Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-11-19
THE WHISKY RING TRAUD~.
The Trial OF General Menomsld

The Mcdonald trial is still i'm progress in
81. Louis. The first witness Yesterday was
b n Engelke, rectifer, who testified 20 hsv-
ing talked with Joyce at various times since
ISL. Witness was told by him ne could pur-
chase crooked whisky and would be pro.
tected In so doing; in fact, was urged 20 do
so, and several times was asket by Joyce II
he was getting all he could handle. Was
always notified in advance OF
AGENTS COMING FROM WASHINGTON
or elsewhere TO investigate, and was ordered
TO "straighten up" "get the house in order. -
be prepared 10 receive company" sc.
Avery used TO send the ring Information of
any movement that looked dangerous.
Joyce ON one occasion said TO witness my
friend Babcock writes me there is hell To
pay; we are In scrape and must get out of
IL" Witness paid his share of the various
and other parties. When we were told 10
raise money there was little satisfaction
given us. We were told 10 do it, and It hal
10 be done. From 1872 10 ISIS
THE RING WAS COMPOSED OF
Mcdonald, Joyce, Fitzroy, Mckee, Mcguire
Patrick, Newcomb and Grosvenor, OF the
Democrat; the latter got $1,000 10 ''let up
ON Mcguire when the latter was seeking the
nomination for mayor OF the city. Concan-
non, Everett, and perhaps others also re-
celYed money Witness gave considerable
information ABOUT the manner OF doing
crooked business.
THREE LETTERS
from zen. Mcdonald, as supervisor IN j. W.
Douglas, Commissioner of Internal Revenue
evidence and read. The first one, dated JAM
nary, 1874, is in reply 10 statements sent 10
commissioner Douglass by Attorney Pat.
rick regarding alleged violations of the rev.
enue law by Bevis and Frazer, and SAYS that
the allegations made by the parties men
TONED in Mr.. Patrick's letter have been ex-
amined into on several occasions aud found
without foundation. In fact, the same
charges Wee made against the firm In
Ie'2, and examined by Collector Ford aud
MI; Patrick, who found nothing TO justify
acuon- subsequently Revenue Agents
Gavitt, Brasher and Iarian made a thorough
examination of the establishment of the
nrm, and while they found a violation of law
IN me manner OF keeping book form 81, no
further evidence of fraud was discovered
Inc general further states that the affairs
OF the nrm were frequently investigated by
himself, Revenue Agent Joyce, Collector
ford and others, but no evidence of fraud
was ever found. Another letter, dated
March 6, 1S1i, inclosing clipping from New
York Sun, intimates that General McDon-
ala is at the head OF the whisky frauds in
Illinois and other places. This the general
says be would not notice were it not that
Inc 81. Louis papers make wild and I'M
founded charges against officers aud tax
Tor facts TO aid him i'm prosecuting violations
OF law, they have utterly failed TO substan-
tlate their allegations. He then refers
re se Iscs sent mat o she department mas
10 ferret ont charges, and frequent ex-
am1nations have been made, but always
MIN wi,noq 1a,,o discovering &C any irand: The
Us IN reply TO reports sent TO Commi Missioner
douglass that some books and papers of
Bevis, Frazer a Co. were destroyed by fire,
supposed by design, while their AHA IRIS were
under investigation upon a charge of fraud.
To this the General SAYS i'm substance that
ne with Collector Mcguire aud Revenue
agent summer made thorough examina ton
OF ine circumstances attending the burning
OF the books and papers referred to, and they
all fully agreed that their destruction was
accidental. He further states that in conse-
quence OF several complaints against this
firm he and Revenue A gent joyce aad Dep-
uty Collector FitZroy have repeateJ made
thorough inspection of the books of this firm,
put nave never been able TO detect anything
illegal or fraudulent I'm the dealings These
letters We're listened TO very eagerly and in
view OF the developments brou ght out so far
IN this trial caused much smiling and occa-
sionslly laughter, The defendant, however.
betrayed no confusion.
M'DoNALD HAPPY.
Louis Teuscher testified ne was engaged in
dlstllling from February 18th until the gen
eral seizure IN May last. Joyce told me 20
make thirty To forty barrels crooked weekly
for the ring. II / didn't make enough Joyce
would tell me To make more. Mcdonald
came 10 my distillery once, looked over it,
and said TO me, I" You make me feel happy"
Did not run crooked all the time.
A. n. Barton, agent at Bingham Bros,
testified that one distillery was run straight
part of the time and crooked part OF The time;
occasionally talked with Joyce about money;
Paid him I'm all from 500 10 II 200 per week;
the amount kept increasing until Bingham
shut down; we couldn't stand it, and closed
some time before seizure. After selling
whisky at discount and paying weekly levies,
there was nothing left for the proprietors;
have received letters from Joyce OF the COM
ing OF agents TO examine the distillery; Joyce
claimed TO have letters from BabcOck; be
also read parts of letters from the Treasury
and revenue departments; have seen letters
signed by Avery, Holt and Rogers; his object
was TO show me the thing was understood at
headquarters; never had any conversation
with Mcdonald about crooked whisky; raised
more for Hogue and others, some OF which /
understood was to go to Washington.
The Wisconsin, Trials,
An Associated Press dispatch from Mil
waukee, Wis, says AT q p. M. yesterday
the jury In the case OF Schlitz and Bergen
thai, after being out twenty-five hours, rem
dered verdict Of guilty. A motion made
for q new trial in the Moeller case was ar
gued by Mr.. Carpenter and Judge Dixon, and
taken under advisement by the court. The
case against Robert Piemerd and Leopold
Worth, proprietors of the Menonee distillery
was opened by Mr.. Mckinney for the gov
THE WHISKY RING.
Con Magrue On the Washington OH