Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1876-04-09
BABcocK AGAIN.
Out of the Crooked Whisky Frying
Pan into the Safe Burglary
Fire.
Misfortunes Never Come singly.
THE SAFE BURGLARY.

L
The testimony given Yesterday by Col.
Wmtly before the house committee on
judiciary, seemed to implicate General
Babcock in the safe burglary conspiracy
The latter had an opportunity this after
noon to be heard He said that in 1873,
Solicitor Banfeld called on him at the
request of Col. Whitly, who was at the
time absent from the city, asking him to
interest himself to prevent his removal
from office as chief of the treasury secret
service. division. Babcock saw the pres
ident and secretary of the treasury on
the subject and finding there was no de-
sire on their part to remove Whitly,
Babcock requested Solicitor Banfield to
telegraph to Colonel WMtlY to come and
see him. Banfeld did so, and Whitly-
returning to the city called on Babcock,
who told him what he had done IN bis
behalf, and the result. Whitly expressed
his gratitude. Personal attacks were
made upon Babcock some time after
this conversation in reference to
frauds in the measurement Of certain
improvements made by the board Of
public works. When this came to
light, Babcock employed Whitley to
find out his assailants. The names Of
some Of the persons who had made
the attack on HIM in connection with
this subject were Blumner, Stevens
and Alexander, neither Of whom he
then knew nor did he know either Of
them now. In response to question
of~the committee, Babcock said he
knew nothing about the safe burg
larry. lfhe had known it was mcdi--
tated he should have taken measures
to-prevcht it. The committee pro-
duced letter from Babcock to Whit
ly, without date, in which Babcock
said Whitly's "letter had heenreceiv-
ed; he had attended to the matter at
once, and before the letter reached
Mhitly, .he-and his men would be
paid, as they said they would send at
once to pay them,'' snd General Bah
cock concluded bis letter by saying
something like the following: ou-
can wait with confidence that the
end Of your services will be fully ap-
preciated." This IS reported as the
substance of letter written by Whit
ly to Babcock, in which he said he
and his men had been turned out Of
office without their arrearages of pay,
and asking Babcock's support. Bah
cock afterwards interviewed Solicitor
Bantield, who said the-men should he
paid. Babcock further said he did
not know that the men had been paid
yet, and that there never was dol.
lar of money transactions between
him and Col. Wl.itly.
OTHER WITNESSES.
The committee also examined Al
bert Kunz, A. Nettleship and New
York lawyer named Somervillc. The
two former substantixte the state
ment Of Whitley SO far as they knew
of the details Of the safe burglary
Nettleship said he was assured by
Whitley that the thing would be-6:
K. and he inferred that some one high
up in official position was back of it.
Somerville was interrog1ted con-
cerning an affidavit he procured from
one Of the burglars named Benton
while in jail,here, duplicating Colum-
bus Alexander with the transaction.
He said that Harring ton first suggcs-
ted to him to get Benton to make
such an affidavit, and that he would
see that nothing came Of it, tor he
would pigeon hole it.