The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-04-13
BELL UNDER OATH,
The Details of the Conspiracy to
Steal the Evidence Against Bah
Cock.

Mr.. Luckey, in February, 1876, at a sala-
nv of $1,000 and travelling expenses, re-
luctantly admitted that he was engaged
as a detective in the Babcock trial under
the employ of Luckey. Luckey told him
to consult A. G. Bradley, and to do what
he was told by Bradley. Bradley told him
to get the evidence against Babcock from
District Attorney Dyer's office, in order
to destroy it. He thought this was going
rather too far, and would not do it, but
he got hold of all the evidence surrep-
tiously from the lawyers and others OF
Dyer's office, and from Dyer himself,
who did not know that he was in Bah
cocks employ, and then told Luckey that
the case against Babcock was weak, lie
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 the 10Th of December. The At
torney- General delayed the appointment
and finally told him that Dyer under
stood the object of his going there. he
was then appointed special agent in the
Interior Department He submitted a
cypher between him and Luckey, in
which he (BelD was to communicate
with Luckey while in st, Louis.
GRANT KNEW ALL ABOUT 1T.
The President knew that he was to be
sent to St. Louis as an officer of the At
torney-General to find out the evidence,
and told him if Babcock was guilty he
wanted to see him punished. He (BeIl)
first though that it was a prosecution
against Grant, but when he got hold Of
the evidence he made up his mind that
Babcock was guilty. He tried to inform
the President personally of Babcocks
guilt, but as he could not see him he
made this fact known to him by giving
to the Herald the cypher between him
(Bell) and Luckey, and mailed a copy to
the President, which he had reason to
believe the President received, Three
DAYS after this he was dismissed. lie
met BabcoCk here several times, and
when he told him that Bradley wanted
him to get hold of the evidence, Babcock
said if he did not get hold of the whole
of it it would be of no use. Babcock said
if he got the evidence he would be well
rewarded; that there were kilograms and
letters in existence which, if Dyer got
hold Of he should never be able to ex-
plain or get over Sensation Mr..
Pierrepont was averse to his going to st.
Louis to play the spy for Dyer, and told
him that high Treasury official, " HON
he took to be Bristow, lad found out
what he was going to st. Louis for, and
it was therefore Of no use for him to go.
THE PRESIDENTS INSTRUCTIONS.
The President told Bell he wanted him
to find out whether any attempt was be-
ing made to manufacture evidence against
Babcock, or whether Babcock was really
guilty. He therefore gave him card to
Pierrepont, so that the latter should en-
ploy him to 90 to st. Louis as a secret. Of
fcer. Under the guise of this appoint
ment he was to be used by Bradley, Bah
cock and Luckey to get the evidence and
de.troy it. He abstracted some letters
and kilograms from Dyer's office on the
14th of July. 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. Sherman, who was
sent there by District Attorney Bliss OF
New York, to do the same errand, He
was told particularly to get hold of any
kilograms signed B. Finch or Bullhnch.
But subsequently Babcock told him he
did not think kilograms under such sig
natures had been sent in that quarter
Bell wished it to be particularly under
stood that he only acted for Babcock as
long as he believed him innocent, but
that when he became convinced that he
was guilty he "threw up the SPONGE
He regarded Babcock's prosecution
at first as political intrigue against
Giant, for whom he had been a scout
during the war, and his main interest
was to serve the President. Babcock
wanted all the evidence to destroy it.
The President, Bell said, never asked
him to cover up the truth.
ZACH CHANDLER IN 1T.
Mr.. Danford-Three days after the
publication in the Herald you were dis
missed by Secretary Chandler. Didn't
he do right in dismissing you when he
found that you were to be a spy on Dyer
for Babcock?
Mr.. Bell-Well, I'll give you a plain
answer to your plain question. think
Chandler knew all about what | was go
ing to do. (Sensation.) | told him
was going to New York for Gen. Bah
cock, and asked him whether | should
enter into details, and he said mo"
Mr.. Danford pressed the question as to
whether he meant to say that Chandler
had appointed him special agent, fully
confident of his secret mission, and he
said the question should be asked of
Chandler. (Laughter)
While he was in st. Louis working for
Belknap, he drew his pay as special
agent of the Pension Office, but only for
FIVE weeks. While holding thatappoint-
ment he went to New York for Babcock,
but he would prefer not to say for what
object. All the recommendation he had
for his appointment under Chandler was
the card from the President The Presi-
dent told him BELL 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 IS
pension agent was stopped, but on his re-
turn he got it. All Chandler asked was
whether Babcock knew that he was in
New York, and when he said eyes," he
got his pay. The only purpose of his
employment as Pension Office agent was
to work for Babcock.
The following is thevote in the United