Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-07-28
TIE WHISKY RING.

TEE WHISKY RING.
Mayor 1IcGrew's Story of the Operations i'm
st. Louis-Fishback Anxious to be Vindi-
Gated.
Washington .(July l5th) Telegram to the Chicago
Times.
McGrew proposes to stay here in this
city and fight out his claim for services
to the government in the late whisky
raid. He says he did not know that his
testimony before the grand jury was
subject of newspaper comment, until at
Cleveland. McGrew furnishes the fol-
lowing abstract of his testimony b efore
the grand jury, and the reasons why he
has seen fit tc give the testimony he
that he testified before the grand
jury, in st. Louis, that the
whisky ring was established in the
year 1871, the chief organizers being
Supervisor Mcdonald and John A.
Joyce, his chief clerk, and that nearly
every prominent whisky house in st.
Louis was connected with it. He was
chosen as paymaster, and through him
the moneys were discussed. Joyce re-
ported that he had effected an arrange
ment with his friend, Chief Clerk Avery,
to keep him advised as to affairs in the
Internal Revenue Bureau, and particu-
larly the movements of its agents. For
this service Avery was to be paid 800
per week, and accordingly McGrew says
he handed to Joyce 800 each week
from September, 1871, to November,
1872, with the exception of about Is
weeks, when he paid over $500 each
week, Joyce reporting that Avery was
dissatisfied with the sum heretofore
paid him. In November, 1872,
McGrew says his connection with
the ring ceased, and be was no longer
its paymaster. During these Ia months
there passed through his hands about
$3.50. 900. Of which between $50, 900 and
$4,000 was paid to Mcdonald and
Joyce. Two-ffths of the whole amount
was paid to man since deceased, for
equal distribution between Collectors
Ford, ana Mckee, and Houser. Tween
ty thousand dollars was paid to B. P.
Brasher, a revenue agent, and various
sums amounting to several thousands
of dollars, to subordinate officials.
/ Owing to bad treatment upon the part
of members of the ring, McGrew says
he determined many months ago to
break it up, and accordingly took steps
to accomplish the work. He came to
Washington through other parties,
set an investigation on foot, which re-
suited, as he asserts, in the overthrow
of the combination He says
that he had interviews with Solicitor
Wilson, and that the latter proposed to
employ him, which employment he de-
clined, stating as reason that his only
motive was to 'get even" He had
several interviews with Elmer Wafh-
burn, chief of the secret service divi-
sion, which resulted in his (McGrew's)
going to Cincinnati, Chicogo, and St.
Louis, to obtain important evidence for
the Treasury Department., to aid in con-
victing the members of the ring in ST.
Louis, with the understanding that his
travelling expenses and hotel bills should
be paid by the department.. In this
sense McGrew claims he was employed
by the department.. McGrew further
claims that his evidence against Avery,
before the grand jury of st. Louis, was
similar to that of four witnesses, one of
whom was deputy collector.
Fishback, late of the ST. Louis Dem.
ocrat, arrived IN this city to-day. He
is very much exercised over tn. state
ment as to the means used by him to
sell out his losing newspaper concern
to Mckee and Houser. This is how the
particulars of this sale were brought to
light. It was through the parsimony
of a fro of1
man, of st. Louis, was first employed
to carry out the bargain, and he was
intrusted with all the papers in the
business, including the copy of
the compact between the
ward ignored in the agreement, and
when he demanded pay for his services
he was refused. He then turned over
the paper to Walcott, of the st. Louis
Jaurnal, who furnished copies of the
documents to Secretary Bristow. Mr..
Fishback left the city this evening. He
me on here to be vindicated from the
charges made that he, too, was Sin"
with the ring. But when he learned
that the papers In the Globe-Democrat
transfer had really been placed in Mr..
Bristows hands, he saw that further
stay here would only involve extra ex-
pense, so he eft on the next train.
Victoria as Peace Maker.
The New York Tribune publishes a
letter from Thurlow Weed, in which he
affirms, on trustworthy information.
that on three occasions during the 6rst
year of the rebellion Queen Victoria
contributed essentially to the preserva-
lion of peace between this country and
England. On two occasions Her Males
. 10,