The New York herald., 1877-01-06

facts Of the exactly as have narrated them
and they will be proved. The penalty for conspiracy
incarceration IN Jail When the House Committee
has investigated the charge its proceedings WILL 10 due
course, take their way to the Grand jury and that
body will, II 1t sees dt, Ind indictment and tho
charge will come up for trial in the Criminal Court
DETECTIVES.
The story which tho two detectives tell, and
which was laid before the President to-day.
is as follows:-They say that for the
last Eve or six years. while Murtsgh
has been the head Of the Police Board he has always
endeavored, In every way possible, the police
force as an engine to advance his own interests and
that OF his paper. one Of the most signal cases
OF MS peculiar operations IN this line last spring
and summer, when the naval investigation
was under way in the House OF Representa-.
tivcs Mr. whitthorno was the chairman OF the
committee in question, which was endeavor.ng to un-
earth the alleged frauds and irregularities IN the
Navy Department Shortly after the investigation
started Murtagh and tho detectives went TO tho
Superintendent OF Police, Major Richards and said TO
him that u was very important that whtthorne
should be broken down In some way. He suggested
that detectives should be set TO watch Mr..
whitthornc, that he should be enticcd either
into gambling saloon or to an assignation house,
and when there that the house should be raded
and withorne arrested, when OF course, an cx.
posure would follow Major Richards, tho do
tectivcs say, promised Mur,agh that no would
aid him In the matter. He called two OF his dc.
tcctives. McDcvtt and Miller, and told them
what Murtagh required them to do. Ono OF
them Nliller) declared that he would not
and declined to act. Major Richards thereupon said
officers that he did them to do any
and he asked them about tho matter they would tell
him that they were engaged in carrying out his in
strnctons Upon these conditions the two detectives
agreed to do as they were requested by their superior
oicer
Murtagh cnmo to see either them or tho superin.
tendcnt Police nearly every day to inquire how the
matter was getting along They fooled him with
story another when dnally he became impatient said
they as detectives, and that he was tar
better detective than any one Of them They assert
that he offered hem money TO obtain the services of
woman. and said they would have all the money they
wanted for the purpose Still tho detectives failed to
act This Is Che story Of the detectives as 1t laid
before the President this afternoon.
MIR. wHIrTHoRNE's STATEMENT.
Representative whitthornc, OF Tennessee, chairman
OF the House Committee of Naval Affairs, inter.
viewed this evening IN regard To the matter He said
at FIRST that he did not know anything or have
anything TO say about revelations which had been
made TO him. touching a conspiracy. as he was In
wmlc he was investigating the navy yards hero and IN
Philadelphia, one OF his colleagues, Mr.. Atkins. sent
for him, stating that he had something important to
communicate. Responding TO this he was informed
that leading republican member OF Congress had
written to Mr. Atkins privately that detectives had
been sct TO watch him. and that private papers belong
ing 10 him had been examined and rnmmaged
upon the table in his room, for tho purpose OF OBJ
taning knowledge OF heir purport; who were
the witnesses to be brought forward to provo
certain charges and how far they were
Secretary OF the Navy and others connected with tho
Navy Department affairs Subsequently Mr. Whit
thornc says, on examination ho found some OF tho
papers that had been brefed and bundled up by him
the Washington Navy Yard investigation missing
nTs closely tho
OF his dwelling place that he was under the espIon
age OF certain parties who wero set, as he believes
from what has SINCE occurred to hold watch over him.
who went in and out OF mis- place,
ascertain ,as.o,. as ho thought from whom he
qurics he was pushing. Ho thought nothing OF
this, but resolved only the thoroughly and de-
terminedly press his invest igatons. Later on tho
conspiracy dawncd upon him. and tho plan appears
have been this
PLAN OF THE coyspIRAroRs
According to Mr.. Whitthorne's account Mr.. Murtagh
who IS known as tho personal friend OF Secretary
Robeson, OF the navy, and is also President OF tho
capacity such to put detectives on
the track OF Representative whitthorne. Ho
soson Ss to Or house T'sss gambling
having been well 1ilcd with liquor, and then at tho
rropcr, time upon the giving Of signal,
way as to cripple him in the Investigations no was
making He was extremely cautious in all no did
a the sex s1'n sS
Without shadow of foundation for IT story
gotten up and quietly circulated that Mr.. Whit.
thornc had been finally captured and had fallen
into tho snarcs set for him while in Philadel-
phia with his committee, pursuing their duties.
member OF the committee discovered this,
and Mr. Wnitthorne placed his
guard by knowledge Of the fabrication which was
being insnuated against him. Everything which
transpired in Philadelphia is fortunately we'll
known by all tho members OF the comm ttce
with him, that besides working daily
until lato at night. and the location OF
all the sleeping apartments OF the committee II was
impossible that ho should be away at any time without
their knowledge.
This does not give Mr.. Whitthorne any what
ever, but he reels worry much provoked at what
he considers the dastardly and cowardly attempt
made upon his reputation to destroy his efficiency in
developing the illegal II not dishonest practices
which have, he says, for some time past Obtained
the conduct OF affairs connected with tho Navy De-
partment