Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-02-24
THE BABOOCK TRIAL.
Closing Arguments of Counsel-Able Efforts
on Both sides.
ST.. LOUIS. February 10.

was closely crowded to-day, to hear
the closing arguments in the Bab~
cock trial, which commenced with
that of James O. Broadhead for the
Government. After speaking of the
attention of the jury, and bis belief
that they meant TO do their duty,
Col. Broadhead said "The Govern
ment | represent is not the Congress
the President or the Judiciary, but
is the law of the land. The strict
enforcement OF the law is vital TO
national existence. i is tor you
simply to inquire if the law has been
violated by this defendant, ard if it
has 1T is for you to take cognizance
of it, and the punishmea is 10 your
hands. The Grand Jury found an
indictment against this man, but you
are to pass on the evidece submitted
to you, and if you believe the defend
ant is guilty, you are not to be in
fluenced by former good character.
Men as good as he have fallen before
temptation. A conspiracy may ex-
ist by solemn agreement or by tacit
understanding, and one who con
hives at the purpose Of gully com
bnation, or one who shields it, is
himself guilty in the eye Of the law.
Col Broadhead then reviewed, at
great length, the evidence, which be
coDtended all went TO show that the
defendant was guilty referring to
and quoting from letters and tele-
grams between Joyce and Babcock,
the Presidents deposition and other
evidence, claiming that Babcock had
worked in behalf of his friends Of the
ring in manner that was unaccount-
able for di interested person.
Taking up Tho revocation order of
the President, Col. Broadhead said
the President had declared that Bah
cock did not influence HIM in the
revocation Of the order transferring
Supervisors, but that did not prove
that Babcock had not worked else
whore TO that end. The testimony
shows that he went to Douglass. who
had the power To revoke tho order.
1t shows that by warning that gan
tleman of !be disastrous effect which
this order must have on his prospects
for preferment, he tried to induce
action on his part, 1t shows that
Joyce, on receiving information that
the order had been reduced to tenn
pofary arrangement, telegraphed
B. bcock to push things, and they
were pushed
The explanations which the Presi.
dent and Supervisor Tuition gave foI
the revocation of that 0Ider were not
at oil adequate to the occasion
They explained that the Supervisors
all over the country had learned of
the ordor some days before; that
they had time to straighten up affairs
if anything was wrong, and there
fore the whole soheme would be de-
feated. Bat such was not all the
case. The order, as suggested origin
ally the President himself claims th c
credit of it, was intended not to dis.
cover frauds already comitted, but tc
secure future benefits. 1t was held
that the distillers had gotten into
such ruts with the old Supervisors
that new ones would readily catch
them mapping.
The Colonel repeated that the rea,
sons given by President Grant aud
| MIR. Tuition were not all sufficient, al
they amounted to really no reasons
at all. There were other and more
powerful influences brought to bear
and the exigencies of the case seemed
to be such that the President stepped
down from his high position to inter
fere with tho duties of one of The
Department officers The order was
revoked, too, by telegraph, which D
itself was strange proceeding, anC
questionable 10 law. This suspension
was made the day after Joyce tele
graphed Babcock TO push thing
against the weakening enemy,
This portion Of the speech created
u profound sensation, which was
much less scorching than anticipated
Being strong Democrat and con
spicuous opponent Of tho Admins
tration, j. was thought quite proba
BILE Col B. would take advantage o.
the time and place to give @ thrust
at the enemy, The friends of the
President say that Broadhead made
unnecessary and indefensible allu-
sions TO the official conduct of His
Excellency, but are pleased at the
marked absence Of the scathipg in.
nuendo and bitter sarcasm which il
was unprecedented he might direct at
| the President.
The idea was bitterly ridioued that
| BabCOck was victim Of misplaced
confidence. He was born and reared
| in Vermont, educated at West Point.
man OF large army experience, and
finally an occupant Of position the
duties Of which were varied and i'm
porlant, and which required the dis
bursement of half million dollars
yearly. The Colonel closed with the
admonition that the jury be not inhu-
enced by the consideration of position,
but if they found that corruption
nestled within the White House they
crush it out, He said be had conf
dence that they had the manhood
and tirmness to render q verdict ao-
cording to their conviction.
Lawyers pronounce Broadhead's
speech magnificent legal argument,
entirely devoid OF rhetorical flourish
but full of logic and common sense,
and interviewer, from the INTRODUCES
ton to the pero alton, with incon-
testible law points,
In the afternoon Mr.. Storrs opened
the argument for the defense ia a
brilliant speech, combining rhetoric
aud argument. He cautioned the
jary against permitting Themselves
to be swept off their feet by the ter
rible storm of excitement to which
the Whisky Ring developments have
given rise. A conspiracy charge, be
said, was only known to the law
which may result 10 one mans
punishment for another mans crime
and this but makes the necessity for