New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-04
ILLICIT RUM.

WITH AXES AND CROWBARS-THE Rum Dis
TILLERs BROUGHT TO GRIEF - TINS OF
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS SAVED TO TIE
TREASURY.
Singular as it may appear the main business
illegal distllng in this State has been defanty con-
contracted during the past two or three years WITHIN
etone's throw OF the Brooklyn Maynard ana III inc
toten, United States authorities stationed theIea 4he
liquor manufactured here in open and fragrant VoiauOh
OF the revenue laws and officers not the puneent drink
cspOminated whisky, but the mOlassesmade beverage
known as rumEew- England rum-although the quality
OF this Illegal product has been 80 excellent
and ITS quantity extensive as 10 gam LOT
50 the distinctive Dane OF brooklyn rum
Much OF this liquor been sent to the Eastern States
by the way of the Sound steamers and has through
the Fourth Internal Revenue District in this city con-
adorable percentage Of this fraudulenty distilled rum
has been seized but SO much of It has escaped that Il
resolved. time ago, 20 strike at the root OF the evil
by breaking up the dsulleries themselves This how
ever something much said than done for the
infested district one Of those outrageous aw-defying
tenement house. Irish communities OF which the Bloody
sixth" OF New York has furnished iustriOus examples
Moreover the dsters have come to consider the Dus
OF distilling rum. their own sweet WILL and
In disregard of Government regulation or inter
ference their peculiar and inahenabe prerogatve
and attempt 10 enforce the revenue laws has been
repealed an atrocous invasion Of their rights 1t is
long since company ofmarnes, who undertook to de-
fend the revenue officers discharcng their duties were
cunningly Piled liquor until they were intoxicated
and then Of their officers numerically beaten
that they died from the effects Of their wounds. On the
goth OF last October Col Clifford Thomson Deputy Col
leotor in the Fourth District orders Of ms chief
Collector PleasOntOn, Que OF the most intrepid
officers the service headed party Of 100 picked
veterans from the Grand Army Of the Republic, who
found and destroyed fewer than Dine different stills In
Dickinson salley, nnOcentlookng little thorOughfare,
scarcely dozen rods long, and not more than that dis
the a the Yard. An and
bloody conflict narrowly escaped this occasion,
and fists used, knives were drawn, and brick
bats and other delicate missiles were hurled from
housetops and other cOGns OF vantage with promis-
cuOus reckessness that fully justified the Official actors
not only IN looking upon the affair slight unpleas-
il ITSELF but in regarding it as omnousy sug-
gestiye of very serious difficulties attempt should
made and complete the work Of destruction
inaugurated The report OF the successful Oc
Ober raid excited much favorable notice at Washington,
and induced President Grant to authorize Collector Pleas
Dnton 70 prosecute the the exrpaon Of this
Illicit business and Gen. Vogdes and Admiral GOdOn TO
place the and navy Of this port at his disposal for
that purpose.
TROOPS CALLED OUT
Yesterday the second assault made the works
OF the enemy, and the thorough destruction that was
effected must 20 far toward Gripping the Illicit disery
business in the "Ferocious Fifth If 1t does not kill it
almost altogether To avoid anything like trouble, by
emply making preparations for firsteass riot Cen
Vogdes ordered detachmens Of soldiers amounting to
BOO artleymen, engineers, and infantry, from Fort
Hamilton Governors Island and other garrisoned places
IN this vicinity TO the Navy early yes
1erdaY morning The men, with q due complement Of
officers we're accordingly routed out in the small hours Of
the night armed and equipped as the law directs packed
into the tugboats Henry Smith and Pope Can and con
veyed 10 the appointed rendezvous revenue tug was
also sent 10 the first pier above the foot OF ChambeIs
E4s Eer 70 ystSTeI Of e q IA and most of them
am Post Nh
day for the work they do and the IsKS they run WEE
instructed assemble at the Office OF Deputy collector
Thomson No 81 ChamberssT at o'clock IN the morn
After spending hall an hOur IN stamping suohnE'
rrumblng cracking Dutch jokes and brushing on the
snow that was sitting brsky throuuh the dussy morning
air they at last admitted 10 the once. Col 1hol.
arrived and, after rou-call every man Was
adorned inside his greateoat Win u DauEe
inscription Internal Revenue" After oeng particularly
eniOued 90 take peculiar care Of these badges he men
fe by and tramped down 20 the East River NOT
Joy utterng IN snbdued and mysterious tone the eaDa
crowd including Gems. PeasOntOn and Vogdes, safely
embarked reached the Maynard just as the dawn
on board tine Pope Catn had landed ana denied on e
pier the working party scrambled ashore ana f g
days destruction with score OF heavy iron bars ana -
The military force was under the direction Of Gen.
Vogdes and MS three divisions were COMMANDED 10y zen
KiddOo Gen Abbott, and Col Lest Inc clyl authority
winch was really dominant the OCCASION was vested
Gen PleasOntoD, who delegated ~ IN turn 70 'e
Deputy Collectors Of the Fourth District Soi Snaolu
Thomson who furnished the " clear grit anu go
ahead" OF the expedition, Col wizard buiiar9 NO na9
equally plucky and Roodnanred ana Col rs M G 100
who would have done famOusly II he hsd only haa ms
breakfast and good nights sleep before GONG Ito e
field James Stevens who holds ga1ger po'uCh Due
acted temporary deputy, was both fearless ana yuu
cOus: and Malcolm Wallace, clerk III the OnaoeIss'
office. did yeOman's service.
TIE RAID
The principal line of operations was Lttle-st' which
was up rather gentle slope, and is nearly parallel Ior
most of ia length with the wall Of the Maynard, from
which Is separated by long narrow row Of buildings
IN Of This street Gen. hlQQO0
posted thee companies Of troops about o'clock and the
rest were so disposed guard the approaches by
Plymouth John and Narshasts., which parallel 70
each other and connect Littlest. with HudsOn-ave.
Having arranged the soldery TO cover and protect
the revenue ocer and their assistants the problem
was TO fnd the Illicit stills and in doing this invaluable
aid was afforded by chart prepared by j b. Wass who
eserves nuch credit for his detective skill In working
nm this dangerous field and in locating accurately
many the illegal dstilerles. The nrst attack was
made Inv Col Thomson who rushed MP narrow alley,
followed by dozen men, just In time 10 see five or SIX
Young felOws escape from miserable shed and dodge
5nt OF sight like SO many surprised by Iagle
er Tbese we're tine only fellows caught in the act and
Il was thought worth while 10 attempt 10 arrest
them but the wOrkmen assailed the shed with great
yiror smashed he barrels hacked the tubs runOusy,
beat down the brickwOrk, hauled the copper - sun"
s auu ''To oinrtes smiled cbonned or Knocked 10
pieces thousand dollars worth OF property They also
demolished IN Ike unceremonloas manner anoher Sun
steady looking stream, several feet wide and sew
eral inches deep. The miserable people In the vicinity
sfared from attic windows grnned from open
scoWed broken fences at the WOrh OF Destruction
sUd occasIoually some saucy unwashed cub or hard.
Looking young man or foul tOngued female would indulge
an deTi-ye or abusive language. But there
ctHai bosfy and even when n was thought necessary
10 clear out tine alley and allow enter, the
slight resistance occasionally encountered was speedily
queed by the sharp words aud inexbe ar OF Col Thorn
put out" any obstreperons individual with prOmpti
tude not calculated 70 eheouIaEe lhsoehce however
sensibites began 70 be greatly rasped' and by 10
O'Clock n was positively dangerous Tor any wearing
a.fFr on ". A n