Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-11-18
THE WHISKY RING FRAUDS.
The Trial OF General McDpuald


In -. Louis. yesterday, the trial of Il IN.
John Nc Donald was continued, the cour,
room being packed with spectators Edward
h. Frazer, OF the firm Of Bsvis & Frazer tes
titled that he took charge OF the distiller or
the nrm Ia May, lSit; the firm was then m Ak
then raising money for the revenue officers:
on ole occasion Joyce todd him he
MUST HAVE 5000.
which was raised; another - Coz was raised
il May, 1875, at the suggestion of Joseph NJ
EitZroy. chief clerk In the internal revenue
col eCtOT's Office, aud given 10 him: this WAS
t. prevent seizure, but whisky belonging 10
the firm was afterwards seized; n demand
was made for a return OF this money. as
il had not served the purpose for which IL
was raised but theynever got il back; never
paid any money To Mcdonald. but did Ia
joyce; raised some money for reyelue
agent named Hogue, who was here inveS,i-
eating in 1s13; Joyce repeatedly told witness
every thing was all right and IN go ahead, he
would have advices from Washington of
any trouble ahead, Mcdonald told witness
that titZrOy should not be blamet for the
5000 he received, a II had given the distiIl-
ers time TO get rid of their surplus.
DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THE MONEY WENT.
Rudolph W. tlrlci, a prominent diStIller.
then testified that lac had several talks with
Eitzroy and paid him money several times.
he reported the amount of crooked whisky
made 10 Mesrue and afterwards 10 FitZroy.
He paid 80 and IS cents per gallon. He did not
know where the money went, and did not
care.
MONEY WENT.
:. ID. Thorpe testified he was United States
storekeeper at various distilieries. and at
Peter Curran's distillery Mcdonald instruct
ed him to SEE that the house was run 10 the
strict letter of the law; Joyce told him that
the house had TO make crooked whisky, aud
the money must he paid Ia him; Joyce also
gave the same Instructions as to the Aurora
distillery. While at the Thompson dlstillery
witness let whisky out of the warehouse
crooked on FitZroy's orders; when at Jouetts'
witness received an. nd
ii 10 McFall, subsequently gave IL TO Everest
and he would give IL TO Joyce; about fifty
barrels OF crooked whisky were made weekly
at Jouetts', at sixty gallons per aarrel, thai
being The assessment male on the diStilIery;
some weeks that Amount could not be male,
snd then Joyce would send for witness and
demand reasons for delinquency. joyce told
witness he was taking care of officers az
"ashlngton-Bab cOck, Avery and others
ana the pOney was being used for political
fuffUSeS. Witness always understood he
aGd others were working under orders from
headquarters. Joyce wouli come around
and make special assessments, saying the
iolks al Washington wanted money, and
must have IL He assessed witnssS 500 Oc
casiOnally for folks at Washington. The
parties named by joyce Is receiving money
AZ ST. Louis were District Attorney Patrick.
United States Marshal Newcomb, General
Mcdonald, Major Guuther, J. NJ. FitZroy,
chic clerk in United States collectors Office:
VIM. Mckee, of the Globe Democrat. and Con
stantine Mcguire, United States collector.
Witness old not know hoG the money was
distributed after IL left his hands; he mover
got sight of IL again.
WHO FITZR0Y SAYS WAS IN THE RING.
JOSEPH NJ. FitZToy testified, he was chief
clerk in the United States assessors Office in
lSll and 1872, and became deputy collector in
Charles w. FOrd's office In lSIB. remained
until that officer died, and continued with
Mr.. Mcguire in the same position. He re-
ceiNed money from Mcguire, Thorpe and
others, and had repeated conversations with
regard to il. He said II was all right, he did
not then know who constituted the ring, but
heard from Joyce and Mcguire the money
Iy he learned from Mcdonald and Joyce that
the ring consisted OF Megrue, Mcdonald,
Joyce. Collectors Ford ana Mcguire, William
Mckee. Avery, Patrick Newcomb, and the
gaugers and stoTekeeperS. Witness received
money weekly from distillers-Ulrici, Bevis
Frazer, Busley, Tencher and Others. Had
few conversations with Mcdonald. but the
tenor Of his instructions was To keep distil-
lers down as low as possible, and not let
them make crooked whisky 10 any great eX-
tent, This was in ISL. Knew of the coming
OF Agents Brooks, Brasher, largan and
Gavltt some days before they came, and in
formed the distiIeries; told them to
strengthen up under instructions of Joyce;
the main part of the money received from
olstilleTs was divided into seven parts, and
divisions made among Mcdonald, Joyce,
Mcguire. Newcomb. PaGk Mckee and wit
ness Inc StOrekeeperS and gaugerS were paid
differently, in various sums, and by different
persons. Mr.. CODcannon, who was deputy
collector in 1913, also received sums. rang
During the first part OF the present year wit
ness had a conversation with Mcdonald at
the Planters hotel, in which Mcdonald said
that he wanted 5000 To remunerate some
| parties in Washington for Information re-
ceived from them. Witness raised the money
and threw IL over the transOm of the door OF
McDonalds room, as agreed upon with him.
Witness was present when 81 SEQ was given
10y Joyce TO Mckee at the Globe office
Mckee Saids 10 witness, ''Eitzroy. this is a
sacl Ell thing; you must keep il secret" Wit
ness replied that he would say nothing TO
lDjure himself This was just before Ma
guire became collector, in November. 1873.
When Joyce was in California the money
was divided by Mcdonald. Upto 1873 il was
olVlced INTO five parts; after that into seven
parts. witness had a conversation with
| Mcdonald in regard to his testimony before
the grand jury last May. Mcdonald told
him he must stand firm; that they must
stand by each other. Witness told Melon
aid, after he bad testified, that he had failed
TO recollect considerable. and some things he
did not know anything about. Both McDon-
aid and Joyce said that was all right. Oh
cross-examiDation. the witness thought he
might possibly have got $40 600 or Sl5.0oO as
his share of the ring fund, and said he is
under Indictment for conspiring To defraud
the government, for perjury. and for viola
ton OF the revenue laws. He made up his
mind TO plead guilty 10 all indictments
against him, excepting one for perjury. some
DAYS before he did il. He had no unterStand-
ing win any one as TO what VIII BE- done