The New York herald., 1876-01-19
The Coming Trials in Chicago
and st. Louis.
A MISSING WITNESS RETURNED
Important Consultations with the President
Regarding BabcOck.
THE "SYLPH" HANDWRITING.

has caused great revival or public interest in such
matters especially very startling Developments
have been promised by the prosecution at an early
stage OF the trials District Attorney Dyer's recent
visit to Secretary Bristow, 1t is reliably asserted has
resulted In some important aud wholly unexpected
discoveries against General Babcock and Con MCGUIRE
Tho first case the docket Is that OF william Mckee
which Is set down for trial on the GOTH Mckee is the
wealthest man yet indicted and very prominent as a
citizen politician aud newspaper proprietor Ho
dicted under the conspiracy clause of the
His trial will, perhaps, excite interest
and popular sympathy than that OF any person yet
dicted The government attorneys express absolute
confidence in their ability convict but there is
general feeling that conviction will be q much more
difficult matter in McKee's than in either OF
Mcclure or Babcock. The fact that he not gov
ernment official makes the of the prosecution
still more dlncult It has been noted too that public
prejudice has been directed against Mckee much
his whiskey Ring confreres In consideration OF
his venerable age and his past services TO the State the
public judgment has been tempered with charity to-
ward him. and II ajury convicts will be upon the most
irrefragibe proof Mckee his friends that he
will be able to establish his innocence beyond all man.
OF doubt 1t reported that
MISSING WITNESS
Everist the exgauger, who recently returned from
Europe and fell into the hands of government de-
tectves, would tell very damning things against
McKee, but the indications If ho is used at all
It will be against exc Collector Mcclure. The govern
ment undoubtedly has a strong against MCGUIRE,
and conviction seems to be assured His case comes
up the 25th. The government attorneys express
their confidence In their ability convict on all three
Of the indictments pending against him. He is a
shrewd, cunning trckster and II he have hand in
il there will be sharp management when his case
comes up.
GRANT AND HIS PRIVATE SECRETARY
Certain very competent persons recently returned
from Washington positive in the assertion that
President Grant was at first very emphatic
In his endeavors to the entry
OF noe proscqui in the OF Bah
cock, but finding that public sentiment would not
tolerate such step, relnquished his efforts that d.
recon and has since been actly assisting in the ar
rangemen of plan Of prosecution securing the acquit
tai of his private secretary Public curiosity has
very much excited of late by the presence Washing
Of such large number OF persons connected with
the prosecution defence of the whskey These
visitors included Judge Krum counsel for General
Baccock Mr. voorhees, counsel for Mckee and Mcclure;
Assistant District Attorneys Bliss and Paddock E. W
Fox, the foreman OF the ST. Louis Grand Jury which
found true bill against Babcock; District Attorney
Dyer and George Fishback Krum had several
CONSULTATIONS PRESIDENT
while there, also had 4. w. Fox. foreman OF the
Grand Jury. He OF the jurors who voted
against Indictment and the author OF the usome
Is
OF Mr. voorhees, the capital was to secure an order
from Attorney General Pierrepont directing a ,olle
proseqs Of the against Mckee, but the govern
ment attorneys present watching success
fully checkmated all efforts looking such consum-
nation. The object OF Fishbacks visits to Washing
ton TO see about the compensation due about
be due him for unearthing the whiskey frauds Some
time ago he abruptly informed by Secretary
that tho department. had received information that
had used the information for which he asked pay from
the government in his private behalf taking advan
agc Of the favorable occasion to get rid Of deprecated
n no
expect compensation from the national treasury.
Fshsaok at once went TO Washington ana has used his
utmost endeavors 10 convince the Secretary that he
did not the information to his advantage and
that he is justly entitled TO liberal pay Fishback orgi
nay counted 800 900 moety, but It is that
he Will now sell out for ten cents on the dollar
THE STRONGEST EVIDENCE AGAINST BABcocK.
One of the most important witnesses against Babcock
Is Colonel Parker Internal Revenue Collector for the
Colorado district He has been summoned to appear.
Is sao mat & ne Is Of evidence conclusive
he will be fully able to prove the authenticity Of Bah
cocks handwriting in the famous Sylph" despatch, a
fac-simile OF which the HERALD published some time
THE PRELUDE
TO the Whiskey Ring trials enacted to-day by
the trial Of Arthur Gunther, exrevenue agent for
frauds the The jury brought In a verdict
Of guilty after beng half hour and that noto
rious individual will so the way OF
Mcdonald and joyce The Indictment charged
6rst that while occupying the position of revenue
agent he obtained the sum Of $4,000 from the nrm of
Bernecker Engelkc for the purpose of inducing him
recommend the release or their rectifying house.
charged that IN the year 1873 he obtained from T. w.
Schroeder, cigar manufacturer, doing business in
this city, the Of $1,000, which money
was received as a consideration for compromising a
prosecution then pending against them in the United
States courts Tor deiraudng the revenue Upon mo
first stricken from the indictment upon the
ground that it charged Gun,her with being revenue
agent at the time OF the commission OF the offence
whereas he was in fact only government detective
and had nothing to do with the revenue F. w.
Schroeder testified that while indictment pend
unStamDed tobacco n
possession Gunther came to him and stated that II he
would grve him
TO hand over District Attorney Patrick and his
assistant, IL W. Bliss the indictment would be nole
prosecuted Schroeder thereupon gave the amount
asked but the dismissed. Gunther after
wards demanded money from the witness, but he
unable TO pay IL
Gunther then told him that he could
make up the money by neSlecting to enter
and that he, Gunther, would prevent the Grand
from being discovered Of Schroeder corrobo
rated the statement OF his father ExDstrict Attorney
Patrick and Assistant District Attorney Bliss both
that they knew nothing of the matter that they
had spokes 10 Gunther on the subject and that
money had been received rom him and the prose-
cuton had not been suppressed There no
evidence introduced for the defendant The jury,
aer consulting half hour brought verdict OF not
guilty on the first count and guilty the second
count Gunther filed motion for new trial. He is
AT liberty on his old bond Of IS 900 Another ndIc
en, him tor consnracv TO defrand the govern
ment dismissed
rHE wrrSEss PROM ErEoPE
II said that the testimony OF Everest, tho ex
gauger who has been keeping himself in Europe so
long will contain some very Interesting well as
startling developments in the history af the Whiskey
Ring In this city he expected be here tomorrow
He has sister Mrs Roberts living Min street. in
ST. Louis She has stated TO friends that she has
Gently received letters from her brother In which he
gives her the facts about his connection
with the rng" She says mis- testimony
will be very damnIng against Mcguire and Mckee as
we'll Babcock. While in Europe he wrote 10 each OF
those three individuals stating that he had funds,
and that II they would forward him enough money 10
MAINTAIN himself IN Europe no would stay there and
thus escape being used a witness They refused TO
furnish him pecunary assistance and he came back
TO America What appears to be pretty
straight 10 tho effect that Mcguire
| has given up all hope OF acquiita, and if
pressed trial will withdraw his plea Of not guilty
and enter OF guilty II is stated that he has dis
missed his chief attorney, Henry A. CLOVIS, and has
notified Judge Voorhees, also Of his counsel OF his de-
termination plead guilty. Magulre will oe convicted
Just as no goes 10 trial The evidence against