The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-13
GENERAL PORTER.
An Ex-Private Seerelary Of the President
Before the Committee on Whiskcy Trials.
DLUFORD WILSON'S TESTIMONY CONTRADIC9ED.
A Full Explanation of the "SyIph" sigma
ture and Its Representative.
wAsnISGroS, August IL,

General Horace Porter the former private secretary
Of President Grant, examined this morning before
the Committee Whiskcy Trials in ST. Louis, and
asked what had occurred in the interview
which he had had with Mr.. Bluford Wilson touching
certain letter writen by tho attor Mr. Henderson in
st. Louis His reply as foows:--rhat interview
secured In purely accidental manner; Twill state
Just how It occurred, II has been quoted
srroneously In the testimony OF Mr. Wilson; in No
ycmber last or, possibly the carly part of Deccm-
ber spent day in Washington; called at the Ex-
Mansion pay my respects TO the President
and his family; In passing through General Babcock's
room l fell into n conversation with him and
Two others who present. In the course of which
he said he had received, through an anonymous
source very extraordinary letter. which he handed
me to road; It contained In envelope post
marked "St. Louis" bearing rocont date; it ap-
pcsrod to be copy Of = letter written by Wilson
addressed ''Mr Henderson, it was the "bottom ana
top" letter which the committee has had before it, and
Il headed at the top, a trus copy; then followed
what purports to DO copy Of letter from Wilson to
Henderson; it original letter and did not
purport to be an original letter, AS understood;
neither General Babcock any his assistants recog
n'xed tho handwriting Of the anonymous SENDER after
reading the lcttcr stated that l did believe
Mr.. Wilson had been guilty OF writing a letter OF
that character and that It was practice in buaness
not 10 pay any attention to anonymous letters; Gen.
era Babcock stated that that the always
pursued And that he did not think it worth while
show this letter to the President; understood him to
say that 1t had been shown TO Mr. Pierrepont and Mr.
Bristow told him that thought It would only 10 nm
act OF justice Ar. Wilson send the letter to him.
and thought !he best to treat the sub
icct was with entire frankness he said that
this had been his lntention but l think no
said Mr. Wilson had been absent IRON the city aud that
he had not yet bad opportunity to bring the letter
In btc mr. iNn. mt nhnnf cctat
ment; said that if the letter were given would
volunteer TO tako 1t to Mr. Wilson aud do HIM the JUS
and, in the course OF the day, went to call on Nj.
Wilson, think met him on the street at hts hotel
Department; told him that such letter had
ceved and handed It TO him; he appeared 10 know
M naa that ss o
LOST or stolen IN the Court House in ST Louis; he said
i was not correct copy of his leter, and after while
be brough. out his ctterprcss copybOok and turned
10 the press copy Of his original letter. of
Ing this press copy while the other ready the copy
which had brought recollection is that they
Identical, except as to the letters Nv. H.' which.
The anonymous copy, were inserted In parenthesIs
or ed inc ou, Tora op on TINS o;ng
boen interpolated, and told Wilson that | was per-
teety satisfied Of that fact he then won't on to make
very positively that that letter had no refer
ence whatever to the President or to General
the Presidents party to ST. LOUIS the previous fall
but that It reated entirely whiskey thieves 81
ing TO quash the indictments against some OF them and
be thought It necessary to have increased watch
uness during the next ten days after writing the let
ter to prevent their escape but he said he
stand fall by that letter. he only wanted the truth
in regard to it to be understood told HIM that
cordng to my understanding the letter had not been
shown TO the President and that necessity
Of It's being shown him. He then asked person
ally 10 show this letter TO the President, and
state him the ''w II" interpola,od the copy
aud also mako the President the same expIana-
ton which he had made to mo- youwll observe that
a \ tfar
and not purportng to DO original letter. and that
letters Nv h. were not inserted In an original letter
and IN different handwriting, as has been asserted
30 that could not have said saw this forgery IN the
original letter.
the Nv. II. " and the rest OF ity
Witness-It was all in the same handwriting
''sYLPH."
In the course of conversation Mr.. Wilson asked me
whatI understood TO be the origin Of the Sylph
nothing in regard to the origin of that term any
circumstances connected with 1t OF my own Knowl-
edge; merely repeated to Mr. Wilson what General
Babcock had told me ut Long Branch the previous
summer. when from motives OF curiosity asked him
what tho explanation WAS; what repeated to Mr.
Wilson coming from General Babcock was iol-
That in tho fall Of 1874 General Babcock visited ST.
Louis with the Presidents party; that occasion
lwita some other government oficers) with General
Babeock, either a. hotel or at lair which was being
held in the city; that Mcdonald pointed a hand
woman, but rather large in size, and called
her ''sylph;" that that was done IN such
THAT 1t referred TO aitcrward by way
OF joke, and that 1T became sort OF
bywOrd l did not understand that the
PRESIDENT was present on this OCCASION nor did uu-
dcrsand that there any reflection upon tho adys
character; the allegation that uttered even
pcacd gross and vulgar SANDER the President in
MAT connection, or any other connection. that
uttered language which could by any possibility
construed into reflection upon his character.
utterly absurd bear its refutaon lace;
but want right here, under solcmnity an OATH
10 give TO that statement broad and absolute
qualified denial
AN INNOCENT TELEGRAM
Mr. Bluford Wilson lnsinuates that stated
that the 'Sylph" telegram referred movements
II parties who going out to ST. Louis tho
bridge business Now mark the perversion. What
stated to him regard to that precisely this In
peaking OF the kilograms and for the purpose of lus
rating how suspicious telegram might be face
Colonel Stevens had recently told me that he
served telegram from General Babccck in
b. Louis which read as follows -..No one going from
here" Tho Colonel remarked that on It's face, and
without explanation, that telegram might look very
SUSPICIOUS, but that day Two before be being .
railroad manager and hearing that tho Pr9ident and
his party were coming to ST. Louis TO attcndehe opon
ing Of the ST Louis bridge on the Fourth OF july e!e
graphcd to General Babcock 10 when the Prcs
den. would reach thorc aud OF hcw many his party
would consist, and that 1t answer to that eic-
gram General Bsbcock him tho very innocent re-
ply:-''No one gong from here"
THE norTox AND LETTER.
took occasion, in compliance with Mr. Wilson'S
quest to speak W the President in relation the bo
tom or top lotter my interview with the President
showed him tho copy, and explained him that had
compared with Mr. Wilson's letter press copy MI that
the w. H." was Interpolation, and gave h M the
explanation winch Mr.. Wilson bad given TO me: tho
President exhibited considerable feeling IN regard to
The letter, and did not appear 10 regard
The Nv. H." as at all important: Is
was the general tone oil the letter TO
which he objected suggested that he should send for
NJ Wilson ace tho letter rrsss copy himself and hear
want be the vehicle Tor transmitting any cxpIana-
lion; now, want to say here that made "a call
Mr. Wilson motives OF kindness and with dispo
nton to do him justice, and that the only
Eard have received THUS far having my drawn
INTO unseeiny discussion Ia reference 10
. matter about which ! krow little or
nothing and still less the President annoyed
BY tho letter looked upon very dsrespcetul
and AS an effort to spies upon him during his visit
to ST. Louis; the President said that Mr. wilson
ought TO be removed and that what led TO ask
that he might send Mr.. Wilson himself; his map-
Ger and bis language left the upon that
he was going to remove Mr. wilson
alrAa