Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-01-17
Fraud and Corruption.--The st. Adams
Coal Oil Frauds.

is one of strong interest to every republican,
to every patriot, to every good citizen. The
Republican party, having (till Andrew John
son went over to the democrats) controlled
the patronage of the Government, and being
the controlling party in Congress, is held re
sponsible for this enormous mass of official
corruption long can itstand such a re-
sponsibility without clearing its skirts Of the
stain? The morals of the whole country are
becoming corrupted by the spread of the in
fection-how long can the process 90 on be
fore we become a lost and ruined people
And if these considerations lack weight with
any man, let him consider that the country
groans under its taxes because the honest men
pay the 'rhole. and the knayes 90 free.
The taxes on whiskey and tobacco, honestly
and fully paid, would well nigh pay the ex-
penses Of the government, and make the re
naming weight of taxation too light to be a
burden But not one third Of the whiskey
and tobacco pays the tax Just look at it.
1t costs forty cents gallon, on an average,
to manufacture whiskey, and the government
tax is two dollars gallon. OF course $40
a gallon is the lowest price at which honest
whiskey can be sold. But fraud whiskey, =
which is two-thirls of all made, was selling
in New York on Saturday at $l.2O gallon,
including a certificate, forged or fraudulent
Of course, that the tax had been paid on it !
We are told by well informed parties tina,
the frauds in kerosene are probablXas extern
siye, in proportion to the amount Of the bust
ness of distilling coal oil, as in whiskey and
tobacco We ehronicled recently the seizure
of coal oil distillery in this State for fraud,
and the arrest of an assistant Assessor for COM
| plicity in the crime. and the fact brings u-
to the nub of our article, in the remark that
the interests of Justice and Of the public
seem to us require that an example be made
of the offenders in the case.
We are informed that parties hitherto con
sidered respectable are involved in the uans-
action. Bat this only makes it the more
necessary that the law be executed f, the let
ter 1t Is the connection of partie. consider
ed respectable with such frauds that make
them most alarming. 1t was this that Jed
Judge Shipman of Connecticut, at a recent
opening of the L. s District Court of hi.
district, to call attention to the growing evi
of the .'inAuence of wealth, and of ''s'cia'
and even religious denominational influence
in shielding criminals from the penalties OF
the law. and to declare that $50 demoralizcc
has the sentiment of the community becom'
that offenders Of the more respectable class
begin to demand exemption from punishment
as a righfr'
Doubtless the Influence Of wealth. ana
Of social and even religious denominations
influence" may be brought to bear To shield
the proprietors OF the st. Adams coal oil
works, and the alleged conniying assessor.
The former are Of 1.-THE more respectable
Glass, - and the latter it is rumored, has been
exceedingly slack if not guilty. in more way.
than one-as for instance in allowing men Of
wealth to return but a fraction Of their in
come for assessment. and to make out then
income returns without swearing to or even
signing them. 1t would not be strange il
such a man hed wealthy and Influential
friends: but if guilty-and it is reported that
he and the manufacturers implicated have
virtually confessed their guilt-then let jus
tice be done. hard though it he
The FREE Pass has had occasion hereto
fore to call public attention to cases of cor
ruption and malfeasance in Office large and
small, and has been charged therefor with
personal yindictiveness and spite. There has
been no foundation for the charge, heretofore
and we desire to anticipate its repetition by
saving that there is no shadow Of such mo-
tive operating with us now. We do not
know any Of the parties implicated in the
case of which we have been speaking, and
can have no personal motive in the case We
simply desire to do our duty and it is a
clear duty not only with the public press, but
with every citizen-in the endeayor to keep
VERMONT. at least. as clear as possible, from
this flood of corruption, which is demoraliz-
ing other communities.
The law is clear 1t reads as follows -
SEC so. find be ii further enacted, That if
two or more persons conspire either to commit
any offence against the laws of the United States
or to defraud the United States in any manner
whatever, aud one more Of said parties to
said conspiracy shall do anv act to effect the OBJ
ject thereof the parties to said conspiracy shall
be deemed guilty Of misdemeanor, and on con-
viction thereof shall be liable to penalty of not
less than one thousand dollars and not more
than ten thousand dollars, and to imprisonment
not exceeding two years--fct Of March ,, 1867.
The Collector of Internal Revenue has done
his duty in making the seizure and causing
the arrests in the St Adams case. District
Attorney Denison is an able lawyer and hon
est man. and will doubtless do his full duty;
and they and the court which is to Try the
case should be, as they may be, sustained in
their duty by the knowledge that the honest
public sentiment of the State is awaiting their
action with interest, and ready to support
the administration of law and impartial JUS
tice in the matter.
WNoosN.-The second regular election in
Winooski under their village charter took
place Wednesday, Jan. Sth, when the follow
ing officers were elected
Internationally Sibley
Clerk-Wm. Kidder.
C0lledor-Allen Stone
Treasurer-H Y Horton
Auditor-Wm. V. Reynolds.
TruStees-F LeClair, Geo P. Woods, S.
II. Weston, H. ". Barrett, F. C. Kennedy.
Fretodrdeas-E Elisha Allen, A c. Smith, !
rhos Wardwell, B. Pippin.
A friend who was present at the election