Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1869-06-03
A Chillicothe Whisky Case-A
Rather Violent Tampering
with Witnesses-Sonne High
Handed Proceedings.

with WltneSSeS-SO t1lgl
Handed Proceedings.
Among our dispatches yesterda.
morning was one from Circleyille
giving a somewhat meager acconn
Of an assault upon n man namer
Currier, tor the reason, it was init
mated, that he knew too mucf
about the revenue frauds in thai
part of the country. Develop
ments were made, however, before
Commissioner Halliday, yesterday
morning, which show the affair to
have been an attempt to intimidatc
witnesses, Of the boldest and most
high. handed character.
| David Emmit, Chas. p. Cummins
James Manning, Edwin Matthews,
Benjamin James, Louis Shafer, and
! c. W. Schenault, Of Chfllicothe,
were brought before the Commis-
siOners, charged with having con
spired to defraud the United States
! Government, by means Of Illicit
manufacture and removal Of distill-
ed spirits in violation Of law. The
whisky, it was charged, had been
taken in different lots and at differ
ent times, and amounted in the ag-
gregate to $50 barrels. 1t had been
stored in cellars, in cooper shops,
and in log houses, and it was in
tended to be shipped by means of
canal boats, and in other ways, to
the markets. The building in
which the manufacture is carried
on is owned by the Hon. James
Mmmit, a late Dempcratic member
ofthe State Senate, and it is run by
his two sons, David and Floyd EN-
mitt. This much by way of into
duction.
1t was understood Wednesday
that the case would be called up
early yesterday morning before
Commissioner Halliday. 1t was
known that Floyd Emm tt was in
the city Wednesday afternoon. 1t
was learned afterward that he left
the city late that afternoon and
went to Circleyille, where resid ed
two of the witnesses on whom the
Government was relying to sustain
the case.
One account Of what Mr.. Floyd
Emmitt did in Circleville appeared
in the short dispatch, which was
published yesterday Another
statement of his bold work came
ont in letter which District AT
torney Bateman received yesterday
morning, and which was read be-
fore the Commissioner
The reading of the letter happen
ed in this wise. When the case WAS
called, General Burnett, who ap'
pearcd for the defendants, moved
for a continuance. This motion
Mr.. Bateman opposed on the .
ground that the defense was tam
pering ia temperate way of putting
it, we Think with the Witnesses
for the prosecution. In support OF
this statement, Mr.. Bateman read
the letter written by revenue Off
Ger Of Circleville, which stated in
subtancc that Floyd R. Emmitt,
accompanied by William Nelson,
"the bully of the Emmitts, " arriy-
ed at Circlcville Wednesday night.
Calling on the wife of one of the
witnesses, Mrs. George H. Robin
son, and learning that her husband
had gone to Cincinnati, and also
that John Currier had given the au-
thorities information which would
probably result in a prosecution,
they went to Curriers' house, and
GOT him to take a walk After hay
ing gone a short distance, Emmitt
seized Currier by the throat, and
drawing pistol, thrertcned to
shoot him. Currier, however,
to make his escape, and
Immediately started to find an Off
Ger to secure Emmitt's arrest
During his absence Emmitt went
back to Curriers' house, and in pro-
fine and violent language, inform
ed Mrs. Uurrier that he was rich
enough to buy his way out OF
but that if her husband did 4
not hush the matter up he would
have him sent to the penitentiary'
The case was fixed for trial next
Wednesday, Possibly these wit
nesscs, who have been sought to be
"tahpered' with, may have little
testimony to give in this affair
Gin. Gazette, May 2Stb.