The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-11-17
The Whisky Trials.

| ST, LOUIS, November l6.-Ihe U, 3,
District Court room was crowded to-day
to hear testimony in the case Of General
John c. Mcdonald, ex.Supervisor OF In
ternal Revenue Of this District, charged
with conspiracy to deiraud the govern
ment in connection with CROOKED"
whisky. The testimony was listened to
with marked attention and produced quite
a sensation. The principal witness was
c. G. McGrew, and the main part Of his
evidence was as follows: came here in
June, 1871; remained until November,
1872; had repeated conversations with
Mcdonald and Joyce about making money
out Of illiCt distilling, the substance Of
which was that distillers should BE- pro.
tectGd in making "Crooked" whisky on
condition that they should give certain
part OF the taxes saved to certain parties.
From about September l, 1877, to NOvem-
Der, 1872, ] COLLECTED the money from dis
tillers Bevis & Fraser, Thompson, Curran
& Ulrici to pay to the other PARTIES
| had talk with all Of the distillers
mentioned aud assured them they could
run in violation Of the law and they
would be protected by the government
officers on the conditions mentioned. |
did this on the authority Of Joyce and
Mcdonald. The money was collected
usually on Saturday OF each week, the
amount collected from UlriCe varying
from $4,000 to $4,000, from Thompson
from $500 to $1,000, from Curren from
$500 to 81 800, and from Beyis 4 Fraser
from $2,500 to $4,000, the total average
being about 800 per week. The distil.
lers brought II 10 me at my room, gener-
ally about noon, and disbursed 1t. A
certainsum was taken out to pay gaugers,
assistant collectors, assistant assessors
and storckeepGrs, The balance was di-
yided into five parts, The money for
subOrdnates was given to John Leaven.
worth for disbursement, OF the other
five packages, kept one, Mcdonald got
one, Joyce got one and the other two were
given 10 LeavGnworth with the UNDER
standing that Mckee got one and Ford
the other. This work began in the first
part Of September, 1871, and Mcdonald
complained that Joyce ought not to re-
Ceive M much rs the rest, and so on one
occasion | gave him $4,000 more than the
rest, without giving Joyce his full
amount OF One.lifth, and no took 1t. The
arrangement was that the distillers were
to retain about one.half Of the profits on
crooked. LcavenwOrth was u gauger
part OF the time, and stOrekeeper. The
tax on whisky ut this time was fifty
cents per gallon, and | collected about
thirey cents per gallon. II was under
stood at the Supervisors Office that the
gaugers and storekeepers and other su-
bordinates were to receive one dollar
to 81 so per barrel, but Leavenworth
generally paid them more. | took money
Tor the main members Of the Supervisors
office and there was no particular dis
guise about my delivering Il. Then | al
ways set inside portion OF the money,
part of this time Sl0O per week, and part
Of the time $500 per week, for Wm. o.
Avery, Chief Clerk Of the Internal Reve.
nue. Bureau at Washington. This in.
crease was made at the instance Of Joyce,
who came from Washington once and
said that Avery was complaining OF not
receiving enough money. Hence we in
creased Il to $500 per week.
The witness was cross.examinGd al
some length and strongly maintained all
positions taken in his direct examina.
lion. Ills business before he came here,
and since lle left, was inquired into close.
~, and his relations with woman who
kept all assignatiOn house here, and who
was In New York while he lived there,
we're examined into. lie admitted to
having been indicted here for the bribery
Of Phil Warner, n United States Gauger,
but denied the charge. lie said the in.
dictment should be nolle pross, lie also
denied that any arrangement existed by |
which the indictment against him will be
dismissed. lie had heard that he Is in |
Cluded in an omnibus indictment here, but
no capiaS was yet served on him. lie
could not state positively the amount he |
realized out Of being here, but thought II
from fifty to sixty thousand dollars, near
ly all Of which he lost In stock Specula-
tiOns in New York. Chas. W. Ford, John |
Leavenworth and Finley Robb, parties
mentioned as having received money from
him hnvn Rihpn linH