1t would be good plan e. occasion
district 10 another, and expressed myself
iavoraoiy 10 II. but 1t Wa, not done then and
not thought % any more by MIN 9ut when
u became evident TIA; the treasury was
being deirauiei Oh a portion o' the reyenue
That 1t should receive from the dl'tliIatl'n
OF spirits IN Inc west secretary brl-t0"
taned on me anu nale a general statement
81 his suspicious AMI then suggested 10
MIN th:- IDEA. On that suggestion the order
making these transfers - supervisors was
made Vt that time dll nor understand
that there wa any suspicion at Al! OF the
oihciais, but knew that each one OF the
eia:Ials hal ms own way u tTansacilng ms
business tha' these Gi~'lleT- have 50 much
t0e'i'1'S me- ~ '-,',.' o,-i-,'.s .H.s
- - -, ~ ~. Nv "
az IN A'.' ~ Iva "a, s.as IN pu,
my ne" 80 ''S,.IS az Z ANTI WIN 'ne'5
Iu'iy' %. eI 'N1,h 'le.I VIooAei WAY "oull
" go O. -" '''' ''i1 'A'
NJ % " III ..'. I'M
..e n, ut ,--'' 'I'- NJ" " '.s''.'t 2l
lISS-ouc' D'N7'H va va WAY ne uau
n lt VI u-=o,'iU .n'- oll''. A''cI tne
liHI' ""' -" To"S eN'I', "gIc
nA-v 10 Hul'e '"1 I'e>lucht u u, al
tec' i'' te'ooA.l5h % suspension. Inc
res ent iesl>'et t.eSe euorts unit.
'e oct4iNe Oou' inceu mat II shou4u
le Ie'oSed or suspended IN the m
eFoS' 81 ue'ec"us IaI1S mat had al
eaIY oeeh com ll u, IN conversation I
y I'm supervisor luton re s'ated that II c
ne 9nlecI Oh 'AA5 oId,r was 20 defect frauds b
-, :. ID ,,u IL IN rn;' -
,o,, ,fro,H, Tho - 20 Fab-.n-..
IN ,,. -, ,oiL I.',s
h., II 90 ji.t5iieJ. WI, b'J beon a.
.or5iry Tho ,rs,.,ry, nea-l, - -
60 ~ gct tbe5r br,.cs n - o,S 80
'ep.iC4 W ~ NJ" III
"a" 49, ',' -. .ho-o ~. ~ pttoTAoy
80 - .d h., ~ 81 IA,
-, mi - o Ill %
,a1s u 80 o,rt '' ' ~s1..1 ~ report
ia' snV "a ~ f'3' "iru p'oua-
"'r'J ~, ht ,r '0Pt'ns .iaHuS al
- - - tl,, 49,, 49, ~ u 'uo