Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-08-01
More from Northumberland BlufOrd
wilson Continuation of the Life
Of the President and his
Friends.
"Sylpb," the ParamOur of Grant-The
Barnard Let er and BrOther.in.LaW
Jim CasPy's COmplicity-"Let
No Guilty Man Escape"
The President Had Jim Casey and Bab-
cock In his Mind when he Wrote
that SententiOus Sentence ,rre
x GOOd Enough"

concluding portion of the testimony OF
Elk Solicitor Bluford Wilson, il is given
to the press. Much of it is q repetition
Of his {, rmer testimony, or in explana
ton thereof Wilson testified that about
the ninth OF September he wrote letter
to Henderson, In which he stated SUBJ
stsntially that during the hearing Of
motions to quash indictments to the
M'Doneld case then pending bsfore
Judge Miller, thought 1t important
that M'Donsld and Joyce should be put
under the strictest surveillance, and that
every precsution should be taken to pre-.
vent their escapa; that 1t was highly
important also that the associates and
co-conspirstors with M'Donald aud
Joyce, IL there were any Of them W.
known, should be discovered and brougt
to punishment, and I used the words:
sit was OF the utmost Importance TO the
public interest that he should go to the
very bottom or top of the combinations,n
and underscored the words "bottom or
top" Knowing that General Bah.
cock would be ia st. Louis with the Pres.
ident, and knowing his relations with
M'Donald and Joyce, inteodtd to use,
and did use 81, n terms as that General
Henderson might clearly see that his re-
lations with M'Donsld and Joyce, while
in the city, should be ezra ully looked
after and inquired into. This / believed
| was fully authorized and wsrra Qted 10
do the terms of the Presidents indorse.
ment Of the Barnard letter, and l sup
posed that in so doing l would receive
his support and approval. Ii turned out
that this letter Of mine was taken from
among the papers of General Henderson
while he was engaged in law argument
in the courts at st. Louis, that M'Don-
aid and Joyce got poss sssion of it, and
to support the charge that was putting
spies on the President, after the WORD
stop" In my letter the capital letters
"W HI were forged therein. This let
Ter or copy containing the fOrgeries was
brought back from the west by Babcock
aud shown TO Bristow and P errepont,
who were much disturbt d, but Wilson
had no difficulty in convincing them of
the forgery, and that WAS the end of the
matter with them. Wilson slSo eX.
planned the letter to General Ho' ace
Porter, who at once said, Wilson, do
not want TO hear anything more; that is
the end of that matter. The letter is
forgery, and that lets you out"
I said: IA word with you, general, about
that letter I wrote, that letter intend
ing General Babcock should be look, d
after. II he was in the ring l intended
to catch him il 1t was In my power. II
he was not, intended to demonstrate
his innocence, hey md q shadow of
doubt, IL possible to do sou / asked Gen.
eral Porter what explanation he had OF
the "SyIph" telegram, and he gave me
an explanation to the effect that
sSyluh" was alewd woman with whom
the President Of the United States had
been in intimate association, and that
she had bothered and annoyed the Pres.
ident until at one time it CHANGED that
M'Donald's attention was called to her,
and fle said he knew her snd would re-
lieve the President OF her, which be did.
General Porter said to me, without
going any further into an explanation,
that "the most inestimable service in my
power to render the President of the
United States, would be to shield and
save General Babcock from exposure,
that these matters were Of character
that could not be gone into without
giving all parties the very greatest
trouble and concern / told the general
that l would do what l could fairly to
see that General Babcock was honestly
and squarely dealt with, that no in
Justice wss done him, but that further
than that could not and would not 60.
The matter was in the hands Of local
officers at st. Louis and / would urge on
them the importance to all parties that
no mistake should be made In reference
to General Babcock's connection with
the ring. General Porter expressed him
self as perfectly satisfied.
Mr.. Wilson Testified as follows in refer
ence to an interview with the President:
I showed the President the Barnard let
ter and read to him that extract from it
in which Mr.. Normile was credited with
having said substantially: "The Preei
dent dare not go too far with M'DOna1d
and Joyce or Babcock is lost" read
to him that part Of his letter in which
Jim Casey was referred to, and turned
over the letter and on the back of it read
to him, with great elaboration, the in
dorsement in which he had said: "Fhese
newsnaper clippings and this letter are
sent TO the department, to the end that
ii thew throw auy light upon new wit
uesses to be summoned they my be
brought out. Let no guilty man escape
if IL can be avoided.n / read to the
President of the United States the con-
Guiding sentences in his letter, in which
he said: 'tBs especially vigilsnt, or
charge those in authority to be, against
all those who claim to have high au-
thority to protecting them," meaning
to protect others or TO protect them
selves, and In which he finally said
that "personaI considerations should
not stand in the way OF the par
Torrance OF public duty" and
said to him, "Mr. President, what have
done in the premises touching Ganeral
Rsbcock, have done under warrant,
and in full pursuance of your own in
structions to the secretary OF the treasury
and to myself" He said, Certainly,
mad Babeock and Jim Casey in mind
when [ made that Endorsement, an0
expected you to do your duty" said
10 hin, "Mr. President that is precisely
the reply which l expected you, as
President of the United States, to MAKE
to me-" / explained to the President
that it was General Bsbcock meant In
the Letter to Henderson, and not him
self: that it never entered my mind for
one moment that under any possible
combination of circumstances was 1t
possible for him to have had any i'm
nr5par relation with these parties, or
with any other party, engaged in vio-
lation OF the laws OF the land; that when
fixed the period dur ,ng which the ill.,
vestigation should be made in st Louis,
I had reference to the fact OF Ganerai
Babcock's sojourn In that city, and not
to his own; and that when l referred to
the associations OF MD nald, / referred
! to the well, known and familiar associ-
| ations OF MD pnald and Joyce with
/ General Babcock 1 also showed the
| President that under the instructions OF
| The attorney. general, but without the
! approval of the secretary OF the treasury,
| / had gone to 81. Louis for the purpose
OF urging upon the locsl officers, Hen.
derson and Dyer, the Importance Of max
ing no mistake in reference to General
BaOcOek's Indictment, telling them that
be should not be indicted 30 far as their
influence was concerned, except upon
the fullest and clearest testimony sa is
factory To them of his guilt, and that
every precsution should be taken Oh
their part to do him no injustice, and II
facts we're developed TO his credit, tC
give him the benefit Of them through
out; / told the PIesideGF that all thu
officers had assured me Ihat such wa
their fixed, settled purpl 50. Wilson fur
! ther testified that the President indig