New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-08-14
GENERAL pRrss DISPATCH. |

WINTER.
GENERAL PRESS DIsPATcHl
WASHINGTON, Aug. i3.-Gen. Horace Porter, the
former private secretary of President Grant, was
examined yesterday before the Committee on
Whisky Trials in st. Louis. His testimony was to
the following effect:
In passing through Gen. Babcocks room ore day fell
into conversation with hn and others who were res
ent; Babcock said he had received through an ahony-
very extraordinary letter which lie L"Uueu
me to read il was postmarked 81 Louis and aI'-
peayed to be copy Of letter written by CLIFFORD VIII
SON. addressed MI Henderson - u was the " bottom
and top letter which the committee has had before It,
and il was neaaed at the top "a true copy =
as understood. neithSf Gen Babcock nor any of hs
assistants recognized the handwriting of tie anony-
nous sender; stated that did not believe Mr. wilson
had been guilty OF writing letter Of that character
and that it my practice in business not To pay any
attention TO anonymous letters; Gen BabcoeA stated
that that was the he always pursued and that hn
did not think worth while TO show THIS letter to the
President; | understood him 10 say that 1t hdd been
shown TO MI Pierrepon and Mr.. Brist0w told him
that thought would only be an act OF justice TO
Mr. Wilson to send the letter 10 him; the letter "as
handed to me TO show Mr. Wilson, and IN the course OF
the day went 10 call him; handed IL TO MN; nc
appeared know all about it, and SAID that he was moi
SURPRISED RS he had learned that the letter lad been lost
or stolen III the courthouse in st. LOUIS he 'ad 1t was
not correct copy OF his letter, and after while he
brought his leterpIess copyb ani We read etwo
copies OF the letter my recollection IS that they were
identical exc y. To the letters ". H. which IL tHe
ANONYMOUS copy Inserted in ptrcnes3 after the
word "top;" Mr. Wilson stated very positively iiat that
letter had no reference whJtever 10 TIE President 81 10
Gen Balcock; lie Only wanted tic truth In regard 10 u
10 be understood told him that according 20 my IN
Outstanding the ter had not ooen shown to the Pres,
dent and that saw ccssiy Of IT. being shown him
he then asked personally TO show this letter to the
President and 10 state him the ". IL" wDs inter
polatcd in he copy and also 70 ake 10 the resident
the same explanation which Ae L'd made to ne You
will observe TINT had copy Of letter win me- nos an
original letter, and purpuIul 10 be original let
ter and that the letters " H." were not inserted Ia AN
original letter an IN different Handwriting. rs h"she'u
asserted so that could not have said sa this toFgcry
in the original letter.
Mr. Piais.ed-Was IL all In the same Handwriting the
"W u" and the rest Of
The wtuess-It ~as al in the same handwriting ;
In the course 81 conversation MI Wilson asked IRE what
understood he :he origin Of the term "sylph" ana
the explanation of tie "sylph" dispatch; merely r'-
por:ed 10 Mr. wilson vEat Gen Babcock hdd
told Inc at Long Branch the previous summer :;
IL was this thIt, in the Fail II ls7l Gen
Eabcock visited 81 Lolis with the Presidents party
on one occasion Mcdonald tLen Supervisor
OF that District wa present t~ith some other Govern
nent oGicei with Gen. Babcock either at hotel pr at
a fair which wrs being held in tn city; that Mcdonald
pointed handsome woman, but rather large III s'%e
AMI called her "syph" that was done IN such manner
as 70 create Tabe amusement and Was referred
10 aftcrwarl by way Of joke, and that 1t became
sort OF bywOrd; did not understand that t're vas
any reelection upon the ladys character; the allegation
that I uttered ever repeater a gross ana
vurar Sian Ter on the President u that connection
IN any other cOnnec ion that ever uttered language
which could 10y any possibility be construed into g
reflection upon his character. i. utterly chsurd rs Ia
ttttf vuTt 1. here
under the soemny Of os,h, 10 give 30 that rta,e-
meut broad aud absolute and unqualified denial; BlnJfd
Wilson says or nsnua les that stated that the "syrh'
telegram referred to the movements OF some parties VINO
were going ont TO ST. Louis bridge business; now
mark the pervcisiop; what stated 10 HIN IN regard
to that precisely tni, Ia speaking OF tele'
erams and for the purpose of illustrating how
suspicious telegram might he ON Ita fire,
and yet how innocent might he ns nature,
stated that Col Stevens had recently told rae tnt hc
received telegram from Gen. Babcpck IN wash
iugton while lac Co Stevens Ia sc. LOUIS. which
read az follows: No one going from here The Colonel
remarked that it's face and without expaha;on that
telegram might look very Suspicious, Int that dag or
t%o before he (5eing railroad manager. ana hearing
that the President and his party we're coming ST.
Louis 10 attend the opening OF the ST. Louis bridge
the 4th oil Juy) tel"grdfed to Gen BaDc0ck to know
when the President would there and OF how MANI
hs party would consist, and that II answer to
cent reply, "NO one going from .are."
q. IL speaking 10 Mr. Wilson of this woman styled by
Mcdonald sylph" did yon Gllule 10 hef ;,s q ewd
wOnani A. Not at ali; am placed in the attitude by
INC statement OF Mr.. Wilson, Of segesting 10 him a
explanalio Of the "Sy!ph dispatch bat gvinr what
understood 10 he cXpllnat'pn in reply to his qucs
tioa; Gen. BaUoOcE had made explanation of this
the President lie had made 10 Mr. Pcrrepon., he had
made IL to Mr.. Bristow, and If Mr.. Wilson familiar
With the case as undoubtedly he understood the
exclamation, which war tie only expi NATION ihot had
ever heard Of beng given IN reference 10 the sylph
dispatch therefore his testimony would pat me IN the
attitude Of suddenly inVeGting In reply to his question:
anca differing entirely from the explanation which
had been giyeH TO the president anG bls Cabinet
O. DO you know Of the President having AZ any time
spokcn of conversation with Mr.. Wilson in regard
your explanation Of the sylph" telegram, II what
did the President Say aud what your OF Lnow
edgel
The witness first declined the question bat
finally said: Tic President made no statement TO me or
in my hearing ana anything that may have heard IN
way OF r,mor "a 70 what the President said must de
cline to state ia evidence
N Did Won hear ANYTHING from any body, aud II so
from whom In regard TO tle matter A. Yes; ] heard
something
O From whomi A. From Mr. E. A. SLOTS
O. What did Mr.. storIs sayi A. That the President
sa,d that the statement made by Mr. Wilson in his ie
ony was incorrect that MI Wilson did not reee this
vulgar Islander TO him that he began TO say something
about AN improper woman and thai the ficsdeht
stpped him Instantly and did not Permit him to recite
or discuss the matter. r.
Mr.. VIM b. Moore, Special Treasury Agent con-
tradctsd in his testimony statements by MIR. Wilson
concerning him. Among other things he delicd