The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-04-03
Babc0ck's Counsel Pronounce Bell q
Dead Beat.

Dead Beat.
CHICAGO, April lie. A. Storrs, who
was the leading counsel for Bsbcock, was
interviewed by Tribune reporter today
relative to Bells story before the Clymer
committee yesterday and says Bell is q
miserable dead beat detective. He also
makes the following disclosures:
Question-Do you know Mr.. Bell2
Answer-I should rather think did.
Q-Who is he? "A dead beat de-
tectlve.
Odd he make any proposition to
you concerning the Babcock case? A
Yes, he came to nae at Washington and
said that the Treasury Department had
employed him to steal certain papers IN
the cases of Avery and Bsbcock.
Q-What did you tell him? Al
told him that he was welcome to all the
papers he could steal from us, and if he
got any,they could not do him any good.
Q-What did he say to that? Ale
still insisted that he had been engaged by
the Treasury Department to do as be had
stated.
Q-What further did you tell him?
A-If he could produce any written con-
tract to that effect, l could talk business
with him.
Q-What did he say then? Ale
said he would see and let me know in .
day or two.
Odd you see him again? A-ies,
he came back and stated tat he could not
get written contract from the Treasury
officials, but he produced an affidavit
written by himself duplicating Bluford
WIlsan, Dyer. Bristow and other Treas
ury officials in such scheme.
Q-What did you do about it? Al
cross examined him pretty closely and
found out that he was fraud ready to
sell out to anybody for five dollar bill
if he could not get more and bonned
him.
Q-Did you make any proposition to
him inclandestinely tn corral any docu-
ments belonging to the prosecution in the
cabinet case. A-Such an idea never
catered my head and never made any
proposition to him whatever, except to
get that control between himself and
the Treasury Department, which he
boasted Of having made.
Q-Where is that affidavit now7 A
1t is in safe hands and it will be exhibit.
ed to that Investigating committee at
Washington.
Drunken lack comes to the Rescue
A Washington special to the Inter
Ocean furnishes the following additional
evidence of Bells being fraud and of
the Clymer Committee having been sold
with fat stale story: Secretary Chand-
Ter says that in December he was in want
of good detective and mentioned it in
u Cabinet meeting, insuiring OF other
members of the Cabinet if they had not
some one to recommend to him. Some
days after the President told Chandler
that man who had beenia spy in his ser
vice during the war, WAS very good
detective and was in search of employ
ment and that the President had sent
him to Chandler. Bell called on Chandler
had sent in his card. General Hurlbut
of Illinois, was in the room and saw the
card. He SAID to Chandler: 81 know
that man; he was spy in my employ
during the war, and did good service"
Chandler then sent for Bell to come IN
and agreed to take him on trial, and re-
ferred him to the chief Of the special
agents Mr.. Labarnes. Bells commission
was made out, but he asked four days
time that he might fix up some matters
he was engaged in. Lebarnes granted
this and Bell went away for month.
When he came back he wanted his pay,
saving he had been in the service OF Gen.
Babcock. Lebarnes refused to pay him,
and referred the matter to Mr.. Chandler.
Chandler refused to pay him unless he
would bring a certificate from General
Babcock that he had been ou govern
ment service. Some how he got General
Cowen to certify to his services while
Chandler was gone and got his pay. Then
he wanted to be assigned to duty at st.
Louis because his family was there, and
Lebarnes having some cases to work up
there gave him lot of fraudulent PEN
sion papers. Bell had not been away
many DAYS when tho President told
Chandler that he had reason to believe
that he was a bad man, and II
in the War Department he had better
be discharged. Babcock was then con-
suited about the service that he claimed
TO have rendered and stated that 1t was
q myth, so Bell was given his discharge.
Chandler says that neither Luckey or
Babcock ever spoke TO him about Bells
appointment and that to his knowledge
Bell WAS never paid cent by the De-
partment although the vouchers show
that Gen. Cowen, then assistant secretary,
ordered that he be paid. Mr.. Chandler
will 90 before the Committee.
Col. Luckey says that Bell came to him
several times and protesting to
be friend of General Babcocks and
gave him what. he claimed were
the secrets of the prosecution, but he
never employed him.
District Attorney Dyer, Of st, LOUIS, is
here, and says Bell is fraud, and that
he had come 70 him and professed to
know all about Babcock's movements
and was willing 10 expose them tor
money. At one time he intended to put
Bell on the stand at Babcock's trial, but
dared not do it.
Judge Krum. Bsbcock's attorney, is
also here, and says Bell never was en-
Moved IN the case to his knowledge.
ii is stated on the authority OF
. member of the Judiciary Com
mittee which is investigating the
whisky trials, that Bell came
TO them, and offered to tell what he knew
for $1,000. The Congressman from Mis-
s,ssippi all know Bell, he having been
ml1ed in politics down there some, and
thew unitedly declared him to be rascal
and professional bla"kmaile'.
D,.trist Attorney Dyer Before the
Committee.
WASHINGTON, April 1.-The Commit.
tee on War Expenditures to-day heard
Col. d. P. Dyer, district attorney Al 81:
~ r.xn 90 tho tastimODy of