The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-12

HARRINGTON, and facility in packing
juries, no human power could have
avcrted the conviction OF every man
against whom this fiendish conspiracy was
directed.
An inevitable effect Of such a proceeding
would have been to strike terror through
the whole community ana to leave the
Ring masters of the situation, without "A
show OF opposition. That was one Of the
Interior objects of the safe burglary. BAN
FIELD, Sol citor OF the Treasury, who con-
trollcd the secret service of detectives:
WHITLEY, who was the chief Of that corps,
and NErrLEsnTP, his first assistant; CUM,
one OF the corps I'm New York, and some of
his aids HARRTNGToN, Assistant District At
torney, and BABCoCK, the Presidents con-
fldentinl secretary, were most prominent
In organizing the safe burglary. Behind
them were the Ring chiefs.
On the night of the pretended burglary,
SHEPHERD visited IIARRINGroN's Office Mt
an early hour In the evening. Later in
the night, HENRY ID. COOKE, SHEPHERD,
EVANS, KILBoURN, MATTINGLY, STANTON,
PARDON, and others, met ut the Ring club
house, aud some OF them remained until
which HARRINGToN was expected to bring
them, of having caught ALEXANDER and
his friends. After the jury went out In the
HARRINGToN trial, Boss SHEPHERD and
JONI WELcKER, the late Ring caterer, were
found i'm the corridor through which jurors
must pass going in or out OF the room as
signed TO their use. Frequent signals were
seen by outsiders to indicate the state of
the jury
This infamous conspiracy was not re-
deemed by a single sentiment that might
palliate its enormity. Revenge for real or
supposed injury, traditional hate, family
feuds, personal griefs, or partisan feuds,
did not enter into il. The crime was insti-
gated first and last by q desire to get
money fast and fraudulently, In order to
shine at GRANTS shoddy court. BABcocK
appears in this business rs he did in the
whiskey Ring, and as he does in all his
official connections, rs one of the marked
villains of tho age, capable of any iniquty
or baseness to acquire wealth and to put
adversaries out of the way.
Yet this man, who disgraces the uniform
OF the army and is notorious for his cor
ruption, has been power at the White
| House second only to GRANT for more than
seven years. II is in vain to plead igno-
| rance of his vile character as an excuse for
| this liberation. His swindlng practices,
his jobbery with SHEPHERD, his extor-
tions, his frauds, and his rascality, were
well known at Washington and all over
the country. For years past these trans
actions have been held up to view in THE
Sun, with specific details and dates. But
BABcocK ruled at the White House, was
the power behind the throne, and there
fore must not be touched with profane
hands. He had certified more than three
and half millions of dollars for the WASH
ington Ring, which GARFIELD and other
counsel" carried through the House and
placed at his sole discretion; and yet the
Joint committee on investigation in 1874
did not call him even to explain the
vouchers for palpable and proved
frauds, which their own engineer had de-
tected and exhibited. Mr.. THURMAN and
his Democratic associates sat silent in the
committee and never proposed to sum
| mon himi
The time has come when this sort of man =
agement cannot prevail. Thanks to honest
| committees of the House and sound
public opinion, these rogues are likely to
get taste Of justice. BABcocK, HARRING-
TON, and other ornaments of the White
House, will soon have TO account for some
Of their msdeeds, and may yet lead the
way to the Albany Penitentiary, which,
before long, will be thronged with pa
triots, third termers, GRANT Democrats
and Ring chiefs from Washington.