The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-08-04

tcrs and papers to which he had referred,
witness declined to state their character, but
admitted that they bore OH the whiskey
frauds. while some related ito another sub
iect--a Cabinet officer.
Q. understand you to say tho President
of the United States had in his possession
papers proving that General Babcock was
connected with the Black Friday gold spectl-
lation!
Mr.. Plaistcd objected to the word "pror-
ing"
The witness have said that have salts
factory information that the papers are I'M
dcrstood to establish that fact. Whatever
papers exist in the premises were delivered
into the hands OF the President on the
morning OF the 2lst, 22d, or 23d OF February
Mr.. Plaistcd: Do you not know that Cen
cral Babcock was in San Domingo during
the Black Friday gold speculation?
Witness: No, do not know anything
about where he was.
TIE MYSTERIOUS WOMAN.
Mr.. Cochranc: In the Cincinnati Daily
Gazette OF Monday; July 81, 1864 see the
following statement :: @ Some weeks before
Attorncy-Gc Williams was removed
Secretary Belknap met Solicitor Wilson on
the street and showed him part OF an anony-
nous letter which he had received, charg-
ing that his house had been furnished out
of the proceeds OF the French arms sale !;
that as he was we'll aware investigation had
developed an unknown woman figuring III
the affair, and that rs the writer knew
he (Bclknap) was also we'll aware OF
the identity OF this woman, Secre-
tarv Belknap was anxious that So
lctor Wilson should attempt, through
the Secret-Servicc force, to discover the
writer of that letter. Wilson undertook the
work. and made private report to the Sec
rctarv OF the Treasury on the subject, which
the President had seen. This report was
among the private papers OF Wilson. 1t
showed that letters OF similar style-that Is,
printed with q pca-hcad-had been sent to
Mrs. Grant, to Secretary Robeson, and to
other persons in Cabinet families, making
charges upon nearly all, which it Is not ne
ccsSary to mention ut length. SPECIFIC
charges, with names, were preferred against
the President in shape to give great an
novance to the Executive household.
ATTEMPTS TO DESTROY VOUCHERS.
t.Thc several attempts to burn the Navy
Department were ascribcd to desire TO
DESTROY vouchers which would compromise
the Secretary. Statements were also made
to him about his family, and the whole
series when collected showed such curl
ous acuualntance with inside Cabinet affairs
and relations rs to excite general interest
among those aware of the inquiry in pro-
cress as to its results. The letters were all
printed. A close inspection under light
showed that they had'in fact been done in
line hand, as il the writer, in forming
some words, had forgotten for the moment
the necessity for disguise, and these words
had been linked over by some other hand and
the STYLE of letter had been somewhat changed
thereby. These slight changes, which were
uniform in the various letters, led to the
discovery that the retouching had been done
by Colonel Whitley, eN-Chief of Secret-Ser-
vice division, who, for reasons which no
one had been able to understand, had, after
he was removed. been given employment by
Mr.. Williams. The next step was the dis
coyerv OF the author OF the fine hand
writing. The percmptory removal OF the
Acknowledgement followed. III the Prcsl-
dents indiscrcct friends persist in charging
that Major Wilson attempted to steal the
papers Wilson'S friends will probably con-
tinue their description OF those which he
declined for the files Of the Department.
THE PRIVATE PAPERS.
The question desire to ask you Is this :
You have stated there were certain private
papers contained in that box which were
on file. desire to ask you whether the pa
pcrs mentioned III that article were contain
cd IN that box and were on file!
Witness: TO that | simply say the ques.
ton is not pertinent to the subject OF the
matter OF inquiry, and therefore object to
answering it.
Mr.. Plaisted: ask that the whole of that
| newspaper article with the question and
answer be struck out. The motion was re-
served for future consideration and deci.
sion.
Mr.. Cochrane: q. Have you ever taker
surrcptitiously or improperly (as Mr.. Plast
ed intimates he has hearD any letters OF pa
pcrs from any OF the Departments:
\. Never.
@. Or, as MI Plaistcd suggests, the letter
OF Secretary Bristow Oh the mule subject
\. No, sir.
In reference to statements in Mr.. Tut
toms testimony, Mr.. Wilson said rs far 4:
they affected him they were unqualified!
false.
GAvITT CONTRADICTED.
Mr.. Wilson further testified in relation tt
the immunity business, and also stated tina
he never had any evidence implicating Lo
gan or Farwell He contradcted Gayitt
who testified yesterday that the Solicitor
had instructed him to go for BristoW fol
President, and read letter accusing GaVit
OF indiscrect and disreputable conduct
There were numbers of revenue officials a
Cincinnati in the interests Of different pres
idcntlal aspirants.
The examination of witnesses will proba
bly, be concluded tomorrow, when Genera
Horace Porter will, it is expected, also bt
examined.