The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-04-07

for Minister to a hrst-class court.
The latest sensation at the Capital
occurred on Friday last, and was the
testimony before the committee on War
Expenditures of a Mr. c. S. Bell, Of
Jackson, Mississippi, who served during
the War under Grant as a scout, and
since in various parts of the country as
a detective. His testimony was to the
effect that he went TO ST. Louis just be-
of the President, for the purpose of as
certaining, by look into the hands of
the District Attorney at that place,
whether General Babcock was really
guilty; and charged by BIheock to find
out what evidence was in existence
against him there, and to destroy all of
such evidence. The Washington cor
respondent of the Cincinnati CONNER
cial summarizes his testimony as follows:
"He saws he went there convinced of
Babcock's innocence, but a few days of
investigation induced him to change
his mind. In order that the President
might get the result Of his investiga-
tions, he gave the celebrated cipher ta-
bic that was printed in the New York
: Herald, and copied by the Commercial,
to Herald correspondents, and caused a
copy Of the paper containing the pnbli
cation ha ha Praci1apf
He did this, he explained. because he
found it impossible to communica,e with
the President after he had once heen to
St. Louis. His effort were always
thwarted by the Babcock crowd, who
managed invariably TO get between him
and the President. He told of frequent
interviews had with Babcock and Luck
ey, both in this city and in St. Louis,
and was positive and unmistakable in
his assertion that they sought to have
him destroy the testimony against Bah
cock, and he said that Secretary Chan
dIer was fully aware Of the purpose of
his visit to St. Lonis. He steadfsstly
refused to destroy the evidence that he
found against Babcock, and as soon as
he became convinced Of his guilt he de-
clined to be of any assistance whatever
to him. He said that Babcock admit
ted that there were telegrams in exis-
tence which could not be explained
away, and expressed great anxiety to
have them kept from publicity. Some
of these latter were signed "Bab.," some
"Sylph," and some "Bullfnch." He
said that Dyer did not give him the pa
pers to read, but that he took them from
the drawers in Dyer's office; that Dyer
knew what business he was in, though
he does not make it clear that Dyer
knew that he had any other purpose
than to serve the President by way of
ascertaining the real facts as to Bah
cocks guilt.
"When Bell brought the above facts
to the attention of District Attorney
Dyer during Babcock' = trial, they SEEM
ed so preposterous that Dyer declined TO
take stock in them. Subsequent devel-
opments, however, induced Dyer to
change his mind, and he then held Bell
to be used in rebuttal in case Lnckey
was put on the stand by the defense
Luckey was not called, and that is why
Bell did not testify at the trial. There
are documents on file at the Treasury
Department. received during and since
Io trioI in
ulars Bells testimony of to-day. This
episode has given a new direction to
public excitement, and it is the univer-
sal topic tonight.
"Chandler ia said to have denied in
toto Bells assertion that he knew what
he was sent to St. Louis for. The reve
lations came ont most unexpected. Bell
has been living quietly in New York
for a few weeks, not desiring to appear
before the committee. He knew that
the Clymer Committee had knowledge
of the fact that he had applied once for
post leadership and had been denied
by Belknap, and that they would want
was therefore living obscurely in New
York, but desiring some letters that had
been sent to him at Washington, he
wrote here ordering them to be forward
ed. This gave the clue to his where
abouts, and detective followed the let
ters to New York and served the sub
pena on him. The committee had no
idea that he was cognizant of any i'm
portant facts bearing upon the Babcock
trial"
"Dyer and Henderson confirm Bells
testimony" Upon the other hand, Bell
is pronounced by many persons, and
some of the influential papers, as
worthless, unreliable fellow, who had
attempted to blackmail Babcock; and by
them his testimony is act down as false
mmmmnmmmmm
The Easton Star has the following
about two diminntive young ladies from
the lower part of Delaware, who are at