The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-11-20
THE ST. LOUIS RING REVELATIONS.


spread dishonesty and corruption in hig
, places. "For several days it was limited
: the dispatches" gently pipes frightene
little radical organ "that Oryille Grant tn
y Presidents brother, and Gen, Babcock, th
Presidents Private Secretary, were indlcte
5 at ST Louis for rendering aid and assistanc
) or censpiring with others and sharing tn
, profits of crooked whiskey.' Itnow appear
5 there was no foundation for the report. Tn
= object was, doubtless, to connect the Pres
) dent, if possible, with the villainous practices
,, or at least 10 create a suspicion that he migh
) have some guilty knowledge and wink at TIT
stealings of friends" but there is nothing &
Justify such suspicious, &c, &c.
Is there not9 No man who has made him
self acquainted with the operations and ram
ifcatons Of this ring has par icle of hesta
ton in saying that such a ring could never
have been organized, could never have exist
ed, and certainly could not have ffourisAed
so many years, without direct connection
countenance and support from Washington
"In fact" says prominent st. Louis gentle
man connected with the investigations from
the beginning, "the unparalleled success OF
the ring, both in point of duration and in
the exalted degree of their robbery was only
made possible by some direct arrangement
with the administrator at Washington. 1t is
on record that for years remonstrance were
frequently made at the revenue department
IN Washington against the practices of the
ring 1t is on record that members of Con
gress frequently protested against the manner
IN which revenue officials failed to discharge
their duty, and disgraced their positions. 1t
is on record that over ayear ago Commission.
err Douglass, the head of the revenue depart
ment, received the most circumstantial offer
of proof from prominent lawyer in ST. Lou.
is, Mr.. Jesse woodward, which offer Mr..
Douglas silently pocketed. 1t is on record
that when the order transferring the supervi.
sors from their respective districts issued,
which IN itself, if carried out, most probably
would have broken up the rings all over the
country, that order was countermanded over
the heads. Of both Commissioner Douglass
and Secretary Bristow by President Grant
himself. II is on record that Gen Mcdonald,
Louis, who is now on trial for his connec
ton with the ring and will be convicted and
sent to the penitentiary, instantly went to
Washington when the order transferring the
supervisors was telegraphed, saw General
Grant at the White House before the reversal
Of the order and openly boosted OF having
secured the latter. 1t is on record that Com.
Douglass was ANONYMOUSLY kick.
et Oh; of his position by Bristow on the clear
that it was an account of his !
with the whisky ring; and it is
On record that Avery, whose trial will take
place next week for participating in the
whisky frauds, occupied high position in |
Washington, that of chief clerk of the treasu |
~ department, where his dealings with the
ring were impossible of concealment from
hose above him"
No foundation for reports against Babcock,
Grant, &c, eh9 Let Us see farther. At the
rial of Mcdonald at ST. Louis on Wednes-
lay one of the witnesses sworn was Joseph |
\. Fitzroy, deputy collector, and who at
me time had acted as cashier of the ring
Among other things he said an 1874
3ushy, Bingham, Chouteau and others were
unning crooked. | talked with Mcdonald
Ibout it almost daily. He instructed me to
Keep them down and not let them run crook.
ID to too great an extent, and | told them
hey must keep within bounds. A letter
rom Washington came to Joyce uhe letter
ngned Bah, telling the distillers that par
les were coming 10 examine the dlstlleries
and they must straighten up. When Bras.
hear and others were sent out before that, are
tad been odrned Of their approach, as we were
his time. had conversation with Nc.
Donald afterwards at the Planters House, and
ne told me 5000 must be raised for a party
in Washington who had to be iemunerated
for his services Touching upon the mem.
Ders of the ring, the witness said mcdonald
told me Collector Mcguire, VIM. Mckee
himself and all the storekeepers and gaugers
we're in the ring, and also L. S. Marshal
Newcomb, District Attorney Patrick, Bah
cock, Joyce, Mckee and myself" "These
wo last sentences" continues the report
contain the most direct and damaging ties
imony so far elected. The defense made
A strong effort to keep out the references to
Patrick, Newcomb and Babcock. Firzroy
also swore that he mad seen the letter signed
Bab,' and had been repeatedly told by Joyce
that there ,oas protection for the ring in the
Wh!te House"
Ifthls does not iasten guilt on Grant himself
II comes so near il at least as to leave the scent
of the smudge strongly on his clothes. II |
comes as near as the guilt of the wickedness |
Of the the famous "Black Friday" came to be |
ing fastened on the white house when it was |
proved that Mrs Grant made fortunate lift |
Of 100000 by that msneuvre; and as near as