The New York herald., 1876-01-24
The Case of General BabeOck.

The facts stated in a Washington letter
which we print in another column are Gu
rious and painful preface to the trial of the
Presidents private secretary, which is soon
to come on at St Louis. That the Presi-
dent should be exceedingly annoyed by the
indictment of General Babcock is perfectly
natural, and his Indignation is quite con-
sistent with q full belief in Babcock's inno-
cence 1t is fair to presume that it is be-
cause he retains unshaken confidence in his
in2ocence that he has resolved to protect
him to the full extent of his power. But the
steps taken in this direction present q singu-
lar appearance when traced in the order of
their dates, as is done by our correspondent
in the light of some facts which have not be-
fore been made public
When General Babcocks kilograms came
out in the Avery trial they seemed SO evil
IDENTIFY to point to his completely with the
ST. Louis Whiskey Ring that the air was inn
mediately filed with rumors that he was to
be indicted. Thereupon the President indi-
Gated to the Attorney General his desire
that the latter should interfere to stop pro-
ceedings against Babcock in the civil court
and before the Grand Jury. Mr.. Pierrepont
declined to take this responsibility. con-
siderable time elapsed and no indictment
appeared. Meanwhile the military court
was ordered at Chicago, and Mr.. Pierrepont
telegraphed to District Attorney Dyer, in
quiring how things stood at St Louis. Mr.
Dyer replied that the Grand Jury was con-
sidering the case of General Babcock, but
that he had not, ''as yet" been indicted
About that time Mr.. Henderson made his
speech, at which so much offence
was afterward taken, although it was
allowed to pass unpunished for the
time being. The substance of it was
at once telegraphed all over the coun-
try and could not have escaped the attention
of the President, but he did not think fit to
express his dissatisfaction. Nearly week
elasped when, on the 9th of December, the
Grand Jury took vote and indicted General
Babcock, fact which was at once telegraphed
to the Attorney General by Mr.. Dyer. In
an hour there came back from Washington
the well known despatch calling District At
torney Dyers attention to the fact that Mr..
Henderson had reflected on the President in
his argument against Avery the week before,
and giving notice that the government did
nection of dates and events is curiously sug-
gestive. Why did Mr.. Henderson's speech
pass unnoticed until Babcock was indicted
Why did the Attorney General decide on the
instant to remove him, as swiftly as thunder
follows the lightning flash, when news of the
indictment was received The circum-
stances were such that these questions seem
to suggest their own answer.
Before things had come to this decisive
pass the military court of inquiry had met
at Chicago, and the curtain which our cor
respondent lifts on some features of its secret
history is the most surprising part of his let
ter. The Attorney General telegraphed to
Mr.. Dyer directing him to furnish the mill
tary court with all the evidence in Babcock's
case. The indictment had not then been
found, and the effect of such proceeding
(however intended) would have been to
withdraw the evidence from the Grand Jury
and transfer it to Chicago. Mr.. Dyer sent
back to Washington a firm and spirited re-
fusal, closing with this sentence 1.-THE
Court will not tolerate such proceeding,
and 1 could not personally take the respon-
sibility without incurring its contempt"
Two days later the instruction of the Attor-
ney General was so modified as to direct
Mr.. Dyer to furnish ''copies" of the evil
dence. Meanwhile there came very per-
emptory demand from the Judge Advocate
of the military court at Chicago for copies of
the charges made against General Babcock
by Mr. Henderson, which also had to be
modified before the District Attorney would
comply with it. Altogether, this is very odd
chapter in the preliminary history of the
case.
The German Language I'm America.