The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-07-21
I, BLOOMSBURY, COLUMBIA COUNTY, PA.

prosecution in their miserable charge |
that had lot sign with letters three |
inches long" on my distillery. That
was q crime for which ! was to bo
bound over for trial four hundred miles |
Off on three days notice.
Now will mention what took place |
after this in relation to my prosecution.
Papers which showed up the facts were
sent on to Washington and my lawyer
went there, as he had gone TO Pittsburg
more than once, to get settlement.
Mr.. MERCUR also went to the Treasury
Department several times to urge a set
tlement. Finally (after asking higher
sum) they agreed to take 5000 more
from me as a compromise and settle the
prosecution but was to pay all costs
and expenses of every kind and give a
release to the revenue officers and agents
that would not sue them for damages
for anything they had done. This set.
| tlement | was advised to accept and
did 50. Although it did not do me
justice, my friends said to mo "You
have your hand in the lions mouth and
must got it out the best way you can,"
and / supposed I had best follow their
| advice. However on making my last
| payment of over $50 on costs last week,I
concluded it was due to myself and my
friends that should print the facts of
my case for public information, espec-
tally as they have been misrepresented
| al 10 4, I,ol hn ctnY,t1 ha
known.
You will see, Mr.. Editor, that l had
strong reasons for going on to still under
my license, and that no wrong was done
to the government by me. Also, that
there never was any ground to accuse me
with fraudulent conduct or concealment
| in my business, and that | was always
ready to pay my taxes when demanded.
On the other side the government Off
GERS were to blame in not providing me
a storekeeper when | was ready to be-
gin work and applied for one to be sent
me. The Assistant Assessor, STILES,
treated me very unfairly in the ASSESS
ment of my tax and | was obliged to
pay much more than | justly owed.
Then, all my whiskey on hand was
seized and sold though / had paid the
taxes on it. Then l was prosecuted by
an informer, who was helped on or set
going by KNoRR and STILES, and
bound over to Court, and all my prop
erty was levied on by FoRTNER and
put in charge of n watchman. And at
last / was charged $500 more at the
Treasury upon a settlement of the case
and required to pay all costs and ex-
penses. My own expenses also were
heavy during these proceedings. This
was the treatment l got from govern
ment officers and l have had more than
enough of it. / think it waslmost un'
just and scandalous.
| had no trouble or difficulty with
other revenue officers, in my business
except KNoRR and STILES. j. s.
WOODS assessed me for two or three
years and he and all the others car
testify to my conduct, including b. F
HARTMAN and B. +. PAXTON, who
were collectors. They acted with mt
fairly and / respect them. l paid taa
when it was 90 cents per gallon ant
when it was 60 cents and for while
when it was $500 gallon. have pait
on my little distillery over S, 600 tax tt
the government and never had any
trouble until these officers came in. Al
to b. p. FoRTNER, the deputy collector
though he did some things that seemed
hard, he acted more hOnorably thar
the Others. After papers were put il
his hands | could not blame him fO
executing them. But the men whit
| sought after the destruction of my prop
| erty are the ones l blame.
RoHR MCHENRY.
Orangeville. July 20, 1871.