Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-04-05
ARE THESE TME GOOD TIMES
THAT WE'RE COMlNGt

Va hS H'SiS NoS tiS WOIsl April
fooled man in the country. He says
that Babcock hired him to steal the
evidence against him from District
Attorney Dyer, at st. Louis. lie i'm
plicates, by inference, the President,
by stating that he understood Gen.
Grant to be distrustful of Secretary
Bristow, and that it was Bristow who
was aiming blow at the President,
and that, therefore, he was to be hired
to ferret out the secrets of the Secre.
tary of the Treasury. He also drags
into the scheme he claims to have been
hired to carry out, Secretary Chan
der, Col. Luckcy and Babcock's al.
torneys. Hearing Of this testimony
all these latter gentlemen, including
District Attorney Dyer, pronounced
Bell as totally unworthy of belief
From the Inter-Ocean we learn tina,
Immediately upon Bells testimony
being received in Chicago, reporter
of that paper called upon Mr.. Storrs
of that city, who, it was reported had
the affidavit of this man Bell, which
stated that Bristow, Dyer, Bluford
Wilson, and others had conspired tc
convict Babcock. We give what Mr.
Storrs, Babcock's attorney, says upon
this subject:
The first l heard of this man Bell
was from Mr.. Babcock. When / Went
to Washington the first time I met
the gilt-edged gentleman. Being sus.
picious of him and like ilk, l asked
Babcock's permission to take charge
of the entire dead-beat brigade. This
was granted me, and l took Bell in
tow. He said he had hat-full of very
valuable information, and had a
scheme on hand by which he could
find what witnesses had been bribcd
by the Treasury Department., and
what evidence had been manufactur.
ed. l told him that if he could pro.
duce evidence with something strong.
Ell to support it than his oath, l would
see that he was paid for it. Ifany
such scheme was on foot / would be
glad to know it. He said he had been
solicited by the Treasury Department
to get papers out of mine and Ayery's
possession. l thought he was a liar
and in order that his statement might
be substantiated, told him to pro.
ducc written employment from the
government or l would not believe
him. lie agreed to produce the writ
ten document, and made an appoint
ment to meet him. He failed to come
to time, and / was satisfied that he
was a liar. You will understand that
before l went to Washington he had
the affidavit drawn up, which impli-
Gated Dyer, Bristow, Bluford Wilson,
and an endless string of other treas
ury officials. lasked him to swear to
it and he did. put it away, and il
would have never been referred to
again but for his conviction. told
him didn't want his services, and he
tried to brighten me by saving he
would be employed by the Treasury
on their part. l told him to go. lie
went. | met him afferward and he
said he was chock full of information
and wanted me to get him position
as conductor Oh Pullman palace car
to New York. ] told him that my
influence in this direction was decid-
eddy limited. lie then said he was
hard up. told him had no money.
j did not place any confidence in
him from the start, and after this l
set him atloat, after which he was
kicked out of the Treasury when he
applied for position.
How about his sworn statement. Mr..
Storrs; didn't you believe that?
Why, no. l knew he was a liar, and
what was the good of sworn state.
ment: Bell wrote frequently to Bah.
cock, asking for money. read all
these letters, and advised Babcock tc
retain his funds, which he did. The
last ! heard of him-and hoped i,
would be for cternity-was that ht
had sold out his cypher dispatches
which were good Tor nothing, to tho
New York Herald. And the pittance
he received for them is, j believe, all
the money the black-hearted scoun.
drel ever received for his trouble
Mr.. Dyer and myself Joined hands
and determined upon disposing OF
the dead-beats who beset us, and
can tell you our work was effective
When they could not sell ont to me
they would go to Dyer, who would
kick them out quick enough.
What will you do with this aflida.
Wit, Mr.. Storrs? Will it be used a,
Washington
Yes, sir | mean to send it down to-
morrow night, and hope it will assist
in giving Bell what he deserves.
Here, then, we have this consumate
knave, who now says he was hired to
steal valuable papers from Dyer, max.
ing an affidavit that Bristow had hired
him to do the same thing from the
other side. In the name of all that il
good, how long win the people OF
this country look with any complacen.
cy upon this sluicc-way of infamous
SANDER held by Clymer at Washing.
ton? The Democracy has entered
into a systematic course Of not only
sending broadcast over the country
the most patent and unblushing mis-
representation of testimony, but they
are raking up all the infamous dead
beats that can be found, who will tcs-
tify 10 the most shameless. unreason-
able and wicked falsehoods for pay.
These are the creatures that pemoc-
racy wants to let loose to DESTROY the
characters. of honorable men.
The Democrats introduced a bill
into the House providing that no man
shall be prosecuted for what he dis
closes before the committees, and the
Republicans, to give the enemy free
scope, even yielded and voted for it.
At the time we doubted the correct.
ness of such course, but we are
now of the opinion that the pemoc.
racy should be allowed to give tho
country surfcit in this line. Tween.
ty investigating committees headed
by Democrats, with secret caucuscs
Of the Democratic members to deter.
mine what they shall investigate, al.
ways steering clear of their own par.
tvs wickedncss, are spending theil
time trying to make political capital
and the earrion crows like Bell are
paid, and insured protection, and
hence they flock around these invest.
igating committees. Go on. We see
clearly that the rogue's plan which
seemeth at iirst dangerous one, will
in the end turn TO plague the wicked
inventors.
Fassagc Of the silver Bill BY the
House.
On the 3lst ult. the House passed
what is known as the "silvcr bill" by
n vote nf ICc yaos IN 1n1,no,,e M "a