New-York tribune., 1875-05-12
STATEMENTS FROM RECEIVERS OF LIQUOR

WHISKY HAS BEEN SHIPPED By FRAUDULENT
DIsIILLERs-THEY ASSERT THAT THEY COULD
NOT Know WHETHER OR NOT The WHISKY
WAS "CROoKED'
Inquiries were made yesterday, by reporters
Of THE TRIBUNE, OF the merchants mentioned yesterday
In the account Of the the Whisky Ring receivers
Of crooked" whisky from Western disteT1es Thomas
Tlaeher commission merchant at No 40 Broad-st..
questioned concerning the matter said that nc was
yesy willing 10 explain all that he knew about 1t. Hc
Faid had been buying liquor Of George Bensberg
OF ST. Louis the proprietor OF the recfnS houses
implicated in the frauds The whisky shipped from
St. Louis and the receiver had means Of determining
whether It had properly inspected not in every
case the proper stamps had been affixed; but whether
the numbers lad been duplicated or the same
barrels used more than once could not
be known. When the cOnsignments reached New-York
the gGuccrs here copied the names and numbers from
the stamps affixed and these again were copied in the
hook which the Government requires every dealer TO
keen On every barrel marked the name OF the dis
ter the district and State in which the dstieTy was
located and Of the Saugcr the date when The tax
v,s paid the serial number the warehouse number and
the taxpad number These all copied IN the Govern
ment books No fraud could exist except in collusion
with the revenue officers. Mr. Thachcr sand that in the
eas Of the whisky received there could have been no
duplication either of stamps or barrels as the date OH
which the tax paid Immediately anterior TO the
date on which the shipment made There was
eeed!ngly improbable that any would be attempted in
New.York But in the South and West liability 10 de
tectiou would much less than here Ali that dealers
here Lad 10 decide that tie stamps we're correct
further than that thcy could rot determine any more
than merchant could tell that the goods he purchased
were stolen Mr Tacher said that he mad had business
connections with Mr. Bensbcrg for Is years, and was
wei assured that all he had purchased from him waa
"s;raiel;' On Of the barrels which were cIaln-
ind IN Broadst yesterday the stamps, which We're
fastened with glue and nails were found to be insecure
and could have been removed with little dnieuty al
though they cancelled.
" Miller ofthc firm Of W g. Miller Co.. commission
merchants at No 81 Rroadst., said that they had been
ris,epresentel by rHE TRIBUNE Of yesterday II was
stated that sipIn MS had been made 70 them by "Vs
Frazer Co. OF st. Louis, and by George BensDelg IN
which serious discrepancies existed between the amount
on Witch tex was paid and the amount shipped. THO
erlor Mr Miller said, arose from nlscch, cltIol 4hc
tax WIS Taid on pure alcono. "lSm ~, Io"- ~ ] 90 p
th,sd was in proof gallons, WBlch cOhdlhe0 '"ot 2V
III nc Ss G G1 1ve 1proof salions) was about i3in
cases ls7pcr cent o. the niunteT oi eaIOus 1 ue
hu,r on which tue tax paid II WIS Impossible tiat
fts rn slnuld bc iuucateI rs not barrel Of qEr
IN 500 which they bought and sold was ever seen ny
refused 10 receive liquors from number ~ suspect cd dis
there's Their business has thus ecn nlurr nhl hey
have labortng fos an exposure o ne lau1e1t ays
t;n Miller expressed satisfaction thai TINS hld Occn
Jncs A. Webb Co. Of 40. 165 Pearist are dealers in
alcohol aud cologne siTs MT MeDD all TiaIco t.'I Z ny
received LlShN lucy Duf ND"4'" "uiJ' - ~
sly ohraning it the commission merchants III New
YORK although they had sometimes pulchaSd al iqfaet
Ires from Roellc. Ju1keT < Co.. or the UmOn Copper
irstilcry Company Of Chicago. They sell nothing %
oonmlsslOu but deal with druggists ana enc Al
tar alcohol received by them has been properly stamped
nuJ tI,ey had Of knowing whether IL was
cr,olt or Otherwise They SAID they had known thdt
ter, must lave been frauds as alcohol was sold Her
tie market prices but they had waited N nope
that -pI,h ig might be done 10 protect honest dealers
A responsible empJye Of Seth Ey Co ot No. l43
Ffont-s commission merchants SAID ina, that urn had
no means Of knowing whether TIE WHISKY OCn4Lt ana
s1d by them was not honestly taxed IHey Pau
from ~ ~ 30 per Of the value OF the liquor Oh sicl
drafts accommodating tl bills VI iadng ana theh snd 10
Tho trade When whisky "ss receivcd Hoiu tne "cs
ali .tock bou ugit 10y them regularly stamped IheY
Thy were ylad llat The Mt had attacked the
King as under the present St. OF affairs they we're nl
able 10 run their dstieIy in Brooklyn; bat tbey hJnd
" do so IL the frauds the West were abolished Dy tAc
u. .a...urL