The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-01
1ETNOGUILTY MAN ESCAPE
Urn rlcrs ABOUT GEN BABCOCK'S
TRIILI IN ST. LOUIS.

Washington to ask him to explain them. so ne
was summoned by one ~ tho special COM
mittees now engaged in unearthin9 the corrup-
lions Of the Administration to appear before
them and tell what he knows about Babcock
and the wiriskey Ring.
MIR. Bell WIS In this city on Thursday, on his
way 60 the capital In answer to the summons OF
The committed, and SUN reporter. ascertnining
the fact. sought the acquaintance OF the gente-
man with faint expectation Of getting some
slight intimation Of what his evidence might De-
To the surprise " the reporter, Mr. Bell mani-
tested no reserve whatever In entering into all
the details Of tho nnr he PLAYED In the -. Iouia
procecdtngs, for the reason. as II soon appeared,
that he considered that shameful attempt mao
been made tn deceive him. and mako him a tool
for disreputHble purposes. To ilay such game
as thpt upun a detective Of acknowledged ability
-fur Mr Bell has acquired n well-dcserved repu-
ta'ion for shire Ndnr-s in his profession. and
earned honorable distinction - AN army scout
hottest Indignation, and lie made no secret OF
From his story II seems that Bell. who a. an
army scout had served under and came To re
q gre { a'ulircr 81 Grant. nd who now resides
IA 81. Louis. In November Lost was Invited to tho
1indell Hotel bv tho Presidents private secre-
tarv, Levi =. Lucsey, who At that tune was rep
resentlnc Graut, Bancock. aud the WHITE House
the 'rreasur, Department. "A that time Blo-
cox. Indictment ts dolly expected In CONF
Sr"ih"r In law of Boss rphcrd. who uro1aby
Tepres,nted the District Of Columbii Ring.
wArCHfNG DYER IL DABCOCK's INTEREST.
A consult,tion was neld bv Luckev aud Brad
lev with Bell. aud after q comparison of notes "
was unanimously agreed that tue prosecution 81
Bancock was n conspiracy designed as ID IVY
at the President la further nee Of tho anti
tious designs OF Secretary llristow. BELL who
was unable to acceot the theory Of Babcock's
guilt upon the evidence then before him. readily
entered into this view OF the subject and ex-
pressed his Willingness to ad in the exposure OF
At this Ilndel Hotel conference 1t there
fore planned that Bell, woo had the entrce to
District Attorney Overs Office, should make his
he ,dqnarters there. keep his eyes well skinned
ard report every fact coming under his ohserva-
ton which might be used to the advantage Of
Babcock. anj to the disconhture OF the con-
euirators who were using the resources Of the
ernment. In the person OF the Presid -nt's near
est and most confidential friend. This he could
easily do a. he had recently been en- Dloye1 in
the Government service Owing TO the indis-
erection OF some persons In pyer's ofhce. and 10
the imprudent TX Of some Of liristqw,S
was at first confirmed In his impression
that Secretary Dristow was really endetvorins
to make capital for himself al the expense OF
the President who was Bells old commander,
an for whom he SIN retained the warm 1.,.
Into the work assigned nim and soon had the
sa,isfaction Of reporting that DYER mad we *
case. hut at the same time he was obliged u
report, III the face Of tins fact that Bdbcock
was to be indicted.
Urged TO STEAL THE EVIDENCE.
Upon receiving tnis intelligence Luckoy, on
Nov. % left Ia haste for Washington to consult
with President Grant, leaving Iir dev ana Bell
next day BELL scoversd that Dyer had received
moro evidence. some Of II very importsn'. ard
Bradley. 80 Bell saws. urged him to IurOtn it
l.um Dser', Office assuring him that be aud
Larkey had consulted upon the proprety Of such
proceeding IN the event Of the contingency
arising, for while Is bcock WIS undoubtedly in
nocent. vet The letters and telesrans In She
hands Of the District Attorney would he sure TO
b. perverted from their trne meaning, TO the iu-
jury of the prosecuted Babcock and Of the Ad-
mnistration ; but as the detective was unable
to view the matter In that hight the subject was
dropped.
ley lief St Louis for Washington, directing Bell
70 write him from dly to day. and tn keep him
informed IA regard 10 all that TRANSFERRED. On
tho 30 Of December, ho wever. the latter Ii wing
rec -ived AN appointuient rs travelling CORE
sp9ndent Tor Chic 20 news aper, left s. Louis
and went to kentuc '; bur % Dec. H. he re-
oeived u letter from Bradley urging him to has
ten 70 Washington. nd assuring hun that he
would he cared for" on his arrival. Bell
cordingly threw M his place as correspondent
and started for ashinGon, reaching there on
the 18Th OF December.
TALK WITH GRANT AND ITS RESULT.
At o'clock N the ifte rndOn Of The DAY Of hts
arriy al the cspital, Bell WIS 81 seted with the
cussed At length and II was finally decided that
Ben should De appointed special agent by At
torneN-Seneral iierrepont, and sent TO ST. Louis
to watcn and report. The President, however,
said he only wanted fActs-he wished no guilty
man T. escape, but at the same time he desred
no persecution OF Innocent parties. III Gen.
Babcock Is guilty" hs said. ~ wish him to be
punished; hut cannot |, lieve HIN guilty. lie
has explained to me fully In regard To his let
ters and telegrans, ard believe him. This
ocOiaratlOn was repea'ed III substance several
times during that and subsequent interviews,
and at the time Bell believed nm sincere IN ms
declarations. At later pertOd he had good
reason Ia change his opinion.
In pursuance Of this arrangement. President
Grant saw Attorney General PierreDont In per
son relating TO Bell 5 proposed mission to ST.
Louis, and then gave the latter a card II intro
duction 10 Pierrepont, directing the appointment
70 be made. Bus several DAYS elapsed, and vet
Bell was not commissioned. He found, TO his
surprise. that the ATTORNEY General. In the face
ofthe Presidents positive instructions. mad con-
suited with Treasury officials regarding his pro-
posed mission, Il fact which ne promptly reported
have him commissioned as an agent OF the In.
terror Department. When the Presidents will
was promptly needed and on the 9TH OF Janu-
sIv last Mr.. Charles :. Bell was an "Actng Spe-
oal Agent OF Pensions" with instructions to
watch Dyer In st. Louis
nABcocK WANTS HIM TO STEAL THE EVIDENCE
PIior To this, Babcock had returned fro n the
IVES and had seen Bell who gave him written
report, receiving IN return verbal instructions AS
70 his future proceedings. This purt OF Belts
story Is OF 80 peculiar Character that II Is given
In his own words
thlng SAID about purlonng documents from
District Attorney DyeT's ONCE
bell hes ] distinctly asked him whether
expected to proceed To ~. Louis and " Dag"
me evidence, at the same time mentioning
bradleys proposition made 10 December. In
sttaJ Of drowning the Irojecl. Baocock said,
- course am innocent. hut there are many
letters and teleerams ~ mine, that fear are In
e1istenre, which would be hard to explain.
uoh wish you 10 touch the evluence, uhlCss you
get Me WhOle Of u. If YOU should NJ he tue at
Tempt and tail, IL would be mad. IL you succeed,
however, Will pay YOU literally"
BEL WAS hardly preUaied 90 near proposition
a. idaciOus as this from ID ibcuck himself. aud
when 1t was again preached at a subsequent in
terview, II gave him new de s In regard To the
Character OF the case IN which he was engaged.
however he kept his opinion TO himself, while
deridins very clearly in his own Mid TO have
Soothing 10 do with any SUCH business.
SATISFIED or BABCoCKs's GUILT.
IN the mean time Bell had several c0nvcrs1-
Mons with Blbrock and his counsel, Emory
elnlrs, aud soon learned enough To satisfy him
ttl mat Babcock was guilty. He then con-
einded that IL WIS his duty 10 place the PTesi-
cent m Isls. essiOn ~ the facts In The ca G. lie
CteIullt weighed Ia his nina all that the Presl-
gent mad sad to HIM on the subject, and wnen
ne 70 numbered how emphatically Grant had
sad - II Gen. lilhcnck IS gully wish him TO
pc punished he cOulJ not DOUBT tnat the Pres
neht was really fn earnest IL his declarations.
20 ne determined 10 acquaut the President
WIN tre true ~ ale Of the case.
HHVlng arrived nj this conclusion, Mr.. Rel
uhu TOOK 10 Try our his Pood resolution, but
louhu II u" easy matter 10 do S.. lie did not
~ ~ 70 put his Disclosures in writing for fear
wa they would fail into Improper hands, d
nheated attempts 70 = In a person 4 interview
YIN ne President resulted IN failure. He LIT
bennington Tor time, but was ain ~ th Z
esY on he 18th ~ February, when he took
oH measures To Inform President Grant