The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-08-11

bOIITlfIn HdTdII
| will strike st. Louis on Monday" It was 10
| this telegram that General Babcock alluded
| in the letter just quoted. The anonymous
/ roy, who was the Collector of the ring, and
who knew of the Presidents and Babcock' IS
/ connection with the conspiracy. The sigma
ture, "H. B. Brown" has been explained al
| ready, and none of the letters were dated.
ANOTHER BABcocK LETTER
On the llth OF june General Mcdonald wrote
| to General BabcocK telling him the particulars
| to sDay the anxiety OF the Preside and HIM
| self; that they could only be reached crimi-
nally through him. and whatever the ordeal
might be he would go through il without be-
| traying them in the slightest. Il asked him
to use his influence to have Major Gunther re-
| tanned in the service. Following is his reply:
DEAR FRIEND Got yours of the nth; glad
/ to hear all will be right. Shall do all in my
power TO retain your friend; 1t will not be my
! fault IL do not, as 1 will convince you when
we meet. 1 don't think Dyer your friend. L
still believe there Is some one near you or the
Colonel who betrays you; trust none. Where
| is the Colonel? Regards to all. Keep cool
Will explain good many things when see
you. Yours truly, b. F. Inch.
..Babcock had directed Major Grimes to
Sound ID p Dyer, the attorney in whose
be induced to treat the Presidents friends
with special leniency. Grimes did so, aud
thought everything was safe, and so wrote
letter proves. Grimes was directed to have
| another more pointed iuterv ew with Colonel
Il
ness depicted on Grimes face when he called
on me after his pointed talk with Colonel
Dyer. 1t was an admirably p. oportioned mix
ture of despair, incredulity and wretchedness.
I could not restrain my laughter, although the
news was quite enough to have spread over The
whole whisky ring like an attack OF cholera
mofbus. General said he, the jig Is up.
Colonel Dyer is as determined as BrisJow. aud
tells noe that II the President is in the ring he
Is going for him. II he persists in covering the
| entire White House with disgrace, my sugges-
ton would be TO have him dismissed"
GRANT AND BABcoCK IN ST LOUIS.
The succeeding pages contain an account of
the visit of Grant and Babcock TO st. Louis en-
| mac at Des Mones. General Mcdonald asserts
| that Grant and his private secretary came via
st. Louis expressly TO consult with him reia-
| tive to the indictment against him. Major
| Grimes arranged secret meeting between
Baocock and Mcdonald I'm room over Bon
nets restaurant on Fourth street, where the
| two dined and discussed the situation for two
hours. Babcock said Grant was very sorry he
had appointed Dyer to the United states At
| the result would be the conviction of both
himself (McDonald) and Joyce. Bsbcock threw
up his hands and exclaimed, "My God, we will
every one who is in enmity with us, and thus
we can at least prevent the further progress OF
| these measures until Grants term of Office eX-
pires." Babcock gave the assurance that upon
| the smallest excuse Brlstow, Wilson, Dyer and
Henderson would be dismissed.
Another interview was had that night at the
Planters House, during which Babcock said,
They will never turn key on you, because
| the old man (Grani) tells me that If they con
| vict you he will pardon you the moment the
verdict is announced. Don't have any fears
| about that"
MEETING THE PRESIDENT.
Babcock said Grant wanted to see Mcdonald
| privately. Mcdonald replied that this would
| look badly for Grant II IL was found out; that
| il would be better TO meet him publicly in the
| hotel corridor, as IL Ii were by chance. There
| was another meeting the next day. and sab
cock said he had arranged for Mcdonald TO
meet the President at the LindeII. He was to
| be In the corridor on the parlor floor about
| O'Clock when Grant came out of The supper
room. Joyce and Mcdonald went together.
GRANT PLEDGES PROTECTION.
Mcdonald says: 'The company consisting OF
the President, Miss Grant, Fred Grant and
| wife, Secretary Borie and wife and General
Babcock, came out of the room and walked
| toward the parlor. Colonel Joyce first met the
| President and while they were conversing
| spoke to Mrs. Grant, with whom chatted for
| a few moments. At the conclusion OF bis inter-
| view with Colonel Joyce, the President came
| up to Inc, while Mrs. Grant walked into the
| parlor. asked him III General Babccck had iu-
for shielding him from exposure. He repded,
| Yes, and want to assure you that all General
l Babcock promised VIII be fulfilled to the let
/ your protection even more favorable than you
can expect We talked OF Br1stow, Wilson,
/ Dyer and Henderson, and he spoke with much
1 feeling of the course they were pursuing, say
ling that he was now convinced that they were
| at enmiiy with him, and their removal had
become ns NECESSITY, %nlsh WAS only
i moments, for L told the President tna6 a
| lengthy interview would excite comment, so
i he bade me very reluctant adieu, assuring
4 me with his last words that under any and all
| circumstances should be protected, as had
/ pledged myself to protect him."
M'DoNALD's TRIAL.
Here follows q circumstantlal account of
4 General McDonald's trial, with which The pub
i lie Is already sufficiently familiar. Mcdonald
says: "During the progress OF this trial. as we'll
/ as every day after the Presidential party lett
1 st. Louis, received one or more letters from
i General BabcOck, through Major Grimes, in
which the most fiattering Language, compu-
mentiDg my fidelity, and elaborate promises
/ of the Interference OF the President when
/ should ask it, were conveyed. l was exhorted
| to stand fast and true"
| HENDERsoN's OFFER OF IMMUNITY.
"on the third day OF my trial, while was
4 descending the steps OF the postofice, General
/ Henderson stopped me, and with most impress
/ sive and persuasive language urged me to plead
i guilty. He assured me of the Certainty OF nv
/ conviction, and that TO avoid punishment
/ ought to avail myself OF this last opportunity.
He told me that / was involving tue
Government IN a large expense oy forcing
| continued trials. and that he knew was IN
possession OF evidence which would assist the
| Government in convicting all the guilty par
ties. He repeated tnstif I would enter plea
i of guilty my punishment would be only NOM
i inal, and besides il would subserye important
purposes of the Government. But to all his
i entreaties was obstinate, and persisteusly re-
fused, replying to him that would accept all
consequences
M'DoNALD IN JAIL.
After McDonald's conviction ne remained in
the st. Louis jail patiently awaiting the action
of the Grand Jury in the case of Babceck, con
i ddently expecting an immediate pardon in
/ case of Babcock's acquit al
AN EFFORT TO BUY THE BABcocK LETTERS.
On the next day after Babcock's acquittal
and his interview with Mcdonald in the jail,
when lfe had attem pied TO get the letters from
the immured author, c w. Babcock, a brother
of the Generals. in company with Colonel
Bchaurte, postal agent at St. Louis, called on
| Thomas +. Walsh, formerly McDonald's CHIEF
clerk, and also Assistant Postmaster OF St.
/ Louis for the period of twelve years, but now
assistant purchasing agent for the Iron
Mountain Railroad Company, and told him
that they understood he was the custodian OF
| the letters General Babcock had written to
| Mcdonald; that they wanted the correspond
| ence, and were willing to pay bin s5,0CJ If he
| would return il 10 them. Mr.. Walsh did not
have the letters, but he realized at once
replied that Whatever correspond
| ence he had belonging to General Mcdonald
| would remain as private as IL had ever been,
| and that he had no authority to dispose OF a
| single letter. On the day fol owing tnev paid
| Mr.. Walsh second visit, during which they
| agreed to give him Sl0,U00 and any reasonable
position IN the Government he might want
/ for the return OF the letters, but his reply was
the same as before. Mr.. Schaurte then as
sumed different tone by saying that they
l must have the correspondence; that IL was
Il of r.