The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-11-30
alton hO was discharged and went to the ponlten.

directed TO persuade Averys wife to destroy what
ever letters and papers her husband had LEFT In
her care. They were at her home night aud day,
and brought their wives TO make their appeals
more irresistible. They promised speedy pardon
for her husband and protection for herself and
child and finally she :con'ented, or fegned to
and neatly made copies Of several letters
were In the presence Of Luckey consigned to the
aau es. Assured now that they were at last safe,
these precious scoundres lost all interest in Avery
and his destitute family, and the house was about
70 be sold over her head when gentleman who
had secured contracts from Boss Shepherd came
to her rescue and lifted the mortgage, and SET
about forcing pardon for her husband.
All the letters from Joyce, Babcock and Luckey
were placed in his possession, and with this arse
nal of solid shot to back the demand, negotiations
were opened. AT first there was disposition TO
turn the cold shoulder, but an exhibition Of a few
OF the documents to Attorney. Genera Perrepont
brought prompt promise of respectful consid'
Grafton, and soon thereafter came the further
promise of pardon-after the election.
GRANTS STEADY SUPPORT OF HIS FRIENDS
II only remains now 10 refer to one other mat
ter. have shown concuslvely that at the time
Grant made his famous endorsement, Let no
guilty man escape, II It can be avoided" on the
Bernard letter he did not know that Babcock's
with the Whlskey Ring had been dis
covered Shortly after this endorsement was made
the President was informed Of the Sylph desnatch
and that It was in Babcock's handwriting In this
category quote again from Gen, Boynton' sartcle
in the October number of the North American Re-
UielO;
The various forces of the opposition were at
this time closing In upOn the secretary Whlle
the President recognized the propriety Of the
general policy suggnste by Mr., Bristow, the lat
ter saw how obstacle after obstacle was placed IN
his way through the secretinfuence eXerted upon
the President. There was delay when the great
est pr ,mptuess was demanded and often where
changes were asked the new appointments
we're improperly controlled by manipule'
tOns to which the President was insensi'
Bile. The endorsement came to the Secretary, as
a relief force to garrison about TO be overcome
To make 1t effective It's publication was ueeIleu
of the greatest importance and the Secretary
wrote the President asking permission 10 give ~
to the press. The fact that this note remained un-
answered caused much uneasiness, Az the same
time the "Sylph" despatch was addlng serious
difficulties to the situation This telegram was to
Joyce, and read II have succeeded. They VIII
not go !" and the evidence collected showed be
yond reason his doubt that 1t was TO notify the
Ring that he had succeeded in preventing two
revenue agents, who had been ordered to iuvesu'
gate affairs at st, Louis, from going there Gen.
Babcock was early apprised of 1t. His explana-
ton. when taken In connection with other poinB
Of evideuce was regarded as worse than useless
at the department The President, however, ac'
cepted 1t, and from this time his interest In the
prosecution percepti6ly diminished, ana the at
tention he gave to all points which the Ring pre-.
sented became q serious obstacle and the cause OF
grave embarrassment
The followingi is from Solicitor Wilson's testi
mony before the select Committee on Whiskey
Frauds:
was asked yesterday whether the President
willingly to the publication OF the en-
on the Bernard letter which has been
so often referred to- By reference to letter ad
dressed to me by ten. Brstow under date Of Aug.
7, written in the Treasury Department find that
the Secretary of the Treasury had addressed an
official communication to the President, asking
him for permission to publish that endorsement.
and at that date Aug y he had received no re-
sponse.
The following letter from Mr.. Bristow was al
this point placed In evidence by Solicitor Wilson
NEW YORK, Aug. Q, 1875.
MY DEAR WILSON: Your letter of yesterday
with enclosure is received. The time is very near
ri hand when must make square issue with
the thieves and scoundrels who have combined
TO destroy me- must be supported cordially and
or must and tptu break. fear tnat tne
are such that the former cannot be
done and the latter must. You can't be too care
full about talking to anybody. have heard that
the matter about the Sylph despatch and our nav
Ing seen 1t in connection with Pierrepont. is fully
known to P. and B. meaning Porter and BAD
cockl, and they are greatly disturbed. Don't suf-
fer yourself to talk to anybody about 1t. Ofcourse
this is not meant for censure, but caution. sup
pose must make up my mind to bear the abuse
Of the Ring" papers, hard as 1t Is TO do. They
are fighting TO keep their friends out OF prison,
and to save themselves from exposure; and OF
course will seek to destroy anybody who stends
in the way. Well, as for myself l cannot turn
back, nor will stop to parley with thieves, l
have no ambition to serve, and no purpose 10
accomplish but enforcement OF the law and an
honest collection of the revenue. will compro.
mise on nothing short of this, but OH this issue
'D' -'"O' W ~ Il. H. BRIsrow
More than week elapsed after this letter was
written, and still the President gave no response
10 the secretary's request for permission to pub
lish the endorsement on the Bernard letter. Fl.
nally, on Aug 10, the Secretary went to Long
Branch determined to have the Presidents sane.
ton to the publication or to tender his resigna-
ton. What took place at that interview is known
to but few persons and for the present the details
of the scene cannot be given to the public How
ever, a reluctant permission to publish was OBJ.
tanned, and on Aug 16 the endorsement asgiven
to the press In regard 10 what occurred between
the President and Brstow at this interview at
Long Branch, Solicitor Wilson testified as follows;
Q.-Do you know whether the President of the
United States was willing that letter should be
published? A.--As to that cannot say but am
bound to presume from the fact that Gen. Rristow
directed me to give 1t to the public that he was
willing.
Q.-Do you know of your own knowledge, or
from conversations with the Secretary of the
Treasury upon his return from Long Branch,
whether he met with any opposition from the
President when he proposed to make the letter
public? Ain response to that question 1t is
evident that whatever should have TO say to this
committee would be hearSay, and in view of the
important issues which from time to time arose
between the Secrt tary of the Treasury and the
President, must decline to repeat what was said
to me. Gen. BriStoW and the President of the
United States are themselves the best witnesses on
that point. and while they refuse to answer pos
itively will not answer.
BRIsTOWs UNPLEASANT POSITION.
1t is certain, however, that whatever was the
nature of that interview between Bristow and the
President, no cordial understanding was reached,
and by the 1st of September the Secretary had
again determined to retire in disgust from the
Cabinet. On this point quote from a letter writ.
ten at this time by Solicitor Wilson to friend:
cannot in this letter go into details but will
say that the Sylph telegram, the retention of in
dishonest, or disloyal officers at st.
Louis, Chicago and Milwaukee, the lack of hearty
sympathy and support from the President, the
certainty ofcOnstant Misrepresentation of his mo-
tiVes and acts nv "SVDh y the DELAY Of tho DpIano