The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-04-19
Hot, Scorching, Burning Up"
Baltimore Gazette


When it is found the finder has th'
right to use it upon the rest, ant
chase them back ito base." Thei
it is hidden again. The search il
directed and stimulated by the hider
who cries 'scold'' when the search il
in the wrong direction, and warm,
"hot." "scorching," or "burning up
as the search narr0Ws down to dis
covery. The whole country is nov
playing this game on large scale
The hidden switch is the question
"Who is the central and chief cause
of all the villainies recently brought
to light?'' The search has been
going on for some months. The Re
publioans for years have been cry.
ing Gold" and it was not until the
Democratic House got organized
that things began to warm at all.
The Indian ring" frauds, the
crooked whisky frauds and the
"Boss Shepherd ring" were success
lively found out by the independent
press during the qndispqted Repub.
Iican regime, But the Republican
papers cried "Cold, cold," and so
called off the scent. At the Bab-
cock trial the search began to mar
row down very close to the White
House. The orders given by the
President i'm the interest OF the ring !;
the Pierreport letter, inspired by
tue President; the contribut ton of
money to the defense by the men,
bers of the cabinet; the employment
by the President of q spy to 'ileok
into" The Babcock prosecution, and
his further employment by certain
other White House persons to steal
and burn the evidence against Bah
ooolf-the search for the switch be-
gins to get "hot." Then the Bel
KNAPP affair, and the acceptance of
the resignation by the President his
sending Marsh away, and his punish.
ment Of the army officers vino In
formed on Belknap months and
years before. Hotter! Then the
''real estate pool" The shares held
in an unknown name. the deeds to
Ulysses S. Grant, of Washington
real estate, on record, dating back !;
the sale of the Presidents corner
lots that have been improved by the
operations Of the "poor' with the
money of the taxpayers. and the
loyal devotion of Hallet Kilbourne,
who lies in Jail and will not testify
as to what he knows about Grants
connection with the pool. Hotter
still
Now comes this safe burglary. 1t
has long been suspected that this in.
famous conspiracy was planned and
executed by persons high in favor
at the White House. Its history in
brief is as follows: During the in
vestigation of the Boss Shepherd
District government, in the latter
part of the first session Of the Forty
third Congress, plan was formed
to break down the character of Co.
lumbus Alexander, the prime mover
in the investigation, and to this end
professional burglars were employ.
ed to break open the safe in the Dis
trict-Attorney's Office here, abstract
certain account books and carry
them to Columbus Alexander's
house, where they were to be dis
covered in the act Of delivery, and
Alexander was to be prosecuted for
the crime. The safe was opened,
and the books taken to Alexander's,
but there the scheme miscarried.
Suspicious circumstances subse-
quently leaked out, and the district
attorney, Dick Harrington, Nettle-
ship, the detective, and several mi
nor personages were indicted for
conspiracy. 1t was intimated quite
plainly at the time that somebody
higher than Harrington was involv-
ed, but there was not evidence
enough to bring them in, and, in
deed, from strange causes nobody
was found guilty, the jury disagree
ing. The government secret service
was brought into disgrace by the de-
velopment of the trial, the fact ap-
pearing that it had been used to
further the designs of the conspira-
tors, and Colonel Whitley lost his
position as chief.
Now Whitley has turned States
evidence, and told the story. It ap-
pears by his testimony that Babcock
planned this whole thing-Babcock.
the Presidents private secretary.
Burning up" Now, take a few
other facts into consideration. "Boss
Shepherd was the head of the "Dis-
trict ring" whose iniquities the
President defended. Boss Shepherd
is still the same influential man with
Grant. Boss Shepherd was reap
pointed by Grant after he had been
removed by legislation for his infa-
nous government. The President
owns largely real estate in Wash
ington. He and Shepherd and Jay
Cooke were shareholders in the
real estate pool" 1t was to de-
fend the District ring and the real
estate pool by counter attack that
the safe burglary conspiracy was
planned. 1t was planned by Bah
cock in the White House. While
Harrington was on trial for this safe
burglarly, from which he was not ac-
quilted, although he had purpose
ly weak prosecution and powerful
defense while this safe burglar was
on trial, he was invited to a banquet
at the White House and treated with
distinction by Grant. Now, add
that Babcock is still superintendent
of public grounds and buildings, and
represents large real estate gains in
the ring and pool. and Kilbourne
feasting in Jail. is concealing some
powerful interests in hope of future
reward-atid all these up. Whew !!
scorching hot, burning upl"
~ If bell, the witness, was so