The Portland daily press., 1876-04-01
CLYMER'S COMMITTEE.
Some Very Interesting Testimony
A Witness COnfeSses He Stole
Some of the Evidence Against
BabcOck.
And at the Solicitation of Babcock
and Lucky.
BOTH THE LATTER DENY THE
STORY,


cation for post leadership at Fort Davis,
Texas and came here in June, 1872, 10 see Bel
KNAPP about it, He had number of recon-
mendauous ftom army officers, but Secretary
Belknap told him that if he had known he had
come 10 make such an application he BEL
KNAPP would not have seen him. Witness re-
piled that il would take him but very little
time to get out of his office, Qaughter) and he
then got out. (Laughter.) This brusque treat
ment made hum angry, but as he got to the west
front of the bulldog Young man came run
ming after him and requested him to come
back. When he returned Mr.. Belknap said
(rather alphabetically that he was greatly an
Doyed over the many applications for post ira
derships. Mr.. Belknap then turned to him
(brusquely) and said:
How much is that position worth?
He replied that he did not know.
Is it worth $4,000 year, he asked?
He replied that he supposed it was worth
that,
Would you be willing to pay that, Mr.. Bel
KNAPP pursued?
would not be willing to pay anything he re-
sponded, and then left. Witness could not re-
member that he had said to anybody that Col.
Goodfelow aud Mr.. Cresey, the Secretary's
chief clerk, were Belknap's go-betweens in post
leadership bargains.
Question by Mr.. Danford-Did you not think
it your duty to inform the Presdant that the
Secretary had made an Infamous proposition?
Mr.. Bell-No, sir, 1 concluded that the Sec
rotary weighed little more than did, and
that had better leave him alone. daughter
l had seen other men shelved because they
tried to fight heavier men than they, and had
made up my mind not to try it again. Laugh
ter.)
Mr. Bell after stating that he was appointed
q secret agent of the pension Office at the
recommendation of President Grant and Mr..
Luckey in February, 1876, at salary of So, 200
and travelling expenses, reluctantly admitted
that he was engaged as detective IN the Bab-
cock trial under the employ of Luckey.
Luckey told him to consult A. G. Bradley and
do what he was told by Bradley. BradleS told
him to get the evidence against Babcock from
District Attorney Dyer's Office in order to de-
stroy it. He thought this was going rather too
far and would not do it, but he got hold of all
Office and from Dyer himself, who did not
know that be was in Babcock's employ, and
then told Luckey the case against Babcock was
weak. He was to be appointed special agent of
the Attorney Generals Office to be sent to St.
Louis, but he was not appointed. That was on
layed the appointment, and finally told him
that Dyer would not consent to his BELL y
working any longer. Dyer understood the
object of his going there, and as he could be Of
no further use there, he was appointed special
agent to the Interior Department. He sub
mitted a CIPHER between him and Luckey, in
which Bell was!to communicate with Luckey
while out at st. Louis. The President knew
that he was to be sent out to ST. Louis as an
officer of the Attorney General to find out the
evidence, and told him if Babcock was guilty,
he wanted to see him punished, He first
thought it was prosecution against Grant, but
when he got hold of the evidence. he made up
his mind that Babcock was guilty, and so in
formed the President, and three days after he
was dismissed. He tried to inform the Presi-
dent personally of Babcock's guilt, but as he
could not see him, he made the fact known to
him through giving to the Herald the CIPHER
between him and Luckey, and mailed copy to
him, which he had reason to believe the Presi-
dent received. Three days after he was dis.
missed. He met Babcock here several times,
and when he told him Bradley wanted him to
get hold of the evidence, Babcock said it would
be no use getting part of it; if he did not get
hold of the whole of it, it was no USE Bab-
cock said that if he got the evidence he would
be we'll rewarded, and that there were papers
and kilograms in existence, which, if Dyer got
hold of, he should never explain or getover
Sensation
Mr.. Pierrepont was averse to his going to St.
Louis to play the spy on Dyer, and told him
that high treasury official whom he took to
be Bristow had found out what he was going to
ST. Louis for and that it was therefore of no
use for him to go. The President told him
that he wanted Bell to find out if any attempt
was made to manufacture evidence against
Babcock or if BabCock was really guilty and he
therefore gave him card to Pierrepont so that
the latter should employ him to go TO st, Louis
as secret officer under the guise of this ap-
pointment. He was to be used by Bradley,
Luckey and Babcock to get the evidence and
destroy it. He distracted some kilograms and
papers from the Attorney Generals Office on
the 14th of Jan. When he returned to St.
Louis he explained to Dyer that he had been
commissioned to steal the evidence and destroy
it. This warned Dyer against Roger M. Sher-
man, who was sent there from Bliss is New
York to do the same errand, so that Sherman
could not accomplish it. He was told very par
ticularly to get hold of any kilograms sgned
sB. Finch or Bull Finch but subsequently
Babcocx told him he did not think the tele-
grams under such signature had been sent in
that quarter. Bell wished it particularly un-
ders.ood that he only acted for Babcock SO long
as he believed him innOcent, but when he be-
came convinced that be was guilty he threw up
the sponge. He regarded Babcock's prosecu-
ton at first as political intrigue against
Grant, for whom be had been scout during
the war, and his main interest was to serve the
President. Babcock wanted all the evidence
TO destroy it, Bradley was brother-in-law of
Sheppard. Bradley was sent out by Babcock
to st. Louis to keep on the watch.
Mr.. Robbins-You say Babcock said he had
not sent any kilograms signed ''B Finch or
Bull Finch" to that quarter. Did you under
stand he sent it to any other quarter?
Mr. Bell thought he might have sent
some to Chicago.
Mr.. Robbins-The President never wanted
you to cover up the truth?
Mr.. Beli-No sir; he never did.
Mr.. Danford, the Republican member of the
committee, cross examined the witness. You
say that you came to the conclusion that Bah
cock was guilty, but the jury thought he was
innocent. What further proof did you see be-
You'd that the jury saw?
Mr.. Bell-Nothing excepting conversation
with Bradley, Luckey and Babcock.
Mr.. Danford-Three days after the .publca
ton in the Herald you were dismissed by Sec,
Rotary Chandler. Didn't he do right in dismiss
sing you when he found that you were to be
spy on Dyer for Babcock?
Mr.. Bell-Well I'll give you plain answer
to your plain question. 1 think that Chandler
knew all about what was going to do. (Sen-
sation) told him 1 was going to New York
for Gen. Babcock and asked him if 1 should
enter into the details and he said mo"
Mr.. Danforth pressed the question whether
he meant to say that Mr. Chandler had ap-
pointed him special agent fully confident of
his secret mission, and he said the question
should be asked of Mr.. Chandler Laughte r. }
Luckey had told him at ST. Louis that if he got
hold of the evidence he would get big
office in Washington. Naughter.) While be
his pay as special agent of the pension Office,
but only for five weeks. While holding that
appointment he went to New York for Gen.
Ba6cock but he would prefer not to say for
what object. Babcock knew all about the
cipher. All the recommendation he had for his
appointment under Chandler was the card from
the President. The President told him (BelD
that he would speak to Chandler about him.
He said that he would tell Chandler that Bell
was to be ordered TO ST. Louis. While he was
away in New York for Babcock his pay as
agent of the pension Office was stopped but on
bis return he got it, When he told Chandler
that he was there for Babcock all Chandler
asked was whether Babcock knew he was in
New York and when he said "yes' he got his
pay. The only purpose of his employment as
pension Office agent was to work for Babcock.
Gen. 3abcock, Mr.. Luckey and Mr.. A. G.
Bradley pronounce the statement of Bell
tissue of falsehood from beginning to end.