The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-11-05
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, }
OFFICE OF INTERNAL REVENUE, I

large lots OF spirits arrive at Baltimore from
various western diStilleries presenting one
uniform degree of strength, which, when
being relnspected, vary considerably from
the original proof marks. which variations
Won state, "almoSt without exception, show
that the full amount Of tax due the Govern
ment has been paid" You further state
that YOU have reason to believe that at many
western distilleries the practice prevails
among gaugcrS Of merely testing the proof
of the spirits in cisterns before or at the
time OF drawing of, and Of marking all the
packages at one drawing OF uniform de-
gree of strength, instead OF testing the
strength of the spirits in each particular
caSk.'
The prevalence of this practice is suffi-
Client 70 account for the fact Of Incorrect
gauging which you first mentioned, and the
practice may be taken as explaining and
establishing the truth of the fact.
Ny attention has been recently called to
another and similar practice which is stated
to prevail to some extent in different parts
Of the country: this is to that of drawing
at original or reInspections sample from
each of any particular number OF casks
found together, which several samples are
emitted into vessel in common and gagged,
and the average strength of the various sam
pies so asccrtained is placed upon each Of
the several casks drawn from, and uniform
strength thus marked on the whole.
Both Of these practices are manlfestly
wrong and must be mt once discontinued.
You will promptly report to this office any
future occurrence Of the kind that may
come TO your notice, with all the facts re-
lating TO il. including the name of the dis
tillcrS, and the No. OF the distillery, to-
gether with the state and district to which
they belong or If rectitied spirits, the name
and place of business of the rectifier, giving
In either case the name OF the gauger, TO the
end that q proper Investigation may be had
Of all the facts.
The attention OF revenue officers gencr-
ally, especially storekeaperS and gaugers,
and also that of diStillers, rectitiers, and
wholesale liquor dealers. is again particu-
larlv called to sections % and % OF the act
Of July 30, 1865, and to supplemental series
), No. :. of the regulations and instructions
issued AUGUST 20, 1869. The requirements
OF the law are So plain, and the language OF
the third division Of the supplements rela-
tag to the marking and branding of casks
or packages Of distilled spirits is so full and
explicit as 10 leave no excuse tor omission
or inaccuracy, and public notice will at
once be given 10 all parties concerned that
no excuse for either will hereafter be re-
Ccved. Very respectfully,
{. DELANo, Commissioner.
TO Aieranier Fulton, Supervisor. Balti-
more, Nd.
Some DAYS since the informal revenue OFF,
GERS at Baltimore reported to Commissioner
Dclano that they had examined a certain
lot Of tobacco just received in that city, and
that they were fully satisfied that the stamps
were counterfeit, The Commissioner at
once ordered the seizure Of Ford's tobacco
factory at Lynchburg, from which the pack
ages purported to come, and whose mark
and No they bore full inyeStiga-
lion showed that the tobacco was manutac-
tured elsewhere, and that the boxes and
trade mark were counterfeit. The factory
was accordingly released, and Mr.. Ford
honorably acquitted. y. h.