Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-18
EVENING STAR.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS a., lie.
GEN. BABsOCK - TRIAL
Important Testimony for Defence

Gen. Bsbcock IN st Louis closed VpSf,,r. av
She osienee introdnced letters showing mat
as ate IS March -, 1875, there was no Sus-
pieion OF Gen. Mcdonald. Post Office clarks
testified that u was unsafe 10 depoSft Nair,a-
hiS letters IN the street boxes and that The
puoilc mao oeen repeatedly cautioned again
doing so. Several letters written bv Love-
10 baocoek I'D 1873, some inclosing editorials
written by Joy &c, We're read. showing MS
Lealousness IN political matters. Another
inclcsed resolutions on the death of CHARLES
W. Ford by public meeting in 81 Louis
Answers 10 these letters, all OF a social ma.
ture, and containing no sllusion 20 ring mat
tiers or revenue affairs, were read
c. c. Dickinson, chief clerk. controllers
ONCE, Washington, and George o. Beujsmin
connected with the Office OF public buildings
and grounds under Gen. Bsbcock, Were called
to identify the signature OF George = Joyce
doorkeeper OF the Presidents mansion, 10
whom a dispatch addressed 10 Bsbcock was
tify IL.
The court then ruled on the three dis
patches held In reserve. The one TO BRD-
cock signed j., asking: "Has secretary or
commissioner ordered anybody hcre?'' was
admitted. The dispatch signed D r. Bah
cock To Joyce, Cannot hear that any one
has gone or is going. and the one Ia Bsb-
cock signed Grit, Tell Nc 70 see Parker. OF
Colorado, and telegram TO commissioner
Crush out enemies, ;" were ruled out.
The last dispatch was admltted IN be in
The handwriting OF joyce, but the court said
there was no proof that the defend ant ever
received IL, OF, IL he had. that he knew from
whom Ii came, or that ~ was ever answered.
WHAT A LETTEG-C ARRISR KNOWS ABOUT
THE $500 LETT ERs.
James Nagill, a le:ter-csrrier, then tests.
neG:-In the latter part OF February. =. 3,
was coming down Pine street, near stu. Mr..
Joyce accOsted me and said there were two
letters in the street letter box which he
wished 10 get back. He pointed 10 The bOX
on the southwest corner OF Sun and Pine
streets. asked COlOrel joyce 20 describe
the letters before opened the box, He said
one was addressed 10 W. .. Avery, Wash
lngton, ID. G., and marked personal ia the
corner, and the other was 10 o. T.. Babcock.
Washington, ID. C., also marked personal.
l opened the box, although IL was oil iny
district, ana searched among The letters aud
found the Two and handed them TO Colonel
Joyce
Mr., storTs1Did you get receipt
Witness.-No. sir.
Mr.. Storrs.-Is II customary
Nitress.-Ies, il is. sad, look here, col
onel, L want receipt. Ii you want 70 pat
them IN the mail again viii go win you
ana see il done.
Mr. Storrs.-What did he say?
WitneSs.-He said, 'Oh, that's all righf;
hunki-d ori,' or something like that. It's
only a blind.
Mr.. storrs.-Is 1t frequent to give letters
tack?
WIIness.-No, sir.
Mr.. Storrs.-You sometimes do IL?
MltneSs.-On business rOute &c is FIRE.
quent. That is, letters are put i'm anI par
ties forget an enclosure or something IKE
that, and they are returned 20 them.
Mr.. Storrs.-Did you report that matter 10
The post office?
NimeSs-No, sir.
Mr.. StOrrs.-Why?
Wilness.-Well, L thought &c was 50 friy-
olous there wasn't need OF saying anything
about Il.
Mr.. Storrs.-Did you usually report?
Witness usually carried blanks I'm my
satchel, which 4 had parties sign who want.
ed letters back, and then ] compared the
writing.
The croSS-exap,inettnr ~ ,t,,. ,,,i,,,o,.. ,-, =,
long, sharp and thorough. Witness had
Opened boxes frequently on business streets
and returned letters. Had returned a letter
10 George w. Eishback; had returned then,
10 many business houses on Main street, but
could not swear 10 any particular firm. He
was repeatedly pressed 10 recollcct the name
OF any body else for whom he had Ia ken let
terS out Of boxes, but he could not remember
one. He carried BLANK receipts; hal the re-
ceIpt with him when he gave the letters 20
Joy &c, but Joyce refused 10 give ham a re-
eeipt, saying, "Oh, that's all right, hunki
dorl," or something of that sort. Its only
a blind" 1t Occurred on the last day Of FeO-
Tuary, 1875, about L O'Clock y. IA.
Witness did not tell the postmaster about
Mentioned the matter first last Saturday
night 10 his wife; had been reading in the
papers the testimony Of Mr.. Everist ABOUT
putting letters In letter box, and recoilsc-
tel he had given Joyce just sucn letters;
ruminated over the matter awhile; then told
his wife. The next DAY Sunday after going
OH duty, went 10 the Ltndell Hotel; saw
Babcock; told him the circumstances, and
Babcock sent him to Judge Porter, 20 whom
he repeated his story.
He gave full details OF the matter TO no
one but Storrs and Porter outside OF his
own family. No one had been 70 ses hun
about IL before he went TO the Lindell Hotel.
lie consulted with no one but his wife. He
repe ated the addresses OF the letters given 10
Joyce as zen. %. h. BabcOck aud Col. w. %.
Avery. He would hot admit that ne had
talked about the matter 10 anybody eXcept
some letter carriers at the post office to-day.
Col, Dyer pressed him very hard, bat ne
would Lot acknowledge that be hal any
intercourse or conversation with any other
than mentioned above. Witness then went
into long account of his various occupa-
lions since he had lived in the city, but gave
nothing more bearing on the case.
IL is understood the prosecution will o1er
testimony In rebuttal OF this evidence to-
day.
Mr.. Storrs then asked for
THE DEPOSITION OF THE PRESIDENT,
which was produced by the clerk, aud II was
read by Judge Porter. AS several objections
Judge Dillon, during the noon recess, looked
IL over and marked the objections overruled
and sustained, leaving the deposition, how
ever, IL Is said, very nearly In the same form
IL was originally.
The deposition of the President gives tes-
timony as TO how long he had known Gea.
Babcock; in what capacity the latter had
White House, and the efficiency aad faith
fulness with which he discharged his duties;
his hitherto good reputation and general ex-
cellent character.
The following are some OF the more impor-
tant lnterrogations 10 which the President
deposed. First, the question as TO the sue
cessor OF Collector Ford, OF st. Louis, Was
under inquiry.
q. State what, if any, applications were
made at the time OF his decease as TO tue APP
pointment of his successor? Collected % 6y
The counsel for the prosecution as inmate
rial, irrelevant and incompetent) A. II
will be impossible for me 10 rene Der ali of
the applications that Were maize for the
place. / do remember, however, of General
Babcock bringing me a dispatch that was
to him from John A. Joyce, prac-
tically applying for the place. (Oojectet 20
by counsel for the prosecution unless the
is produced.)
q. Have you that dispatch? A. have not.
q. Do You know where ii lie personally =? 4.
No, suppose II could be found. L think
very likely either General Babcoca's eoln-
sci or the District Attorney at ST. Louis has
IL.
q. Were there any requests or communi-
catlons with regard TO the appointment OF
Mr.. Ford's successor emanatDg from his
sureties? Collected TO by counsel for the
prosecution as immaterial, irrelevant aud
A. When General Baocock
showed me that dispatch from John A.
Joyce said 10 him that Mr.. Ford having
died very suddenly and away from home 4
should be guided largely in selecting his sue
cessor by the recommendations or wishes Of
his bondsmen; that thought they were en-
Titled at least TO approval of the appoint