The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-02-26
V I.
TIE GROWING CRIME OF THE RING.

While the investigation which led to
the abolition of the District Government
was in progress, the Ring committed the
blackest crime in it's whole dark history.
In its briefest form this is the story
Mr.. Columbus Alexander had made
himself obnoxious to the thieves by his
activity in opposing them. To destroy
his influence, 0rville E, Babcock and
Richard Harrington Matched a plot,
clumsy in it's main features, but mon.
strous in its details. They went to the
chief of the secret service and got him to
detail detective, who was instructed to
make the acquaintance OF Mr.. Alexander
and to palm himself off as former book
keeper of John o. Evans, the Contrac-
tor. Playing his part, this detective rep.
resented that the books Of Evans pre-.
sented to the Committee for examina.
ton we're fOrgeries; that he had the real
books in his possession, and that he
weuld produce them and turn them over
to the citizens If he was rewarded. Mr..
Alexander, however, showed no dispo.
sition to buy information in this surrep.
titious way. Thereupon the detective,
acting under instructions from his en-
ployers, remarked that he was an honest
man, and that without money he would
deliver up the books in his possession
Mr., Alexander said he would be glad to
examine these alleged accounts, and i'm.
mediately notified two members of the
Congressional Investigating Committee
Of the proposition that had been made
to him.
John 0. Evans was a party TO this
plot, and on the 21st of April, 1875, he
delivered up his account books to Rich.
ard Harrington, who carried them back
10 the District Attorneys office and
locked them up in the safe. The next
night two professional burglars were
hired to enter the Office, blow open the
safe, and carry the books to Mr.. Alex
ander's house. That day Harrington
informed the police that he feared a bur.
glary was about to be attempted, and the
superintendent and the whole detective
force were on hand at the appointed
hour. When the burglars had perform
ed their work they walked boldly out at
the front door of the District Attorneys
Office, where they were kindly received
by Shepherds brother, Harrington, and
Harrington's friend, A. B. Williams
The principal burglar having earned bis
fee kade his confederates good night ard
walked home. His assistant, in pursu-
anCe of the agreement, started for Mr..
Alexander's house, followed by the de.
tectives and representatives of the Ring.
He lost his way, unfortunately and Will
liams was obliged to direct him. He
rang the bell for 10 or 20 minutes, but
failed to arouse anybody. He was then
arrested by the detectives and locked
up. He subsequently signed an affidavit
prepared by one SommerYille, at the In.
stigation of Harrington, setting forth
that he had been hired by Mr. Alexan.
W. w bAOW OPOh ghO 5hAO III bup OlbbIlCb
Attorneys Office, and bring Evans's
books to his house. The affair was inn
mediately Investigated. Harrington,
Williams, Sommerville, and the Secret
Service officials involved themselves in
an inextricable macs of perjury, and
then the detective first employed by
Harrington came forward and revealed
the whole conspiracy.
The feelings against the scoundrels
who had thus plotted to ruin the charac-
ter OF an upright and honorable man YVES \
very bitter. The masks were torn from
their faces, and they stood revealed in
their colors. The few honest men who
had been deceived by their pretenses
into defending their acts repudiated
them utterly.
But there was one man who did not
desert them. That man was Ulysses s.
Grant, President of the United States -
When Harrington WAS indicted and
brought to trial Grant directed his
bHother.in-law, Sharpe, who was then
Marshal Of the District, to pack jury
and secure his acquittal. Sharp did bis