Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-12-08
WHISKY RINGS HISTORY
WHAT THE TRIAL OF THE ST. LOUIS CO.
PARTNERS MAY PROVE.

o"H, Writiig IRON ot. Louis, tclls tn'
following story Of the whisky ring
A knowledge of certain men anC
facts is necessary in orderto understand
the "true inwardness' Of the grea'
whisky ring, which during its foul
years of undisputed sway in st. Loui'
robbed the government Of more thar
four millions OF dollars.
The revenue officers on whose hon
esty and upright conduct the govern
mcnt largely depended tor the faithful
administration Of the excise laws were
with the exception of the collectors
men who had no social standing in this
community, and who were universally
regarded as INSCRIPTIONS adventures
The supervisor, John Mcdonald, was
in early life n butchers apprentice in
New York city. He came to this city
in 1S49 or 80 and became steamboat
runner. This was before railroads had
reached the Mississippi valley, and
travellers and emigrants came almost
exclusively by steamboats, The com.
petition for the passenger trade at this
point was Of course very active, and
rival steamboat companies employed a
class of men who were known as run
ners. They were men of muscle,
courage and cheek, and those of them
who were most abundantIy supplied
with the requisites and who possessed
in addition native shrewdness and tact
soon became champion runners. Their
business was to board incoming steam
ers from the Ohio and Lower Missis.
sippi, and solicit passengers upward or
westward bound for the lines in whose
employ they were. The runners had
to keep themselves informed as to the
expected arrivals of boats and the
great object was to board them in ad.
vance OF their rivals but il they were
not successful in this, then the plucki.
est fellow, who united herewith good
address and IA gift Of CAB, secured the
greatest number Of passengers tor his
employers boat. Johnny Mcdonald,
with his early training among the
butchers apprentices Of New York,
soon distinguished himself in his new
calling. He associated with himself
several Of the shrewdest and most act
i've runners and for time monopolized
the business Of soliciting passengers.
Formerly the tariff of charges for run
ners was IS per steamboat canvasscd,
but after tho combination above re-
ferred to was effected the runners as
sessed the steamboat owners so heavily
that the New Orleans packets entered
into combination and determined to
employ no runners and not to allow
them to ply their trade on their boats.
This seriously interfered with Melon.
AIDS business, but finally he and Nor
gan l.. Smith, who afterward became
famous as one of tho post Office ring at
Washington, succeeded in breaking up
tho combination of the owners of the
lower river boats, and from this time
until the beginning of the rebellion
Mcdonald and Smith fourished as the
champion steamboat runners.
The early training Of Mcdonald had
not fitted him for the society of gentle
men, and ten. years on the ST. Louis
wharf as the associate Of steamboat
mates and runners of course did not
improve either his manners or his
morals. He had, however, an exten.
sive acquaintance with steamboat men
class who admire pluck and shrewd.
ness, but at the same time insist upon
perfectly square dealing. Among these
men Mcdonald was considered tricky
fellow. He had on more than ono oc
casion been caught accepting the pay
Of rival boatmen and of course selling
one of them out. At the beginning Of
the war he promptly toook sides with
the Union men, and was useful to
Frank Blair in the dark days OF the
Union cause in ST. Louis. Hc was the
warm personal friend Of Morgan L.
Smith, and aided him materially in re.
cruiting the famous Eighth Missouri
infantry, regiment that earned for
itself the reputation of being the most
disordcrly and incorrigible, but one OF
tho best fighting bodies Of troops in
Grants army. Mcdonald was com.
missioned Captain of company A when
the regiment was mustered into SER
vice, but he was soon afterward elected
Major, and on the assignment Of Smith
TO brigade command and the rcsigna.
tion Of the lieutenant colonel, no as.
sumcd command of tho bloody Eighth,
and led II in tho assault on Fort Don.
elson. Soon after this the former
lieutenant colonel was rc-commissioncd
and assigned to the Eighth, but Nc
Donald was not disposed to submit
gracefully, and the result was his trial
by court martial and conviction for in.
subordination and conduct unbccoming
an officer and gentleman, but the find.
ing was not approved by the command.
ing general, and he participated with
the regiment in the bloody and disas.
trous battle of Shiloh. He was, how.
cser, soon afterwnrd compelled to resign
bis commission, but through the favor
and influence Of Gen. Grant he was
placed in charge of tho Rental bureau
which whs established at Memphis to
take possession Of abandoned and con-
fiscated property. Hero he seems to
have prospcrcd wonderfully, and IL is
said drove > very lucrative trade in
connection with the notorious General