Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-07-10
The Avery whisky ImbrOglio.

Vi Tue preSentmSnt OF Chlef clerk
Avery by the grand jury in st. Louis for
completely with the whisky ring i'm their en-
deavors 10 defraad the government Nor
has he yet had formal charges lodged with
him duplicating Col. a. H. Holt, at present
chief clerk OF the Internal Revenue bureau,
Hollis connection with the ring, iii ever
existed, is alleged to have been formad in
Alieeheny City, Pennsylvania, during an
army reunion which he attended, and which
was attended by Avery and joyce.
Con" McGrew, who makes the charges
against Avery, is now en- route TO this city
10 substantiate them. His friends assert
that there are witnesses in the city who will
swear they were present when McGrew paid
Avery his weekly salary, which was paid
him every Saturday night. rhey further
say that there are dispatches in the office of
the Western Union Telegraph Company
which he Will challenge Mr. Avery TO pro-
duce, and which directly connect him with
giving Information as TO the seizures which
were TO he made.
1t is said that the charges against Avery
were made to Secretary Bristow a month or
more ago, and that he revived the evidence
against him, and called into his confidence
an associate Cabinet officer, both of whom
have decided as TO its worth, but which de-
c1sion they refrain for the present from COM
muniCat1ng. McGrue also charges other
high officials in the Treasury Department as
being in the employ of the ring" and
threatens TO make pnbllc their names upon
his arrival here.
HOW AN EDITOR Is ALLEGED TO BE IN
VoLVED
Those who charge that G.. w. Fishback
formerly editor and proprietor of the st.
Louis Democrat, Is connected with the ring
assert that some time ago his commercial
editor gave him positive information that
Mckee and HOuser, of the st. Louis Globe
were enjoying a subsidy contributed to them
through an assessment levied on the
whisky ring for that purpose When Mr.
Fishback had satisfied himself as he believed
that such was the case, he took measures
looking 10 an exposure of the transaction.
he put himself in telegraphic communica-
tNoCl II
correspondent, and through the means of
cipher dispatches furnished sufficient prs!!m-
mary information to induce Secretary Bris-
tow 10 make an investigation. subsequently
he came 10 Washington, and returned TO st
Louis about three weeks before the seizures
were made.
1t is alleged that upon his return to St
Louis he at once sought an interview with
Mckee 4 HouSer, of the Gi05e and informed
them that the government was about TO
strike Il blow; tina he had in formation which
involved large firms, and the very ones who
were paying money to the C;l0bc proDrietOrS;
that as an inducemeut 10 protect these
houses which they wished favored ne would
not expose them, provided the prOprietorS OF
the GtOOe would buy the Democrat. This
proposition led To conference at which all
concerned participated, and to an agreement
ON the part Of Mckee and HoUSer with Geo
w. FiShback that they would buy his paper
giving S3Oh,O0O for il, ard which they did
subsequently purchase. This purchase had
one condition and ii was thiS-that each aud
every one signed n contract that no one OF
them would ever at any time reveal any of
the conversations leading to the purchase or
OF the preliminary talks had among them
selves concerning It. This compact, il is
alleged, was reduced TO writing and duly
signed.
The next move of Mckee and Houser. IL is
asserted, was to go INTO the market lust
before the seizures and buy enough whisky
at TIE low rate then prevailing to cover the
expense attending the purchase of the Demo
cTm. In this they were assisted by members
OF The ring, who, however, first demanded
that copy of the signed compact should be
given tOa certain firm, who was to hold il as
kind of collateral for the money that had
been advanced by the whisky men.
BLUNDER.
Hy some strange oversight on the part of
tishback. 1t is alleged that the firm holding
he compact had their house lSeiZed. or
course they became indignant IL was a
mistake which could not be rectified. a Joint
interview with their cOnfreres who escaped
was out of the question, for honest distiliers
were noting every movement OF those under
suspicion. Finally fOrbearance ceased to be
virtue, and the copy of the compact, with
FiShback's and other signatures, was shown
TO the editor of the st. Louis Journal. He
was very much surprised, and took an early
her5 he had an interview with Secretary
Br1stOw end showed him the compact. This
is the way the story goes:
FlsHBACK NOT IMPLICATED BEFORE THE
st. LOUIS GRAND JURY.
On the other hand District Attorney Drew
OF st. Louis, has telegraphed Secretary Bris-
tow that there is no evidence before the
name OF q. w. FiShback, formerly editor
or The Missouri Democrat, with completely in
the whisky frauds or collision with any
members of the ring.