Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1875-11-25
=. Llt. NUTIMNp .aRKaLD.
rAE WHISKY RING.

AT. William NJ. Grosyenor furnishes
in the New York Herald an interesting
narrative of the origin and dolngs of the
st. Louis whisky ring. The ring was
formed during Andrew Johnson's ad-
ministration. Revenue officers accept
ed bribes 10 overlook irregularities and
the favored distillers spent money free
iy to sustain the Johnson party. The
Republicans who knew what was going
on hoped q new administration would
afford them similar opportunities, but
they Were disappointed. General Grant
Nd personal friends in st. Louis whom
he appointed to the important oitlces
slr' Mckee, the senior proprietor of the
3. :. Ds".oo'@, demanded the appointment
OF Constaatine Mcguire as collector.
win the Spectation that Mex ee's
brother wouldNe his deputy. But the
President appoined Col Ford, who was
not known as poAMCian. General Me.
Donald was appointeG supervisor Of in.
ternal revenue, which made Mckee
very angry and led him totske an aetiye
part in the contest in 1870, which re
snlted in a Democratic victory IN the
State. Early the next year Mckee in
formed Mr.. Grosvenor, then the editor
OF the Democrat, that he had reasons for
n0t opposing Grant any longer and that
arrangements had been made which
would be highly profitable if
they were on good terms with
The officials If Grosyenor would
let him manage affairs, he said that they
could each make 100000, Mr.. Gros-
yenor refused To go into the arrange
ment ard was abruptly dismissed.
From that time the paper supported
Grant, and soon after the first assess'
ment on the distillers was made, OF
which portion was paid to Mckee, In
1871 the disl3llers were forced 10 con
tribute Tor campaign .purposeR Il, pay
ono was obstinate he was fofCed into
re,,.e SeSunIcnl ion, and had 10
choose between support Of the ring aud
failure IL business. Things proceeded
thus until in 1872 the Dem0erat was sa}d
under decree of the court TO Fishback.
who succeeded Mckee as proprietor.
This led to the founding OF the GJo5e as
Grant paper, which is said TO have re-
ceived from the ring In less than a wear
$44, ,OO0, one-ffth of the sum extorted
from the distillers. During this time
the Presidents confidence in Ford and
Mcdonald was undisturhed. The rjng
apparently believed that it had absolute
power in Washington. When Co.. Ford
died the ring secured the appointn,ent
OF Mcguire and the Republican qusfrei
of last year over the candidates ior
State officers was the beginnipg o. inc
rings ruin. When Secretsg ptlS'o"
heard of these frauds on tbs bsIeNetluo ne
commissioned Mr.. ColopS' coiniheIc's'
editor of the Denagcrat as spec'a' oincef
of the revenue. wen sufficient facts
had been Gathered special agents were
sent from Washington 20 MAKE seq
ures. and that pight message was tele-
nranbed f., gGcDonald, at st. Louis, that
srfIn.ni,e/w will strike on Monday.
eOn 1TeGday lightning did strike The
distipedes were seized by special Off
20. e.asrom Washington. Even when the
ring was perfectly defiant, and predicted |
that in very few days every establish
ment would be released and Secretary |
Bristow removed from the Cabinet. But !
the next mornings Democrat contained |
O dispatch of several columns from
Washington stating the nature ot the
evidence which had been collected. |
Then, for the first time, the Ring saw il /
had to fight hard. Indictments had
been obtained against the distilleries and
revenue officials. When aid which they |
profess TO have expected from Washing /
ton did not come, most of them pleaded |
guilty. Joyce has been convicted and |
sent 70 the penitentialy, and others
are on trial. The prosecutions have |
been pushed with unrelenting obstinacy. |
I'he President would not even see Nc |
Doha aid when he was last at st. Louis. |
No one now seriously believes that he
had any part in or knowledge of the
ring. Some one has falsely professed |
To have influence with him to secure its |
and the trials now in pro-
gress viii now undoubtedly result in his /
conviction whoever he may be. Presi-
dent Grants direction, ''let 90 guilty /
man escape" hes beea 20 far
nbeyed Ea.s... .-s.-- s. o.. I