Year: 1875

WASHINGTON, Dec s. 1875


The most startling piece of here night is that
the Grand Jury in St Louis, on Friday last, found
true bill of indictment against General Babcock, and
that will probably be formally returned the court
1t has been believed here for some time by
well informed persons that this would be done II is
well known, as was telegraphed to yov several
days ago, that evidence of his communications with
The ST. Louis whskey ring discovered some months
since, so long ago in fact last July Shortly aler
ward the matter assumed such definite shape thar all
its details


LAID PRESIDENT


From that time the investigation in the case has
been vigorously followed up by the prosecutors
and the President has been made ac
quainted, in ADVANCE with each step taken
The delay in the has arisen from the extreme
caution which hiss been cnjoned by the Treasury Dep
partment Upon those who were managing the case
in ST. Louis on account of General Babcocks intimate
relations to the President, and the effect which the
proceedings against him must have upon General
Grant 1t thought only justice to bestow unusual
care upon the investigation that no public step
shoold be taken until it known beyond reasonable
doubt that General Babcock


WAS REALLY INVOLVED


in such to make It necessary, In the interests
OF justice that he should be brought trial 1t is the
knowledge of the great taken to sit the evidence
in his case which gave such weight to the open an
nouncement of General Henderson, the chief prose
cutor in St. Louis in the whiskey trials the other day.
to the effect that the government expected to show
that General Babcock was connected with the ring


General Babcock, in common with the President,
has keown general terms the OF the evidence
collected against him. and he has, therefore, had good
opportunity to prepare his defense. Tho movement
fora ba..t


MILITARY COURT OF INQUIRY


had much more behind it than simple demand for a
court on the part OF officer jealous of his
reputation 1t was decided upon after long
and earnest consultation with army friends
and with politicians of high standing II was
believe that matters could be so shaped as to have
military court take the place of trial by civil court in
ST. Louis or at any rate, as to have it meet and
pronounce its opinion in tho absence OF any civil tri
buna But after very full discussion of this feature OF
the case in Cabinet on Friday, it unanimously de-
or allowable to permit military take the case
out of the


TRIBUNAL.


It has out since the decision, through OF
General Babcock's army friends that when the
of inquiry was demanded It confidently expected
Louis this tribunal 1t believed that the prose-
cutors at ST. LOUIS would willingly give way or at
least, virtually permit transfer to take place by
framing from further proceedings. But upon
ing presented in Cabinet it Is understood that
sEcRETARY BRrsrow PROTESTED


at once and presented such forcble reasons that all
present constrained TO admit that he was right
to District Attorney Dyer that under no circumstances
was he be delayed restricted by the appointment
or the action Of the military tribunal to be ap
pointed, These Instructions we're sent him



place of tho court because it would allow
its President sherdan) to be near his headquarters
and IL was also sufc!ey St Louis to enable it oh
tain witnesses readily II also deemed fairest tc
General Babcock to have his heard distance
| from


THE EXCITEMENT AND cLAMoR


which are known TO exist at St. Louis The Court has
tho same power to summon witnesses as a Court Mar
tal, and Its process for sommoning witnesses runs
through the United States


General Babcocks military friends say that the
President, at q recent Cabinet meeting, probably or
Friday suggested that the proceedings before the Civil
| Court should give way to those before the Military
Court OF Inquiry but that the lawyers in the Cabinet
quickly showed him that this would not do, anc
the President Immediately acquiesced- The delay
possible under the military proceedings would
be very great. The Cours is ordered to report
upon the facts and give opinion. None OF the
necessary witnesses are Chicago and they must be
brought mainly from st. LOUIS and Washington.
/ POWERS OF COURTS INQUIRY.


The Court OF Inquiry can pronounce no sentence nc
matter how guilty II might find the accused It can al
the most only say that It's jupgment trial by court
martial should take place Isuch trial should follow
much OF she ground would have TO be traversed anew
as 70 consume much time The Howard Court OF In
qury where nearly all the witnesses and all Of the
ords examined were In Washington where the couri
was held, occupied over forty days Those statements
give point to the strenuous attempt to have the mill
tary proceedings supercede all further action by tn,
! Grand Jury or the Court at St Louis


THE COLLEGE ATHLETES.