National Republican., 1884-02-22
"a SINGULAR MIXTuRE.n
A Pacific Slope Criticism Oh Col. Joyce's
New Hook.
San Francisco CAropiclc.

San Francisco cropiclo.
A singular mixture of eRotism, adventure,
political history and personal reminiscenco
is "A Checkered Life" by Col. John A.
Joyce, yet it is one of the most readable
books which has boen published in long
time. 1t gives the oventful life of a young
Irish lad who endured many vicissitudes in
his youth including brief stay in an in
sane asylum; taught school; served with
distinction throughout tho rebellion under
Shcrman was severely wounded at Kenesaw
mountain; entered the government. service
at Washington; afterward was given good
place in the internal revenue service came
out to this coast aud inspected tho workings
Of the customs department, and finally was
involved In tho hugo whisky ring prosecu-
tions in st. Louis, was convicted and sent to
prison. Such u record interspersed with pen
pictures and personal "reminiscences of many
| famous men, living aud dead, could not fail
| to be readable, oven though written in dry
and commonplace manner. But this book is
anything but commonplace. The author is
as devoid Of all reticence as Rousseau. He
| takes the reader into his confidence with
charming candor, and many of his anecdotes
arc related with dash and humor, while his
comment on public abuses which need re-
form is frequently vigorous and well con-
| sidered.
Tho chapters which give tho scenes of his
| trial and conviction are written with much
feeling, and he furnishes strong proof that he
was uniustly sent to prison. He nscribes his
prosecution and conviction to tho resentment
of Bristow, who tried to get him to turn state S
evidence, and thus add to Bristow's glory in
| bringing tho entire whisky ring to punish
ment. OF tho methods adopted by tho govern
ment detectives no gives one amusing anec-
dote. Bristow always suspected that Joyce
had compromising letters which had passed
between him and Babcock. So, after Joyce
had been sent to prison, detectives were set to
dog the movements of tho prisoners wife.
| Dyer and Botsford, two district attorneys, hav-
| ing gained information Of o secret box which
| Mrs. Joyce or her nursemaid always carried,
they decided that this must contain the
coveted letters The rest of the story must
be told in the authors words "In due course
Botsford sued out a search warrant in the
name of the United States and the balance
of mankind and, while my wife was visit
| ing me, the detective and district attorney
dashed fearlessly down on the old nurse, the
trunks the balmoral, and the baby, and with
| heroic valor captured and instantly opened
the long-sought box, containing q spirit lamp
u can of condensed milk, o sugar teat, and q
sucking bottlel" "..-
OF the famous "sylph" dispatch, which
| came so near convicting Babcock of compile
ity in the whisky fraud, the author give
this explanation, which probably will set a
rest the many conjectures made on the sub
ject:
In the summer of 1874 was in Washing.
ton and at the white house. Ono evening
after Office hours Gen. Babcock invited me to
take ride in his carriage. We went over
the city, viewing objects Of interest, and
finally drew up at the granite base of thu
Scott statue, on Sixteenth street and Massa
LII, A..
stone, which had been brought from the
river on rollers, CHANGED to look up the
street and saw very beautiful young lady
dressed in fine style, walking erect, light
and airy as dream. In the off-hand man
ner Of my horid style called tho general
attention to the silken beauty and exclaimed
Her fairy.liko form, nodded in beauty and grace
Seems to float like sylph on the light wings q
space.
Tho general laughed, coincidod with m
enth usiastic compliment, and thought com
pairing the beauty to sylph was very appro
pirate, joking me good deal about my ad
miration for tho fair sex. The couplet @
poetry took hold Of his mind, and repeate
1t to him several times, as saw he liked tn
good and beautiful. In subsequent privat
letters 1 often used the word "sylph" in clio
ing my political communications, and
would sign incidental notes and Telegram
, with the same poetic word. The "sylph
telegram came near sending Gen. Babcock |
, prison, and as neither tho courts nor an
other sources have ever truthfully eXplaine
it, here give for tho first time the actua
meaning of the dispatch.
Space is lacking to give any of the anec
dotes and bits of personal "Reminiscences witt
which the book abounds. 1t may be sc
down as contribution to our political his
tory whose real value cannot be impaired b.
faults of execution or by the peculiar dres
| which the publisher has given it. Chicagc
S. p. Rounds, jr.; for sale by all booksellers
|