The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-02-18
The BabcocIk Trial.

edge OF him dates from the time he
brough me a dispatch at Savannah, from
General Grant; since then / have known
him almost constantly; his reputation has
been very good; never heard it question
ed until these troubles; ! have seen Gen
Babcook hundred times in the room, in
the Executive Mansion next to the Presi.
dents room; 1t might be called the ante
room; those who 60 10 see the President
see Gen. Babcock first, and perhaps they
accomplish the object Of their visit
without seeing the President at all; Gen.
Babcock also opended the letters, distribu
ted them, and anwered all except the
most important ones; he is kind OF in
termediatos between the people and the
President. si.a.t sazr.e.sHa a .f
Testimony as to his good character was
also given by Gen. James 81. Simpson, Of
the corps OF engineers, Gen. W. s. Har-
ney, Capt L. S. Babbitt, commanding the
St. Louis Armory; Gen. S. B. sturgLs, in
command Of this post and Hon. E. A,
Borie, ex-Secretary Of the Nayy.i
At this point x-Governor Fletcher was
put upon the stand, and identified several
letters from Babcock to Joyce as those
placed in his possession few weeks ago
BY Mrs. Joyce. l7 ru,,.y -.y st,a
Only one OF these was read at this stage
OF the trial. It was dated March 18th,
1874, and directed to Joyce at San Fran.
cisco. It was in reply TO Joyces message
to Babcock to tell Douglass 10 call off his
scandal hounds, that only blacken the
memory Of Ford and his friends. Gen.
Babcock informs Joyce that there are no
charges against Ford, and tells him that
he believes that he (Joyce) was sent TO
San Francisco because Of his high stand
ing with the Commissioner. 'i4 rf q.
The defense then introduced two let
ters from Deputy Commissioner A. G.
Rogers to General John Donald, dated
respectively Washington, March Sd and
March 22d, 1875, to show, as the counsel
said, that as late as the date Of these let
ters there was no suspicion. OF General
Mcdonald either by Rogers or the De
partment. Tho first letter asks, on be-
halfof Rogers and Commissioner Doug
lass, that Mcdonald will find place as
Deputy Collector, in Arkansas or else
where, for young man well qualified
for such position, and states that such
favor on the part OF Mcdonald would be
an accommodation 10 number Of the
Cabinet. The other letter refers to the
probabilities Of the appointment Of Mr..
Douglass 10 the JudgeShip OF the Court OF
Claims, and solicits McD0nald's influence
in his (Rogersn behalf for the place 10
be made vacant by the retirement OF
Mr.. Douglass. This letter was referred
to by Mr.. Rogers in his testimony.
Z. A. Warner, Cashier OF the Lindcll
Hotel, testified that Mr.. Hoge was at the
hotel in November, 1874. 4.
General ]. L. Fullerton, lawyer OF
this city, testified to knowing Babcock in
the army during the war and since then
in Washington. His reputation was
good.
Three gentlemen connected with the
postolice Of this city testified Us 10 the
street letter.box system here, stating that
1t was not customary to deposit valuable
letters in them, that the public had been
repeatedly cautioned against doing so.
There was no rule or regulation prohib-
iting it, however.
The defense then introduced several
letters from Joyce to Babcock, written
at different times from 1870 TO 1873.
Some Of them enclosed editorials written
by Joyce and published in the st. Joseph
(Mo.) Herald, on San Domingo affairs,
and were designed to show his zeal in
political matters. Another from Little
Rock, Ark, apprised Babcock of tue
election Of Clayton Powell as United
States Senator; and stated that this elec-
tion would carry Arkansas for Grant.
Another enclosed resolutions Of respect 10
the memory Of Charles W. Ford, adopted
at public meeting here soon after that
gentlemans death. The answers to these
letters were then produced and read, also
two or three others. All Of these letters
arc OF 4 social character, and indicate
that the writer's Of them were on friendly
terms, but contain no illusions whatever
to any ring matters, or anything connect
cd with revenue affairs.
&C. Dickson, Chief Clerk OF the First
Comptrolers Office, at Washington, and
George o. Benjamin, connected with the
office Of Public Buildings and Grounds,
under Babcock, were then called to iden-
tify for the prosecution, the signature OF
Geo. s. Joyce, Doorkeeper at the Presi.
dents Mansion, to whom the dispatch OF
April 23d, 1875, addressed to Babcock
was traced, but they failed to identity his
signature. The court then ruled out the
three dispatches which have been held in
reserve for two or three days.
The following was admitted: 1909 F..
ST. Louis, December 3, 1874.
To Gen. Babcock aA
Has the Secretary or Commissioner
ordered any body here.
[Signedl ].
The following two were ruled out:
WASHINGTON, December 5, 1874.
To John A. joyce, 81. Louis:
Cannot hear that any one is gone or is
Isignedl o.E. BADcocK.
ST.. LOUIS, April %, 1876.
To Gen. o. E. BOJcoek, Warrington:
Tell me 10 see Parker, OF Colorado,
and telegraph to the Commissioner.
Crush out ST. Louis enemies. ..I
[Signedl GRIT.
Regarding the last dispatch the court
said that although il was admitted to be
in the handwriting OF Joyce and that 1t
had come over the wires It was no proof
that the defendant had received il, or ifhe
did receive it that he knew from whom il
came, and there was no proof that it was
ever answered.
An Indian Outbreak Imminent.
OMAHA, February Ill have the most
competent and reliable official authority
for the statement that the Sioux, Chey-
ennes and Arrapahoes Indians have been,
and are yet, making the most extensive
preparations possible for an outbreak in
a very few weeks. They have been pur-
chasing large quantities Of ammunition
and arms wherever they could get them,
going as far south as the Indian Terri
tory for this purpose, Il has been known
for some time past that the best fighting
men have deserted the agencies and are
rowing in the Big Horn, Powder river
and Tongue river countries, concentrat-
inc and arranging for this war There are