The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-04-19
WATCHING GRANT.
BRISTOW HAS HAD A HAND IN
THAT BUSINESS.

BRIsTow HAS HAD A HAND IN
THAT BUSINESS.
THE sTRAN6EsT STORY OF ALL THE STORIES
YET REcITED-IT Is AFFIRMED THAT IN
OCTOBER LAST BRIsTow SET DETECTIVES
TO WATCH GRANT AND BABCoCK To-
GETHER IN ST. LOUIS.
The st. Louis special OF the New York
Sun says: 1t is reported that Secretary
Bristow has declared that Gen. Henderson
had no right TO quote him as authority
for the statement that Attorney General
Pierrepont placed in the possession OF
Babcock's lawyer the evidence which the
government lawyer depe nGed on 70 secure
his conviction. We do not believe this
report here, nor shall we until Secretary
Bristow denies his accredited action before
the committee In person or over bis own
signature. 1t Is stated by a party, who
ought to know and does know nesriy
all that transpired during Babcock's
trial, that Secretary Bristow suspected
the president of an intention of shielding
Bsbcock at all hazards. 1t is also stated
that up to a certain date in October Attor-
ney General Pierrepont was very active
and honestly committed to the Pecksnif-
fan declaration of the president that nc
guilty man should escape. Last Novem-
Der the president visited st. Louis, item
sibly to look alter his farm, which had
grown to be an elephent. He was sttended
by Babcock. Mcdonald and Joyce were
then awaiting their
TRIAL ON A HALF DOZEN INDICTMENTS.
Bristow thought, and did not hesitate
"confi5entially 10 inform Gen. Hender-
son and Col. Dyer that this visit was a
mers excuse to bring Bsbcock and
Mcdonald and Joyce together without ex-
citing suspicion, in order that they might
be iaduced to protect Babcock from the
fate which they could surely in
volve him in through documentary evil
dence which they held. Bristow wrote
the government prosecutors freely
as to bis suspicious, and so did Buford
Wilson, and it is we'll knewn here by q
| few that spies were actually placed on the
| track of the president and his secretary, to
watch their actions and note their assOcia-
tions. The subpoena duces tecum issued
and directed to Dyer by Mr.. Knott's com
mittee was intended, we have no doubt, TO
| cover all the correspondence and paper
| but Mr.. Dyer did not choose to consider
that it embraced the confidential cor
respondence which passed between him
| and Bristow and Wilson, and which he
was commanded to "burn when read"
Two weeks ago that correspondence had
not been burned, and ii brought to light
is would show that Bristow and Wilson
both know that Babeock was guilty OF
completely In the frauds, even at that
early day, and suspected that
GRANT WOULD GO To ALL LENGTHS TO
| PROTECT HIM.
! One of the letters which Wilson wrote to
Henderson assigning ds.ecsive to watch
Mcdonald and Joyce, and which was
dropped by Henderson, shows that Will
son was OF the scent then, and knew very
we'll that the trail led TO the White House.
That letter can be had. Now, why did moi
Mr.. Knott jpsfst upon having ibis
confidential correspondence He knew
of 1t, and he should at least
have endesvored to find ont
where it was, or when and why des-
troyed. The s.. Louis Times allegations
on wnlcn tpe spsclal com lttee was raised.
have been borne out shornnshly, but the
Investigation has led to the fact that ava,
back in October, Bristow was certain o.
Babcock's guilt, and suspected Grant. The
spectacle OF cabinet officer arranging 9
system of espionage for the entrappine
of the president is without pre-
cedent, and ought To involve one OF
the other of The two parties In
indelible dsgrace-either tha secretary
who set spies without reason, or the presi-
dent on whom spies were necessary. LIST
the Sun ask whether Br.stow and Wilson
| commu nicated confidentially with Hen
derson and Dyer. II go, what was the
nature of those communications. Or, bet
ter sill, let IL demand the exact text OF
this corrssp )ndence; next, whether the
president was Swallowed by detectives by
command of his secr-tary or his subordi-
mates; and thirdly, what reason Bristow
had or has to deny mis- reported allegations
of Pierrepont's infidelity.