The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-01-14
BABCoCK,s CASE.
Curious Revelations,
Correspondence Of Chicago Trlbune.l

ject of the indictment of Gen. Babcock
tor completely in the whisky frauds In
st. Louis, it is well understood here thai
the excitement in official circles con.
cerning the Indictment of the President's
Private Secretary has not subsided. 1t
tseems little strange to those who are
posted that show Of yirtuous indigna.
tion should have been INDUCED in when
the publication OF Babcock's connection
with Mcdonald and Joyce was first
made. 1t was rather late In the day to
hold up the hands in horror when this
officer was indicted, and to express sur.
prise and modification early in Decem.
ber, when the evidence against Babcock
of completely in these extensive frauds
on the revenue was in the hands of the
Attorney General in July last. This is
a bit Of history which may as well be
developed now as hereafter.
THE w. D. W. BARNARD LETTER.
While the President was living at Long
Branch last July he received a private
letter from one w. d. w. Barnard-now
well known as Bank Examiner at ST..
Louis. Barnard's intimacy with Gen.
Grant arises from the fact that he is dis
family related to Mrs. Grant through
marriage. Barnard and one of Mrs.
GRANTS brothers married sisters, the
Misses Shurlds, of St. Louis. Barnard
has assumed degree of familiarity with
Gen. Grant not warranted by any en-
couragement given by the latter. Well,
in July last this man wrote q long per-
sonal letter to the President, in which he
stated that an effort was being made in
the whisky frauds through mis- acquaint-
ance with Mcdonald and Joyce, and that
his fair name had been and was being
vigorously assaiied by members of the
| Whisky Ring. He stated that it was
openly boasted that Grant would protect
the Ring, and that no matter what was
the end OF the prosecution, they would
escape. This, said Barnard, is calcula-
ted to do an injury, and he advised the
| President TO speak out boldly, denounc-
ing the Ring.
ORIGIN OF THE sLET NO GUILTY MAN ES
CAPE' PHRASE.
The President read this letter with
| amendment, and finally wrote upon it
| this Endorsement:
"JULY 20, 1S75.-Referred to the Secre-
tary of the Treasury. This was intended
as private letter for my information,
and contained many extracts from st.
Louis papers not deemed necessary to
| forward. They are obtainabie, and |
have no doubt been read by the Federal
officials in st. Louis. L forward this Tor
Information, and to the end that il it
throws any light upon new parties to
summon as witnesses they may be
brought out. Let no guilty man escape
ii it can be avoided. Be specially vigil
ant, or instruct those engaged in the
prosecution of fraud 10 be, against all
who insinuate that they have high inAu.
ence 10 protect them. No personal con-
sideration should stand in the way OF
performing public duty
~. S. GRANT"
This letter and the Endorsement are
now on file in the Treasury Department.
Secretary Bristow caused the indorse-
ment to be copied, and it was given to
the public. There is no doubt that the
prosecution was materially aided by
those words of encouragement and
cheer, and the Whisky Ring in ST. Louis
was proportionately demoralized.
DISCOVERY OF THE "SYLPH" DISPATCH.
ln the latter part OF July, in the inves-
legations preceding the Mcdonald trial,
the Government attorneys discovered
the famous "Sylph" dispatch, with.
others also from Babcock. 1t was
promptly placed in Secretary Bristow's
hands, who laid it before the Attorney
General, and subsequently, in company
with Judge Pierrcpout, ana after II had
been pretty we'll demonstrated that it
was in Babcock's handwriting, the mat
ter was brought TO Babcock's attention,
and an explanation demanded. Babcock
gave very thin eXplanation-that it re-
lerrcd TO woman who was known as
aSylph," and had been engaged in try
ing some Matchmaking operations in
Washington, and lhat McDOuaId had as
sisted him very materially TO 'bursW
ncr plan forever. 1t is impossible to
| state. exactly what followed, but the At
torney General and Secretary OF the
| Treasury coincided in their views that
this explanation was unsatisfactory.
TILE PRESIDENT HEARS BABCOCK.
Naturally, the Private Secretary was
very much alarmed by this discovery,
and he was promptly summoned by The
| President himself TO make an eXplana-
| tion. Exactly what statements he MADE
are at present unknown outside OF the
Presidents private Office, but it is part
| of the record that, the day after Brislow
and Pierrepont had called upon Bah.
cock as stated, that Gen. Grant sent ios
the Attorney General and stated TO hlm
that he had heard Gen. Babcocks state
ment concerning his intimacy With Nc
Donald and Joyce, and especially the
meaning of the "Sylph" dispatch, and
he (the President) was satisfied that
Babcock was innocent OF any connec-
tion with the whisky frauds. His conf
dence in Babcock's integrity was un-
shaken, but il there was any new testl-
mony developed in the case, he would
be glad TO hear it, and should reiterate
his wish that no guilty man should es-
cape. This interview was two months
and more prior to the Babcock indict-
ment.
BABCoCK GOES WEST.
In the last of september the President
made his Western trip to st. LOUIS, Des
Moines, ETC., and was accompanied by
Gen. Babcock. This is the time when II
will be remembered the st. Louis papers
gave prominence to the fact that Gen.
Grant refused to allow Mcdonald TO call
upon him. But they failed to state what
is and was well known here-that Gen.
Babcock was in frequent communica-
tion with Mcdonald, and there is not
much reason to doubt that Babeock re-
lceiyed from Mcdonald all the papers
which were then in his possession which
might tend TO criminate him (Babcock) J.
1t Is quite unnecessary to state how
these lacts were discovered, but it will
occur to some Of your readers that it
was and still is the object Of the distil-
lers who pleaded guilty to convict Bah
cock, and that they kept sharp eye on
his movements while he was in town.
THE RETURN To WASHINGTON ANDwHAT