The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-04-28
THE sAFE.BURGLARY CASE.
Gen. Bsbcock at the bottom Of the Con-
spirsey-GesttmoDy Of Col. whitley
and Miles, the burglar.

the commission Of a crime, 10 ruin the char
acter Of 4 gentleman b had been eonspicu-
Gus in making known their dishonest prac-
tees, il al last 10 reach the public. There
has never been within reasonable memory a
ease so full Of plot and mystery. IL surpass-
es the most intricate romance and IN It's
conception and qualifications IL Is one Of the
most wonderful cases known IN history.
Within the plot were embraced some very
high local and national %Oficcr-, and beside
them, working hand in hand, were convict
ed thieves, hOnse-breakers, forgers. and
Outcasts, all seeking N object, the disgrace
and conviction Of one man. The story j.
well known. Columbus Alexander, an old
and respected citizen OF the City Of Wash
ington, had been too prominent In opposing
the old District Ring and It's friends. His
disgrace was sought and a plot 10 implicate
him Ia "A robbery was devised. The safe
OF the Assistant District Attorneys Office
was TO be robbed and the documents and
papers were To he delivered 10 Alexander,
and he was 10 be arrested with the papers
In his possession, tried and convicted and
sent 10 the Penitentiary. Ia plot miscar-
ried. The real burglars were discovered,
put upon their trial, "A jury packed, "A disa-
greement following, and finally a discon-
%tinuance Of the trials was ordered by the At
torney General OF the United states. The
combination 10 dispose Of this one enemy OF
the old regime reached In its line ~ opera
tives from the owe.t grade OF house break
crs 10 the official family Of the President OF
the United states. The officers Of the Gov
eminent. under the lead OF one who was
sheltered by the White House, lent them
selves 10 a plet 10 rob "A Government safe and
swear the robbery on "A defenseless private
citizen, the Government paying the whole
bill. For years there has been "A we'll
grounded conviction in the minds Of the pe0-
pie that the men under trial for the crime
were guilty in themselves, but that the in
spiration Of the crime had "A higher origin,
reaching above detectives, secret service
men, and assistant district attorneys: but
evidence was not al hand 20 establish the
facts. What was lacking then Is now AZ
hand.
A subcommittee OF the judiciary COM
mittee OF the House, consisting Of Messrs.
Knott, IIurd and Lawrence, has had the
subject under investigation for several days.
and to-day struck something substantial.
ii. G. whitley, late Chief 81 the Secret SER
vice Division OF the Treasury Department,
was indicted with Harrington, ex-Assisiant
District Attorney, and some Others, for the
safc-burglary conspiracy. The evidence
was very strong against all, but the jury
failed to agree. Thereupon AttOrney-Gen-
eral Williams stopped the prosecution.
Whitley was examined by the Committee
to-day, and for three hours gave the history
" the conspiracy and the manner Of carry
ing il out. His testimony, IL true, con-
yicts Gen. O. T.. Babcock, late Private Sec
rotary 10 the President, OF having given the
first order that set the conspiracy at work,
and OF having had a knowledge and a GER
tain participation in il 10 the end. Whitley
testined that Gen. Babcock sent for him,
and i'm his own house developed the service
he was expected to perform. The particulars
were not discussed At any length. but Gen.
Babcock directed Col. Whitley TO 20 to As
sistant District Attorney Harrington, from
whom he would get specific directions. This
was the beginning OF the famous conspiracy.
Col. Whitley said he had nothing to do ex-
cept obey the orders from the White House.
lie and Mr.. harrington, with the
assistance of certain employees in the
secret service division, and some profess
sional r~ascals organized the conspiracy. lie
was all the time assured Of the support and
protection Of the whole Administration, and
he went on with the Job in the same way in
which he would obey orders on any other
duty. when the conspiracy failed and his
safety was endangered. he had frequentcon-
ferences with Mr.. Harrington in regard 10
getting out Of It. lie saw Gen. Babcock
rarely. ON one occasion after the failure OF
the robbing he saw Gen. Babcock, who told
him that he and Mr.. Harrington had made
a very bungling job OF It.. After Mr.. Har-
rington's trial began, or shortly before, an
arrangement was suggested by which il was
thought they would get free. This was TO
be accomplished Through Mr.. Harrington.
by the packing " juries and other manage
ment with the ways Of which he was famil-
lar, on account Of his position In the court.
Three men were To be indicted, Mr.. Har-
rington. Col. Whitley, and summeryille.
the New York lawyer, whose name will be
remembered by those familiar with the ease
AZ the time. The trial was 20 he postponed
and set aside on one p%retense or another,
and this was done until finally, by some
trick or other, they were to he dismissed or
got rid Of. Col. Whitley now thinks il was
Mr.. H~arrington's plan 10 keep the ease
along until the statute Of limitation could be
taken advantage Of for himself, and then, at
the last moment, turn In and convict Col.
Whitley.
When Attorney General Williams dismiss
cd Mr.. Riddle. the Government counsel.
from the cases after the disagreement OF the
jury, Mr.. Riddle manifested 4 great deal
Of surprise. Upon this Judge Williams in
timatcd in actions stronger than words that
he had orders from the W bite House. The
x-Attorney-Genera will be called before
the Committee, and II need not surprise the
members IL he tells them that Gen. Bsbcock
brought him the verbal order purporting TO
come from the President, and that he acted
on the order. II this should prove to he the
ease Ii will probably be shown that that was
another case wherein Gen. Bsbcock ssumed
To act for the President without his knOwl-
edge or consent, ana on A matter c1 Whlch
the President knew nothing. Mr.. summer
Vile j. now in Washington, and also ex-So-
licitor Banfield, who was directly response
BILE for the secret service division. Col.
Whitley did not implicate Mr.. Banteld,
although IL Is difficult 10 see how the whole
secret service OF the Department could be
used in the safe burglary case without his
knowledge. A large number Of Witnesses
will be be summoned, and this investigation
promises To produce more startling reyela-
lions than any now in progress.
Babcock's ody-Guard.
lFrom the BOSTON Transcript-Republican.
Miles, the Barre Bank burglar. who Is
.xo... l.. a.. xv...,A,, s,.s, Iprfaar -. N a,n-