The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-10

Deputy Sergeant at Arms who wos sent to sum
mon him to appear before the committee was
three hours In finding him. When he came De-
fore the committee he said that no had written
a letter that morning to the Chairman asking to
be heard, hut up to half past nine O'Clock last
night, Mr. Knott had not received that lester.
The defence which Babcock made be fore the
committee Yesterday afternoon Vas what law
over no knew positively that Whitley had oor-
roboratins testimony to sustain himself. -
that the only evidence whirL could h, brou"ht
against him was whites unoorroborsted as.
sertlon' ne tnouSst y safe to put his oath
vice Fore. For instance, he could not dony
that he had requested Banneld to telegraph for
18th Of MsEcb 1874 for Band wa. here UsH 20 to tes
tlfy to that fact. 1t was therefore necessary
ip! him 70 give scc1Sgms s9S e1ps1s.9n ,Ss,,s.S Of
his object In sending for Col. whitley
was TO have him detail two Of the Government
detectives TO ascertain who II was that was
writing the articles In TBB NEW York Sun on
the subieo; oi ~. ::vusuis .nents OF work done
by the Board Of Public w orks around Govern
ment property. He swOre that he did not know
who the correspondent OF TnH NEW York
SUN was, and that he had no knowledge OF the
location OF THE SuN Office In this citv. He
wanted two detectives to md out who the men
wero who were abusing him, and he wanted
them to report regularly TO George Gideon.
when the discovery was made for him. In fact,
he said that after he had asked whitley to do
this for him he scarcely gave II second thought,
and In point OF fact he did not know what the
two Government detectives ever did about the
matter.
sELP-coSvIcrNo.
Now the singular part OF this explanation Is
that IL agrees In certain essential particulars
wth Nettleship's account Of the nrst instruo-
In obedience to whtley's orders. Harrington
told him that thew wanted two smart fellows
who could get In with Gibson of the New York
| Sun, and White of the New York Tribune, and
| In addition make connections with Demaine,
| the engineer who had been employed by Gibson
| TO make certain measurements. and Columbus
| Alexander. These detectives were to report to
| Georse Gideon Now Nettloshtp does not pre-
| tend that he ever had any conve sation with
| Babcock on this subject; neither docs Babcock
| say That he talked with Nettleshin about It. 1t
| Il therefore rather singular that tuerc should be
! this similarity In their stories, II BibcOck had
| no knowledge OF what was going ON between
| Harrington and the detective.
| Again, Babcock admits that he saw whitley
shortly after the safe burglary, but he denies
that he had any such conversation with nim as
| the latter reports lie also admits that whitley
| went to his house and said that he wantod to
see Harrington. who lived next door, but he de-
| nies that whitley said ANYTHING to him about
| money. or that he said that Harrington had
some for him. He also admits thet Whitley
| visitod him twice at Long Branch. but denies
| that he said anything about Colorado being a
good place for him to 70 10, because he would be
| close 10 tho Mexican border. or that he suR.
cested TO Whitley to go to Europe for two or
| three years. The letter Of sept II he acknowl-
| closing sentences had no reference whatever to
| the safe burglary. sivc that he believed Col.
| whitley TO be innocent, and that lie thought time
| he had been mistaken, hut he declared sole emnly
that he did not believe In his quit until he heard
In an authoritative way that he had confessed It,.
| lie admitted that he had held conversations with
| a. d. Newcomb within a month, but denied that
he h9d said any suSh things as wero attsouted
! TO him In that individuals letter to Whitley.
| lie acknowledRed that on his return from 81.
Louis In February he nscertained that Nettle-
ship had made a statement to District Attorney
| Wells The President told him this. and simply
asked him whether II implicated htm In any
way. lie said the President had also received a
"a - al q Ill
| innocence OF Babcock as well AS himself.
THE PRESIDENT AND WILLIAMS.
| Babcock admitted that he used hat influence
he had to prevent the dismissal Of Col. " bitlsy.
| but excused this upon the ground that hc be-
| leved him Innocent OF any wrong or intent to
| to Attorney General Williams about his missing z
| the prosecutions AGAINST Harrington, Whitley,
and Others. but admitted that he had heard the
| heard the Attorney General say, He did II In
consequence Of an order from the President" "
| but he denied positively that he had borne any
| such message. either 10 writing or verbally, from
| tho President TO Williams.
| This places the President and Williams In an
embarrassing position. The defence OF the lat
ter IA that he received such an order from tn Q
President through Baocock. Tue President
says that be never gave any such order, cit Der
through Bahcock or anybody else, aud adds tn II
nobody will believe he was ca damned fool
a. to do so, because he hed no power to do It.
or course, all lawyers will laugh Al his reason-
ing, however much they may DC Inclined to re-
! spect his solemn asseyeraticn 10 regard to the
giVing Of the oraer.
hut ex-AHorney- General Williams win nove
another fact Is explain, and It looks ugv. The
records OF his Office snow that arlington was
commissioned District Attorney on the very
day that Benton was released from Jail on straw
bail. Not only this, but Mr.. Kdclc, who was
Special Assistant Attorney General to prosecute
the safe burglary consp.rators, avers that he has
written all the originals of teegrams used In the
trial OF these cases. along with the other testi-
mony to Attornsy-GenerA Williams, and now
when AttOrney-General Pierrepont is called
upon to produce then he reports that digenl
search has been made therefor, and they are
not to be found. Who Is responsible for theil
disappearance2
PERTINENT INQUIRIES.
Again admitting that he received Whist he be.
lieved TO oe bona llde order FROM the President
be given for obeYng II II II was contrary to ms
own JUDGMENT, wDy did he do ~ lie knew
from Mr.. Riddle that n another trial was per
mitted Whitley, with immunity gu iranteed him
would lay the whole devilish plot bare. Was he
bound, either In conscience or law, to obey or
der from tho President with n knowledge OF thi.
factl Did he make this fact known to the Presi
dent. and did the President with this knowled sc
permit his Attorney General to dismiss the
cases1 All these become pertinent Inquiries
now.
whitley testines that Harrington and A. p
Williams have bOrno all the expenses OF the
trials and paid his counsels Zee, 500 VIII oh
tion TO TINS, Somerville swe "a thnt HARRINGTON
paid him at various times sos, and Nettleshi[
also testlnes that he received from the same
source {l.3OO. The total OF all these disburse.
ments, according TO HHlringi on's statement &c
Whitley, was S22OOO. Where did this money
come fromr
1rI