Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1876-02-17
THE BABCOCK TRIAL

TINE BABCOCK TRIAL
We have watched with interest the
progress of the trial, in st. Louis, OF the
Private Secretary of the President uii-
der an indictment charging him with
conspiracy to defraud the revenue. we
have read with some care such infor-
NATION ~ the Geographic reporters
have vouchsafed to US. This inforina-
ton has been neither full nor satisfac-
tory; In several instances there has
been Q hiatus in the report which has
made %unmeaning gibbsrish of the tes-
timony. Thus mangled, the testimony
for tho prosecution has left no positive
impression upon our mind as to the
guilt or innocence of the accused. AS
far - the evidence as yet offered goes,
We would to-day be an u~nprejudiced
juryman. But last nights dispatches
bring to us the statement Of the defense
preparatory to entering upon its case.
Tho statement was made by Williams,
of Oregon, ex-senator from that State,
and ex.Auorney General of the United
States, the senior counsel for Babcock.
Tho distinguished advocate said that
joyce aud Mcdonald, with whom it is
charged Babcock was in completely in
the whisky frauds, were "trusted Off
Gals" "men of influence" and "pos.
sessed the confidence of good people,"
sBabcock, on the other hand "-on the
other hand? We presume that Bah
cock il not trusted, has no influence,
and il not contided in by good people
/" Babcock was q warm hearted, gen.
erous, confding man" who maintained
his disinterested friendship for Joyce
and Mcdonald, despite the calumnies
uttered against them. What a trium-
virate Of affection is here! Unhappy
Joyce, unfortunate Mcdonald, poor,
sraduced, yet faithful, Babcock! Let
us think of the Damon and Pythias Of
old, and in view Of this tender sacrifice
keep . reverential silence. Babcock's
course, II was claimed by his counsel,
simply indicated q weakness of judg-
ment." Then the advocate referred to
the distinguished military services of
his client. He pictured him in the
heyday of his youth, q cadet at West
Point-and here General Williams
passed a glowing, and yet a truthful,
eulogium upon the character of the
military academy and its graduates;
he alluded to his services in
tho capacity Of Chief Engineer
Of the Ninth (Burnside's) Army
Corps, and later Of aid de-camp and
military secretary to General Grant.
He then spoke Of his intimate personal
and Official relations with the Execu-
tive, and argued that q betrayal of the
confidence rsposed in him by his chief
would stamp hin IS the blacklist of
traitors. In short, General Williams
entire address was an appeal to charac
ter and y plea for mercy. Not one
word was said to explain away the in
Ssrences naturally deducible from the
testimony introduced by the Govern
mont-we do not mean the Administra-
ton. Such appeals to sympathy are
not uncommon among gentlemen of
tie legal profession, but they gener-
ally follow the evidence and close the
case. When . lawyer of tue celebrity
and ability Of General Williams, in
pointing out to a jury the line of de-
fence to be followed, car do no moro
than declare that it is his purpose to
rely upon the tachnicalitics of the
rules Of evidence, and, If these fail him,
ground IN appeal to the hearts of the
jury upon the good character, distin-
suishsd record and gushing affect ions
Of his client, the case is, We imagine,
very weak. Tho betting among the
political sharps In Washington is
quoted At one to one. General VIII
lame speech indicates to US that the
Bristowitss have the best Of the pools,
and that there is great probability OF
Babcock leaving the st. Louis court
with the brand Of "guilty" on his
brow.
BULLY Fon LICK.-James Lick has
ssnt . dispatch from San Francisco to
San Jose to the Board Of Supervisors OF
Santa Clara county, California, to the
efRsct that II Chinsmsn were employed