The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-08-05
THE HEAD CONsPIRATOR.

the present administration is found In TIT
evidence detailed before the congressona
committee by Bluford Wilson, one of TIT
most efficient attorneys engaged in the prose
cuton of the thieves, but whom Presiden
Grant has dismissed for his zeal against "oul
friends" Mr. Wilson had given various rea
sons why he believed the President was hand
and.rlove with the thieves in obstructing the
prosecutions, such as the dismissal OF Hen
derson, supplying the defense in advance
with the evidence of the prosecution, &c.
and then proceeded:
Another ground for believing that the Presi
dent was against US was his refusal to remove
Jasper d. Ward, United States district attor
new at Chicago until he was confronted by
evidence on the Sd of December, which
showed that Ward was partner of the Pow
ell distilery, and had improper
RELATIONS WITH JAKE REIN,
which statement was made to the President
by Hon. B. G.. Cook, of Chicago. On that
point said to Secretary Bristow on Dec. Sd
DEAR GENERAL: Mr.. Cook was just in to
see me with some startling news. He saw
the president after he met you, and was assur
ed by the president that he would remove
Ward promptly, and to that end he would
ask Webster to name his successor at once,
but what was especially noteworthy was q
letter to Cook from a reliable friend in Chica-
90, attributing Logan's illness to sheer fright
at the charges that he is in it, and saying that
the atmosphere was full of rumOr about
Wards connection with the ring, his relations
with Distiller Powell etc. The incosed
from Brooks may interest you. The Lord
give you wisdom. Faithfully, WILSON.
That note l sent to Gen. Bristow in the
cabinet and the ejaculation at the end of 1t
was because knew that the proposal to have
military court of inquiry was under cOnsid.
Grafton. Now / want to read as part OF my
testimony, letter to me from Gen. Webster,
under date of the Goth of December, 1875;
UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE OF
FIcE, DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS, CHICAGO, Dec.
20, 1875-MY DEAR SIR: DO you not begin
to rub your eyes and inquire whether you are
awake; whether we are any of us awake aud
not all involved in some bad dream? Was
there ever such scandalous lying and plead
ing? Is it not the most remarkable fight Of
a century, Is there any key to il all, except
that,bandcd corruptions of all cases and kinds
are desperate, and are summoning all their
forces, placing their reliance on an unparal'
leled audacity of vituperation and cunningly
contrived accusation? Is it possible that
BabcOck has lent any countenance TO prOpo-
stion for an attack on Bristow? VIII he
confess his own infamy, and try to drag down
the Secretary with himselfP What other ex-
PLANTATION is there for the Inter- OceaR $ attack 7
| suspect that the ring has got entire control
of the Iater.0ceaa. They are desperate, and
Will furnish all the money necessary 10 get
an English organ, as they have German one
in the Stddts-ZeituIlg. What are we coming
10 when such things can even be attempted
IN open day. But took my pen to ask you
u question. | have been just told that the
man Russell Is there in Washington and has
the impudence to try to blackmail both the
secretaries of war and the treasury. Is that
so? | can hardly believe 1t, and yet | see
that he has lived SO long in an atmosphere
almost peculiar to the political whisky ring
of Chicago that perhaps he HAS no conception
of honesty left and no idea Of decency or in
compatibility in any one. Yesterday warn
ed Dexter and Aver to have no further con.
ference with him, and to have 1t only with
SWEET and Smith. Please let me know wheth.
er Il. is such graceless scamp as to have
really backmailed the secretaries. / hope
this outburst of malice in the TO- will over
shoot its mark, and instead of making a
breach between the president and Mr.. Bris-
tow, have the opposite effect, and unite them
more firmly in the fight against corruption.
1t looks as If the time Is coming when all
good men of all parties must band together
against the rascals, as the only way in which
the country can be saved, but we shall soon
see Write me few words of truth and sober.
ness Truly yours, j. ID. WEBSTER.
Hon. Blutord Wilson.
Mr.. Wilson, among other things, gives
history of the famous circular of attorney gen
cral Pierrepont against peaching. The letter
had its origin IN Grants indignation against
Henderson for allowing Everest to squcal on
Babcock and Avery.
About the Goth of January the attorney
general called for me and went ever He
said he wanted 10 talk with me about the Bah.
cock case and the situation of affairs at ST.
Louis, Chicago and Milwaukee. ! said, Ger.
tainly. lie said what is 1t about that man
Everest? | told the attorney general in sub.
stance what | had already reported 10 the
president. He said to me that he had been
good deal troubled, by a request which the
president had made of him with reference to
writing a circular letter to United States dis.
trict attorneys cautioning them against TAX
ing the testimony of accomplices. He said
he had told the president that he saw no 9th.
er way 10 get 10 the bottom except by resort.
ing to the testimony of accomplices, and that
after two or three interviews with the presi.
dent, the president being very earnest about
it, had written letter which he wanted TO
read me. He sent his clerk TO bring it and
then for the first time he read TO me his cir.
cular letter 10 district attorneys. He said,
"you note, Wilson, that | don't go as far as
the president wanted me TO. took a draft
Of that letter over TO the president and read
1t TO HIM, and he was not satisfied with il and
wanted me TO say IN specific terms that the
testimony Of no man who entered plea OF
guilty should be used in any prosecution, but
that the parties should be given to under.
stand that they should be brought TO punish.
ment" / said In reply to the attorney gen.
eral that the letter would be sure even in its
present condition to be misunderstood. and
told him that in my judgment il was equiv
alent TO saying TO those who pleaded guilty,
Yon must not do it. If you do, you sim
,.1t, ranhar carfain