The Morning herald., 1876-02-17
!. :BlBCoCK'S sDRFYllsB: !: 7,
MAKINaOUT A sTRONa CASE.
speciai Agent Hogue's Letters Pre-.
slura y Nssasatisn-- A sp ,edy End Of
tile Trial Expected Babcnck's
I1estATs 90 Joyes....Bab-
cocks li0O0 Character

~ III. "a = In eKvtAeDce:, 4 B..
!sv American Press Association. ....
ST.. Louis, Feb. 18.-Conrt opened at 10
a. m. Ex-Attorney General Williams be-
gan his opening Of the case for the Defense,
claiming in general terms that the Defend
ant Is q victim Of fconspirators by whom his
name WAS used to further their guilty ends
in st. Louis and elsewhere without his
knowledge. Judge Williams then reviewed
the case In detail On the evidence OUTLYING
the character Of the testimony by which
they intend to fully exculpate General
Babcock The Court then took recess.
This afternoon st . O'Clock the defense
actually entered upon the production Of
The line of evidence fofeshadowed in the
opening of ex-Attorney General Williams,
f. In the morning Dfigadier-G General Hum
phrey charge Of Engineer Corps, stationed
1T Washington, was the first witness called
for the defense. He testified to long ac-
quaintsnce with defendent also to General
Babcock's duties as Superintendent Of pub
lie buildings and grounds In Washington,
in which position he has controlled an an
nnal disbursement of $4OO, 900 during the
past four years. In the opinion Of the wit.
ness these duties are admirably discharged
by the defendant, both as engineer and dis
busing officer. Defendant has high charac-
ter as gentleman.
4 David W. McMahon, First Auditor U nited
States Treasury, testified that the reputa.
ton Of, Babcock, In Washington as an, off,
Ger, citizen and man Of integrity was Of q
very high order. '.. 81
> Jas. g. Bennett, sx-Postmaster and ex-
Mayor of Washington, testified tnat Bah
cocks reputation is in every way unex-
Iceptional and his integrity unquastioned.
Gen: q n. Bank, nslnbef Of ConErssa
from the Fifth ,Dihtrict Of Mrassehusstts,
testified that s1sfam1antas many Ane qdali-
tiee - : gentlsmsn and soldier had mads
q stEong lmpressloh On him. Witpsss con-
Isidsrs dsfsndand . man ef' un4usstGoa In
tegrtty' and siwAys found hin prompt, tn
stelligent and upright. d .ar5 s,.t.E -.
B. Fulton, Supervisor Of Intsrnal Revenue
for the District, Including PennsylvGuia,
Maryland, Dslawafe and District Of Colum-
bis, detailed ut length the facts connected
with the order Of transferring sudervisoE
Chas. N. vilss. ...,.-.,x xs., -,
Cashier qf lthaE u llll1l 4KotssJ tssesi
I fed that BabcocE was at that hotel from
October IS to 81, 1873
John H Goodman, clerk ia the st. Louis
Postoflce, identified post marks on eight
letters written by former special agent
Hog ~e to Bingham of Indiana. These were
offered In evidence to which prosecution OBJ
iected. Jndge Dillon ruled that
they were admissible and Judge
Kunn proceeded to read them. Their con
tents produced the most decided sensation
since the trial began. showing where the in
formation came from, upon which the dis
tillers here depended for immunity. The
letters show that Hogue was
working in the interests of the
Ring, and while trusted agent of the Gov
ernmeut he was assisting the conspiratori
in their fraudulent operations. A letter
from Joyce to Babcock, dated October 49,
1878, in regard to giving the AsseseorshiI
to Ford, was read and placed in evidence
A letter from Babcock to Joyce was offered
but upon objections being raised it was held
for further evidence.
Testimony for the defence is being
brought in rapidly and the present prospect
is that the termination Of the case will be
reached this week. Court adjourned at
o'clock D. m. until 10 O'Clock to morrow.