Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-11-17
The st. Louis whisky Ring.

INFORMANT TESTIMONY AT THE TRIAL.
Gen. Me8rue, the pay master OF tue whisky
ring, appeared as n witness for the prosecu-
ton in 81, Louis yesterday, IN the trial of
sE-Superyisor Of Internal Revenue John d.
Mcdonald. he testified as 10 al arrange
ment being effected between Mcdonald
Joyce aud himself with certain LIQUOR deal
ers, through which, for a money considera-
iinn, tbCse making payments were To he
allowed 10 maze crooked whisky
ADDITION.
His testimony was then continued a. f1i
oVs ~ hal talk with all of Tue diStiIiers
mentioned. and assured them they could ran
10 Violation OF law and they would be pro-
'ected by government officers On the cOilii-
ti0fs mentioned. did this on authority OF
Joyce and Mcdonald. Money was cDl,estal
Usually on Saturday of ach week: amounts
Collected from Cirici varying from 5000 TO
ci.CCo; from Thompson, from s5n0 TO Al ,5G";
& Frazer, from $500 TO 5000: the total
average being about $500 per week TIE
distillers brought ii TO me at my room gem
orally about noon aud dsbursed IL.
DIVISION.
a certain sum was taken ont to nav eau-
gers, assistant collectors, assistant assessors
and stOrekeepers; the balance was divided
INTO five parts. The money for suoordiuates
was given TO John Leavenworth for disburse-
ment. OF the other five packages l kept one,
MCDONALD got one, Joyce got one, and the
the understanding that Mckee got one and
Ford the other. This work was begun i'm the
hrst part OF September, ISL. Mcdonald com
piained once that Joyce ought not TO receive
as much as the rest, and so ON one occasion
gave him - $50 more than the rest without
giving joyce his full one-fifth. He took il.
The arrangement was that the distiIlers
were TO retain about One-half of the profits on
crooked whisky. Leavenworth was a gau-
ger, and part Of the time storekeeper. The
tax on whisky at this time was 30 cents per
gallon III was understood at the supervisors
office that gapgers, supervisors and other
sUboTdinates were 10 receive from 81 10 ~ 50
per barrel, but Leavenworth generally paid
them more. | took money for the main mem
bers OF the supervisors Office, and there was
no particular disguise about my delivering
H. there. always set aside a portion of the
money-part of the time sloo per week and
part OF the time $3.50 per week-for VIM. -.
Avery, chief clerk or the Internal Revenue
bureau at Washington. This increase wa,
made at the instance of Joyce, who came
from Washington once and said that Avery
vas complaining of not receiving enough
money; hence We Increased il 10 $50 per
week.
A SPECIAL AGENTS HAUL.
MaclOt Thompson, a distilIer, testified that
Joyce told him he mi ght run an extra or two
Witness paid Joy ce : 300 for services rendered
per cent. on crooked spirits. Used stamps
three times. Paid 300 TO 81 500 To the ring
fund weekly. generally to Megrue. In Sep
TENDER, 1872, Special Agent Brasher came
here from Washington, and afterwards said
he bad caught US all, and must have sf0.O 600,
which was raised for him. On croNs-examin-
a'on the witness stated that he understood
the moDey paid by the ring was for the su.
pervisor, revenue agent, collector, gaugers
and storekeepers, althOush started, he was
told. for campaign fund.
Alfred Beyis testified that he made crooked
whisky with the knowledge of Joyce and Nc
Donald; paid from 81 900 to 3 900 per week TO
Megrue; paid Brasher 50, 800 as his share OF
the $1,000 demanded by that officer. Wit
ness thought his house paid the ring from
$15 600 TO SlG0 0C0 in fourteen months: was i'm
the collect ONCE when the records were
destroyed, the destruction of which was ar
ranged by Joyce and Con. Cannon, the latter
chief clerk in the collecto. g Office. Witness
had been shown letters by Joyce purporting
to have come from Avery aud BaScock the
Presidents secretary. On cross examination
witness said he had cOnversed with McDou.
aid about whisky matters, and ne (McDon-
add had said everything was all right; 90
ahead.