The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1875-11-18
Grant and the st. Louis Whisky Ring
New York Sun, Editorial.

Since the conviction of Joyce at st,
wholly demoraliZed. Indicted officials
! who had put bold face on the matter
and were, until very recently, quite
defiant i'll their assurance, have sud
denly abandoned their pleas OF g not
turned States evidence. Great con-
sternation was produced at Washing
ton by the confession Of Fitzrey, for
merly Deputy Collector of Internal
| Revenue at St. Louis and Treasurer Of
the Ring.
FitzrOy made all the disbursements
for securing influence, and knows ev-
cry person who was employed and the
amount OF money he received. 1t is
certain that he kept record of the
payments, the dates and the names for
! his own protection in case of accident
al discovery. Finding that he and q
few others were likely to be made
scapegoats and punished, though no
more guilty than confedcrates at the
capital, who demanded share of the
spoils and held high places, he deter
mined to pull down the pillars Of the
ring, and make all the beneficiaries
suffer in a common'ruin.
This purpose was perhaps intensified
because the partners at Washington,
! instead of keeping their agreement,
alter the first explosion of public wrath
at the discovery of the frauds, had
striven 10 shield themselves by de-
nOuncing their associates at st. Louis
and affecting to urge their prosecution.
The facts in possession of FitZroy
must lead to terrible exposures, and
his appearance before the Grand Jury
doubtless caused the report few days
ago that Measurer Babcock and Oryil
Grant had also been indicted.
While the rumor of these indict-
ments is not yet verified, the public is
ready to accept the charges as true. 1t
is notorious and capable of proof that
Babcoek has grown rich in office with
out having had any ostensible means
but his pay as a Colonel of Engineers.
His name is publicly associated with
the Washington Ring. the Indian Ring
the Whisky Ring, and jobbery of ali
forms. His certificates to fraudulent
measurements for Shepherd, Evans.
and that crew, are OF record. His
sudden wealth is visible. How it was
acquired in five years is no secret.
The Presidents brother las traffick-
ed openly and wherever a chance Of
fered upon his connection and infiu-
ence. In Chicago, in st. Louis, on the
Indian frontier, at Washington, and
in this city. he has made his brother
hood a matter of merchandise without
concealment, If a front door, or
back door, or 8 window was open or
could be forced by which he might
enter into the Whisky Ring, it may be
safely assumed Orvil Grant got in and
exacted an intcrest i'll that enterprise
which could afford to pay half a million
week in Addition, Division and ST.
lence, and get rich besides
Personally, the President himself
was the great prop Of the Whisky
Ring. When Mr.. Bristow made his
first move against the powerful conf
binatiOn last winter, by an order sud-
denly changing the Supervisors of In
ternal Revenue, so as to break the con-
nection with Washington, Macdonald,
the Supervisor at st. Louis, now un-
der Indictment, went to the Capital i'm
style with team of fast horses, estab-
lished himself i'll taver at the White
House, and was able to procure re-
vocation OF Mr.. Bristow's administra-
tive order without the least delay.
The President did not deign to con-
suit the Secretary of the Treasury, and
the first Bristow knew of this insult
ing revisal of his well-considercd act
was the written command of the
President not to execute it.
The Whisky Ring furnished large
part of the money 10: maintaining the
Republican organization in the West
and South, subsidized the chief organs
of the party there, and was political
power. Senators, representatives. and
high functionaries were Oh its pensisa
list, and it would not be surprising,
therefore, to find that Babcock, who
has an Etching palm" has received a
corresponding to his position
and influence at the White House,