The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-07-21

and expense in the settlement and was
obliged TO pay large amount of "smart
money" under STII.Es's assessment, yet
all trouble would then end and l would
have no more difficulty. For the
privilege of running my small copper
stills five months paid for license and
tax on spirits, tho amount of sl591,SS,
and have my receipts TO show. The
government received from me all that
l owed under the law for taxes and
hundreds of dollars over, and the rev.
enue officers here and at Washington
well knew this fact for they had the
evidence and they received my money.
l was charged and paid between five
and six hundred dollars more of tax
than the true amount, and when paid
it thought 1 was unreasonably pun
ished for any irregularity in my busi-
ness which had been caused by the fault
of the government itself in not sending
me storekeepcr as it was bound by
law to do.
But had good deal to learn in the
ways of government officers and in
formers as l will explain by stating
what further took place between them
and me. STILES, not satisfied with
making an unjust assessment against
me, made raid upon my premises in
Benton township. He came to my
house and said he was in search of
whiskey. / to Id him l had some on
hand that had kept for my own use;
l told him where 1 kept it and how
much | had, before he went to look for
it that kept it in the cellar kitchen
which was used every day and where
every one that came in could see it (;
also that there were % gallons of old
whiskey, made before The Stdmp.tac ,caS
PIT on ,chiShey, that lay in the roo m,
open to view. lie said he must take
an account of that old whskey too. SO
he had full information about the
whskey from me, but not satisfied with
that he went to the still-housc and
through it, then to another house close
by, then to the pig-pen and to the barn,
and all the whiskey he found was that
told him of, at first, in the house, be.
fore his search began. He went through
every building on the premises except
small one in one corner of the garden,
and | wondered that he did not exam
inc that. The question may be asked
why he was 50 very particular in his
search. My answer is, that he was
| playing informer and the more whis-
key seized the more money he would
make, as the informer's share was one
half. Well, the amount of whiskey
seized was Gl gallons, and it was all
confscated, old whiskey and all. 1t
was afterWards sold at government sale
although every dollar of tax on it had
been paid by me.
Three days after | had paid off all
the demands of the government upon
me as settled at Washington, man
named De Lacy, of Luzerne county,
acting under the U. s. Marshal, came
to my house and arrested me. lie APP
peared as both prosecutor and officer
and had some fat piclkings in view.
l have since learned that he is a low
creature, and has been discharged from
the government service. lie came from
STILES to my place and went back
there afterwards. After my arrest /
appeared in bloomsbury before u. $.
Commissioner Robson for hearing,
but the prosecution had not their charges
ready and they put Off the case for two
weeks. They fixed their own time and
l was bound over with bail to appear
A few days before the time for the ad
journed hearing, the deputy collector
came on, under orders, and levied or
all my real and personal property which
l have been advised was against law
All my property was thus tied up on
the assertion that | was an offender and
it was to be held to answer all penalties
that should be made out against me by
the in formers and scoundrels who were
on my track. They intended to fright
ened me into buying them off for a big
sum, or if that failed to make all they
could out of the prosecutions.
When | appeared before Robson the
second time and had Il hearing, it was
not pretended that | had committed
any fraud or that / owed the govern
mont any tax. But it was said thai
certain regulations of law rs to storing
and stamping my whiskey before sale
had not been attended to, which they
knew very We'll was caused by the neg.
lect of the government itself in moi
sending me storekeeper. Such officer
would have seen to the storing and
stamping in the course of his duty and
given me directions about the Other
little poiuts brought up-the keeping o.
books and putting up n sign. Now
should like to know if the law is to be
kept SO nicely, how the government it
self will stand? / asked for u store
keeper and it was my right to have hin
and the duty of the Treasury Depart
ment under the law to send him to mt
at my place of business. They did moi
execute the law and then was prose
cuted for Irregularities that happened
in consequence without any fraud OF
loss of any kind to the government
On the hearing of the case the only
witnesses against me were S. KNoRE
the Assessor, and RICHARD STILES, hi
Assistant, and | was bound over By
Commissioner robson to appear il
the United States Court at Pittsburg II
three days. That was rather short no
tice for crossing the whole length of thl
State and getting ready for trial How
ever l got ready rs well as | could ant
hurried out to Pittsburg to the Court
where the U. 5. Attorney told ME to g
home, that my trial belonged at thi
end of the district, at WilliamSport. 81
! came back with no result from m,
journey except a considerable bill @
expense which was put upon me by tn
act of the Commissioner in binding m