Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-04-30
Ingenious swindle on tho Government.


defraudipg the General Government and evad
ing the payment Of taxes and duties on certain
articles Of manufacture, disclose al originality
and ingenuity worthy a better cause. Snug
Cling and secret distilling are managed On the
most ingenious plans; but during the present
week there has been discovered species OF
swindine which, if not new to those engaged
If. defrauding the government, is at least fresh
TO the officers and the community In general.
From the lew particulars gathered, It appears
that a few days since a man named Wright a
liquor dealer, applied to the Custom House to
exoort two hundred and five barrels of alcohol
1t is generally known that there is govern
ment tax OF two dollars per gallon on all spirits
manufactured and consumed Ia this country,
but when it is exported, the party exporting
has the two dollars duty per gallon refunded
Inv thc Government as drawback money"
This Mr.. Wright, it is alleged, having applied
to the Custom House to export the two hun
drcd and five barrels Of alcohol was required,
before receiving the drawback money OF two
dollars per gallon, to give bonds to the amount
Of $50, 900 to export the quantity named, and
Mr. H. G. Thatcher became his boncsman. -
The two hundred aud five barrels were then
filled with pure alcohol, Government official
examined and gagged them, pronounced them
all right, and affixed the proper Government
seal or stamp. 1t would seem that immediate
" after the Government official left the store
house the alcohol was exchanged and casks OF
water substituted, and when the two hundIed
and five barrels were placed Oh board the schr.
Louise OF Salem, water was the only mud they
contained. The vessel vas properly cleared
from he Custom House TOR Eastporr, Maine,
but before sbe sailed information YVES furnished
+bor lu tO
watch her, and this was accordingly done. A
week ago to-day The watch was commenced and
con,inued until the Louise was preparing 10
sail Wednesday evening. During this interval
he casks were convey ed to her while lying at
the wharf, surreptitlou>ly, as was supposed,
the parties engaged in the enterprise fearing,
notwithstanding tho barrels were properly
scaled and stamped, that some Struggling OFF,
Ger of the Custom Huusr mi Is ht come upOn
tnrm aud gauge some Of their casks. an3 thus
discover the fraud The only fear of detection
it seems VAS from parties on shore; 40 one
conncctc@ with the alleged swindle expected
for moment hat the Custom House ing was
lying Close by them IN the stream, and watch
Ing every movement The officers who were
on watch we're also disappointed Of the
manner Of the fraud believing, as they
did, hat the casks being conveyed aboard the
schooner in secret, under the cover 0t' nigEt,
contained spirits illegally distilled. Do Wed
ncs,ioy evening it was apparent to the officers
On board the tug that the Louise Was prepar
ing to sail, and Just az she was about 10 set
out 60 her voyage the tug came up alongside
and ordered her 70 anchor. The commander
Of the Louise very wisely saw that it was nae
less to resist, and immediately complied with
the order Al officer went aboard and, while
pursuing his duty OF gallgtng and testing the
contents Of the casks, remarked, very property,
to so associate officer, that it would take con
siderable quantity Of snct atuH as that 10 get i
man drunk Then for thu tiTs: tme the
character Of The fraud vas discovered, and,
upon farther examination, it. was aacrrtaincd
that every on,. Of the tw0 hundred and five
barrels was filled with water! Yesterday al
terno0n the schooner was brought up To India
wharf, and, together with her not very yalua
Bile cargo. placed in charge Of keepers As
sumiog tha: each barrel contained i0rty-tWO
gallons, there would be 3,GIO gallons in ali, and
the amount OF "tirawback' ;ratduently re-
ccived l$2 per gaIlon) would he ST., 30. If
the fraud had succeeded the parties would have
had the alcohol left besides. The bonds given
by the party Implicated in the fraud $3.50, 0O0J
will be sufficient to cover all loss which the
Government would have sustained.
MEETING IN South CAROLINA A large
meeting, attended by white and colored people,
was held at Columbia, s. c., Oh yesterday,
whicl. was addressed by Gov Or. in a speech
of one hours length, '!giying the c0iored men
advice as to their political and social duties,
and urging that they should at present attach
themselves neither to the Democratic nor Re
publican party but to wait and array them
selves upon the platform Of a National Union
party that could be occupied in common by
both races South and all people North. he
counselled moderation and PATIENCE and prom
ised that, provided the coiored people did
their duty, the people of the South would see
them educated and secured in all reasonable
privileges Of freemcn The committee on res
olutions consisted of thirteen whites and blacks.
4 platform was unanimous y adopted. 1t
provides free schools for the education Of all
children, and the revision Of the civil and
criminal code Of the State. After the resolu.
tons were adopted speeches were made by
Rev Henry NJ Turner, (colored of Wash
ingtop, D. c., who said he cared for no party,
but simply desired the rights OF his race, and
would adhere onl to that party which insured
all the privileges Of manhood. Above all, he
wished to see a united South ; Tor he felt sat
lshed, notwithstanding the education or the
past, the Southern gentleman was the truest
friend of the black man. Hon. Jas. =. Gibbs,
ex-mayor of the city, followed giving assn
RANGES Of the cordial cooperation Of the peo-
pie in measures looking to the advancement OF
colored citizens. The meeting was also adj.
dressed by other citizens. Good feeling pre-
vailed. \ mixed executive committee OF thir
teen Was appointed for one year.
THE BALTIMORE EMBEzzLENENT CASE
In the q. s. District Court in Baltimore,
Yesterday, Samuel H. Wentz and john Fl.
Rogers we're arraigued for trial Cd the charge OF
emb' zzng the funds Of the National Me-
chanics' Bank of Baltimore The counsel for
Weutz read statement, i'll which the prisoner
pleads guilty and asks for mercy, an account Of
his age and former good character. The state
men asserts tha: Wentz 'has been the victim
CT ma;ia fer stock gambling, which, once
rraiiiieG he was never afterwards rhIa TO