The New York herald., 1876-09-29
The Summing Up for the Defence
in the Babcock Trial
AN ACQUITTAL ANTICIPATED.
Deficiency in the Appropriations for Pay
of Naval Officers.
ESTIMATE OF AMOUNT REQUIRED.
NERAL WASHINGTON DISPATCHES.

WASHINGTON, Sept 2S, 1874
RUMoRxD RESIGNATION OF ATTORNEY GENERAL
TAFT.
rumor In circulation here to night that At
torney General Taft had resigned about to ro-
sign. This cannot be officially denied as neither tho
President nor Judge Taft Washington but there
are reasonable grounds for asserting that tho report
has no foundation whatever
THE BABcocK TRIAL-JUD0E TULLERroN's SUM-
MING UP FOR THR DHFENcE-scATHINo DE-
NUNCIATloN OF THR WITNESS WHITLEY
THK AcQUIrTAL OF BOTH BABcoCK AND SOM
MRRvILLR ANTICIPATED.
Judge Fullerton made an argument to-day as coun-
sci for General abcock in the safe burglary conspiracy
case, before the Criminal Court, during which he re-
ferred to whitiey's conversation with Munson as 10
"squcang" and putting 1t on Bahcock. and to Whitley
going before the Attorney General and asking immunity
II he would tell the facts, and said
The Attorney General granted immunity to this man,
who added TO bis first crime that OF perjury. THIS
should not have been done by the Attorney General
The disgrace which attaches to this proceeding will not
be wiped out in our day On the oath OF Hiram Z.
Whitley the character OF an innocent man IS attacked
You saw him on the stand with blancbed cheek aud
quivering voice acknowledging his perjury. Such
by sni Jury Yet never thus 0re %an sssn walked % out
unchalcneed, with the Attorney Generals immunity
paper IN his pocket In giving him this paper the
pentcLary had been cheated out Of the presence Of
great scoundrel as ever lived. Let him go--the
whole wide world is his prison. He win learn that
"Vengeance Is mine-I will repay" He walks out an
officer wl,houta commission, felon without an ac-
cuser and q soul without God. He would leave tho
case with the jury being satisfied that no jury would
convict General Babcock on the evidence OF such .
man.
Major lotions argument in defence OF sommcrville
that Sommerviile acted only counsel for the burg
lar Benton and that under circumstance could he
be made party to tho conspiracy.
Colonel Cook will make the final argument for Bah.
tO-tnO
prosecutor will sum up the evidence for Iho prosecu-
tion. The case will tnen 90 TO the Jury. " seems to
DO generally believed that both Babcock and Sommer
vile will be acquitted
THE APPROPRIATIONS FOB TIE PAY OF NAVAL
oYFIcERs-DEFIcIENCY LIKELY TO OCCUR
AND THE REASONS THEREFoR-THE QUESTION
OF PLACING OFFICERS ON FuRLouGH.
From careful estimates Of the amount required for
the pay OF the navy during tho present fiscal year,
after all officers that DO spared from the actual
needs Of the shall have been placed upon fur.
Tough pay, II is believed there will be deficiency OF
at least ST. 600 The appropriated for this
purpose was S. 100000, sl.s5O, 900 less than the
estimates During the debate in Congress upon the
Naval Appropriation bill It was argued that many ol
Gers could oe furloughcd, and Ihus considerable
saving made In the House Of Representatives Mr..
Blount, member OF The Committee on Naval Affairs,
stated that Revised Statutes expressly provided that
the Secretary of the Navy might his discretion tur
Tough officers and that before the It was exceed
ingly common to put the best officers in tho
furlough
"ofncers were put upon waiting orders where they
could nothing else TO do, until now II seems II
has grown up, notwithstanding the laws Of tho land,
to that point where officers feel IL an indgnity 10 put
them OH iurlough pay. There Is no question In my
mind addition to that, but wnat there are great
number of officers who are on shore duty and that
that duty almost absolutely nothing The only cor
rccon tnas can be made in the matter 10 by the APP
proprlation bill itself Tho representatives
oi the people have 1t their power 10 check this
abuse and they ought by all means TO do it."
Senator Sargent, member OF tho Conference Com
mttce on The Naval BILL IN his explanation Of the
ference report, said--
..Tbc Senate conferees consideration determined
that they would try the effect OF this reform, II II may
bc so called In the Administrator OF naval AFFAIRS at
she samo time saying that If II should be found by
pertinent that It was impossible 10 get through the
fiscal year, Congress at another session would perhaps
mako II right"
com putaiion Of the amount required 10 pay ofcers
OF the navy according to the duty TO which they
assigned shown by the last Naval Register, pub
Nshcd m Ianuarv L a follows.