The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-04-21
FRIDAY. APRIL 3
Tpr"sArEv BURGLARY.-The fact that


nm Indictment has been found by the
Grand Jury of the District of Columbia
against Babcock, Harrington, Nettleship
and others, for being concerned In the
breaking and robbing the safe in the Dis l
trict Attorneys office at Washington, t
has been publicly announced. But 1t Is r
probable that the circumstances attend 6
Ing the transaction have become indis- I
tinct in the public mind. A priet synop-
yis of the events may therefore be Of in
terest in view of the impending trial of
The persons now accused.
In the spring of 1874 an investigation
by Committee of Congress was in prog ,
ress, into the management Of the affairs |
of the District of Columbia, OF which
Shepherd had been the Governor. Dur
ing the progress Of this investigation the
office of the District Attorney, Harring-
ton, was opened, the safe broken and
robbed Of papers said to be important
as duplicating the ''ring'' Of which Shep-
herd was called the "boss."
Previous to this occurrence certain |
mysterious warnings were received to |
put persons on their guard against such |
an event. One or these was by letter
to Harrington himself, then Assistant
District Attorney, and was by him
exhibited to the Congressional Commit
tee. These matters were sent to the
Treasury Department, where they were
examined, and finally dropped as of
little or no moment. Harrington, how
ever, acted upon the hint he had
received; and with the police kept q
watch over the office. On the night Of
the burglary Harrington and his police
saw the safe men break open the office,
rob the safe, and then pursued the two
men engaged in the act.
One Of these men escaped. The other
was followed secretly. He went to the
house OF q Mr.. ALEXANDER, highly
respectable citizen of Washington, and
was arrested in the act Of ringing the
basement door-bell OF Alexander's resi-
,dence. He gave his name as Benton.
He said he had been employed by Mr.,
Alexander and some others to rob the
safe OF certain papers appertaining tt
the "Boss Shepherd" investigation
which Alexander was vigorously push.
ing against the "Ring" and the District
Government under Shepherd.
Benton gave bail and absconded. The
bail was found to be fraud, the bond
being given by worthless tramp in the
name Of another person. My. Alexan'
her's reputation was too solid for such an
attack to overcome. An indictment
was found against Harrington and
Whitley "a government detective) fol
conspiracy; but the jury could not agree
upon a verdict, and the indictment was
subsequently, dismissed for irregularity
In forming the Grand Jury. During this
trial some remarkable swearing was
heard, and general suspicion of gull
somewhere prevailed. Ever since that
period MIR. Alexander, upon whom was
attempted to be fastened the charge o
completely in the saie-burglary, has
been assiduous in hunting out the gull
ty persons. Two years have now passed
since these events transpired; and while
the authors Of this scheme supposed the
pffair forever concluded, there now come
Whitley and Nettleship and confess thai
the whole thing was 'put up job" tt
destroy MIR. Alexanders influence il
the investigation of the doings o
the "ring" These men employed the
arrested man Benton and another named
Miles to do the job. Miles is the man
who escaped; but has since been sent te
the Penitentiary Of Vermont for robbins
sbank; and now writes from there tc
Congressman KNOTT revealing the
whole thing, as having been done under
The direction Of Whitley and Nettleship
Btthe instigation of Harrington and Bah
cock, who were the hackers of the bust
ness TO serve the purposes efthe "Ring'
And upon this. revelation the presen
Indictment is founded.
The following is the substantial charg'
contained in the Indictment: That salt
%. E. Babcock conspired with others "t
tnjure and oppress Columbus Alexan
der, and that in pursuance OF said con
spiracy they did procure certain person
named, to break and enter the office o
the Attorney OF the United States 70
The District Of Columbia, and to TAX
lherefrom two books Of Jonn 0. Evans
md to carry them to the residence Of tn,
paid Columbus Alexander"
Now what reliance can beplaced upoi
.the testimony Of such men as Whitley
Eettieship, and Miles, admitted crimin
pls, to work conviction OF Babcock an,
Harrington remains an important ques
Non. 1t is said that Whitely's testi
mony before the Grand Jury was cor
reborated and verified by other unin
peachable evidence. 1t is certain tha
if fwhat he now says be true, Whitel
testified falsely before. But Mr.. Ale1
ander has been for two years upon thei
track, and doubtless now comes We
Fortified by proof not yet revealed TO tn