The Portland daily press., 1876-07-28
THE WHISKEY PROSECUTIONS
Some Entertaining Testimony
from BlufOrd Wilson.
Horace Porter's Explanation Of the
Famous "Sylph."
A SeriOns Charge against MIR.
Wilson.

WASHINGTON, July 27.-The House commit
tee on the whiskey trials in st. Louis had a
protracted session today with closed doors. All
it amounted to, however, was a recital by Blu
ford Wilson, in great detail of his knowledge
of the late prosecutions in the West. He stat
ed with great minuteneSs various conversations
he had with Gen. Horace Porter, Mr.. Bristow,
Attorney General Perreport and President
Grant himself on the subject. 1t seems that
letter of Bristow to the prosecuting officer in
st. Louis, melting him to the greatest activity
in bringing to justice everybody, from the low
est to the highest, engaged in the conspiracy
was obtained by Babcock, and falsified by in
it Intimate belief in participation Of the White
House in the conspiracy. This letter thus fall
sifed was exhibited to Bristow and Pierrepont,
and also to the President. Although the press
copy of it in Wilson's letter book was produced
able to shield himself from the charge of hav-
ing employed spies even against the President.
Wilson said there was no lack of CO. operation
on the part of the President in the whiskey
ring generally till Babcock became involved,
when a GOODNESS between the White House and
the Treasury Department arose,
He also testified that in conversation with
General Horace Porter soon after the discovery
that the Sylph telegram was in Babcock' 8 hand
writing, Porter gave an explanation OF the des-
patch to the effect that it related to the move
ments of certain parties going to st. Louis on
bridge business, and said the signature arose in
this way: There was certain woman with
whom the President had been intimate, and
who had given him much trouble. Babcock
and Mcdonald being; together N Washington
her exclaimed, "There is sylph." Babcock
said, "Do you know that woman?" Mcdonald
replied, 81 know her very well'' Then said
Babcock, 81 wish you would get her away from
here, she is annoying the President" Ger
tainly," said Mcdonald, "that is easy; can
manage her," and did SO. The term "Sylph"
became sort of standing joke between Bah
cock and Mcdonald, and they often addressed
each other aud signed their communications in
that way. When charged with having set spies
on the President Wilson, in self,detence, told
the President of his suspicious Of Babcock, and
related 1.-THE explanation Of ''Sylph," given by
Porter The President Indignantly denied the
story, brushed it away with contemptuous
gesture and proceeded with his remarks on the
subject of the frauds, saying that he believed
was the most guilty wretch in the country, and
that no punishment could be too severe for him.
Wilson testified that when he first heard this
story from Porter he believed it was false, and
he still believed so. He will lie further exam
ined tomorrow.
NEW YORK, July o7.-The kilograms Wash
ington special is as follows:
For several weeks the President has been
worried by the evidence Of Yaryan before the
whiskey ring committee of the House, particu-
larry by the statement of Yaryan that his cele-
brated "Let no guilty man escape" letter was
forced from him and not voluntarily given. He
therefore has been especially anxious to get
hold of the original. He sent for Bluford Will
son the other day and asked him for this letter.
Wilson is reported as saying that he had not
got the letter, and left it upon the files of the
solicitors Office. Search was made there for it
and it waslnot found. For several days Wilson
has been busy in the solicitors Office fixing up
his private papers, Last evening he had three
candle boxes filled, sealed up and directed Blu
ford Wilson, Springfield, Ill 1t was reported
to the President this morning that several tele-
grams in whiskey cases were missing, and that
Wilson had had many copies of important doc
| uments made, and they too were. The Presi-
dent at this directed Secretary Morrill, to have
these boxes opeued. To give excuse for this
proceeding the boxes were ordered to be opened
in the presence of Wilson. This was done this
morning in spite of his protests, and in these
boxes were found the letters so anxiously desr-
ed by the President, as we'll as numerous i'm
portant papers bearing upon the whiskey frauds.
An order has also been issued that Bluford
Wilson shall in future be placed upon the foot
ing of an ordinary citizen and be allowed no
access to public documents except by consent
of the department officials,
Bluford Wilson and his most intimate friends
deny emphatically that anything was found in
the packages of his private papers that in the
| remotest degree implicate himself or Yaryan.