The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-12-10
Trial OF Jnnles K. Hill.

INDIANAPOLIS, IND, December V.-The
trial Of Jas. X. Hill, Deputy Revenue
Collector Of the First district, was com.
menCed In the United States Court to-day
before Judge Gresham. An action made
by the defendants counsel to Quash the
indictment on alleged defect in three
separate counts OF tho written Indictment
was overruled and q jury empanellVd.
Deputy District Prosecutor Holstein then
made Il detailed statement Of the process
OF dstilling spirits and the general ar.
rangcments OF the distillery where these
whisky irregularities have been carried
on so long and successfully. The prose.
cutor then set forth history Of the In.
diana whisky conspiracy which he OBJ.
served was an out growth OF the 81. Louis
ring, and has been successfully organized
since 1873. The defendant has been In
the employ OF the government in the
capacity Of deputy revenue collector, and
the charge against him is that Of having
been n COnspirAtor with certain distillcrS
who were defrauding the government
out Of money. II will be shown in
the evidence, lie said, that the defendant
was 4 party to the whisky ring, and for
his connection with and cOnniVing at
the procedures Of the organized clique,
he received annually from them $3.50.
That lie has given information in advance
OF the approach Of the government off,
GERS TO these distillers, by which means
everything was found in the proper shape
on the arrival Of these officials. The pro.
seCution further proves to show that on
one occasion Hill was sent by hiS super.
or officer, General Beach, to look after
some irregularity at one Of the distillerlea
included within the ring, but instead Of
making any inquiry, the deputy merely
went 10 the premises, and after lettering
about n while lie returned to Evansville
with the infOrmationthat everything was
correct. For this report he received one
hundred dollars. W.O. Fishback, attor.
ney for Mr.. Hill, In stating the Cause
Of his client 10 the jury, expressed his sur.
prise at The sweeping assertions which the
counsel for the prosecution had made
relative 10 the character and integrity Of
Mr.. Hill, which he maintained the per.
jured parties had COnspired TO break
down and destroy. Mr.. Fishback put
considerable stress upon the fact that the
defendant was indicted solely upon the
testimony Of parties who pleaded guilty
TO defraIding the government Of It's just
dues, and In doing 80 have virtually con.
fessed themselves perjurerS. Men that
can be continually perjurers for three
years will not hesitate 10 swear falsely In
this court, II thereby they can secure The
conviction Of an innocent party.
The testimony Of these perjured per.
sons will amount 10 nothing In a court
Of Justice unless their evidence Is corrob.
GRATED by outside parties. Counsel said
that they purposed putting the district
prosecutor or his deputy upon the wit.
ness stand TO testify as TO the earnest and
determined efforts Of the defendant in
working up these whisky cases and
placing before the grand jury important
information, upon which the guilty par.
ties were indicted. Only two or three
witnesses out Of about forty for the prose.
Cution were examined before the court
adjourned.
The Bingham brothers appeared in
person in court this morning, and with
the remaining parties who have pleaded
guilty 10 deitauding the government are
awaiting sentence from the Court, which
will be passed after The Hill case Ia Set.
tied.
Louis y. Bfasher, arrested nt Cincin.
natl, charged with completely in the Ev.
ansville frauds, was released to-day ON
$25,000 bail.