The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1875-05-22
REVENUE FRAUDS.

REVENUE FRAUDS.
4 Washington dispatch OF May,
10, has the following: For some time
past the Secretary of the Treasury and
Commissioner of Internal Revenue have
been giving attention to the subject OF
Illicit distilling in several Western
cities, and have been using every effort
possible for the purpose of putting an
end to the practice of the illicit whisky
manufacture and traffic.
Officers of the Department who have
been specially instructed by the Secre-
tary, with a view to complete dcstruc
ton of the wholesale fraud upon the
government IN connection with the
manufacture and sale of whisky, have
been successful i'll discovering evidences
of, an means for, preventing a very
great amount of fraud in connection with
Illicit distilleries.
Their researches show that a well or
ganized and formidable plan has sue
cessfully existed for some time in the
perpetration of frauds upon the revenue,
with the principal headquarters of the
operations IN St. Louis, Chicago and
Milwaukee.
One result OF the discovery has been
the dismissal of several internal reve-
nue. gaugers and store keepers in
the district where fraudulent practices
have been in full operation. The in
yesigations of the Department prove
conclusively that several of these OIL
GERS were brought up by parties en-
gagged in the transaction.
Other revenue officers in the same 10
calitieS, including some III much higher
positions than the grade mentioned,
viii, It IS intimated, share the same fate.
1T may not be because of any actual
participation in the crimes that have
been discovered, but because Of gross
neglect in the performance of their
official functions, which, If thoroughly
attended to, would have saved the gov
eminent great loss, by preventing the
frauds that have gained success.
Steps will also be taken to bring to
punishment all other parties engaged
in the business. There are intimations
from official quarters that several
changes Will soon be made of internal
revenue collectors in Western districts,
and also that not less than two supcrvi-
sors will soon be appointed to fill the
places OF parties now holding such Off
ces, who will either be required to re
sign or summarily be dismissed
Another dispatch from Washington,
dated the llth, says: Commissioners
Douglass to-day telegraphed to the va
riOus supervisors who are superintend-
ing the work of illicit stills, to send the
names of all revenue officers employed
at any of the establishments seized, in
order that they may be Immediately
dismissed and reported to the several
United States District attorneys for
prosecution in every case where there
rs evidence of collision.
It is said in the internal revenue office
to-day that there is not yet sufficient
/ evidence before the department upon
which to base It's action concerning Ger
tain officials who must have had some
( knowledge Of the fraudulent tlansac-
lions, or else have been grossly ncgli.
gent in permitting them to be carried
thus far. Nolemovals, other thanithose
of gaugers and storekccpers, heretofore
mentioned have been made.
Additional instructions were to-day
sent the collectors at various points
east and west, where the department is
satisfied fraudulent whisky has been
shipped, TO seize all such supplies, and
kilograms have been received from Soy
eral places ANNOUNCING the seizures. the
heaviest among them being the cstab,
lishment Of Bingham Il Co., at Evans
vile, Ind.
Other seizures have been ordered at
Pckin, ILL.,, Cincinnati and elsewhere.
and the Secretary to-day directed that
legal steps be taken at all points where
frauds have been discovered and that
arrests he made where the evidence is
sufficient to Justify them.
The officers have already ascertained
that great quantities of this crooked
whisky has been distributed throughout
the country, especially in the south, but
the form OF the package in which it was
originally shipped has been changed, in
many instances, and it Will now be I'M
possible to detect it.
The Cabinet Is in session, and will, it
Is thought, consider changes III the In
ternal Revenue Bureau in CONNECTION
with the great whisky frauds Just made
public.