Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-08-02
The whisky Frauds Investigasi0n.
THE PRESIDENT BACKING THE MOVEMENT
AGAINST THE RING.
The suh committee ON whisky frauda met

THE PRESIDENT BACKING THE MoyEMg INT
AGAINST THE RING.
The SUI committee on whisky frauds met
at O'Clock yesterday afternoon.
W. Il. Gdrett, special agent OF the internal
revenue bureau, testified that he had been on
duty in the recent Investigation OF whisky
aIst os inns IN t ;S IN ynne, Is.s; On tne
Supervisor Mey er and Special Agent Crane,
he reported charges against Collector Nc
Guire. asking bis removal, which was at
witness met Solicitor Wilson at Cincinnati
the May previous In obedience to instruc-
lions, Wilson Informed him OF bis suspicion
o. whisky frauds in Cincinnati, and had
memoranda OF several of the houses there,
and was disposed to have the collector re-
moved. Witness remarked to him that un-
less he had charges against the collector, IL
were better that he should move slowly. Mr..
Wilson said 1t did not make any difference,
Ihe PRESIDENT was backing the movement
have the collector removed, but frequently
assured witness that the President was back
IN the movement, no matter how strong the
whisky ring was, and Mr.. Wilson said TO
him that
MR.. BRIsTow WAS TO BE THE NEXT PRE-
OF the United States. and gave him to under
stand that this was the policy to be pursued.
The witness differed with him, as he WAS
rather under an impression that Blaine
would be the next President. The instruc-
lions he received from Mr.. Wilson were YER
bal, and be made seizures in Cincinnati. He
had had other conversations with reference
to the Presidency, one of them at Mr.. Will
sons office in Washington. This was in
September, 1876, when Mr.. Wilson still iu-
sisted that Bristow was the man. On the
10Th OF May Mr.. Yaryan was assigned as
chief revenue agent Yaryan undertook to
instruct witness. saying he must work for
Bristow; IL was wise policy to do so, and
damned Blaine mattern This was said i'm a
threatening manner. Tue first visit to St
Louis on the whisky Investigation was In
NnxyQr for xr-{fl \. o,NA
Subsequently Brashier sold out TO The
whisky thieves, obtained all the money he
could and fled TO Belgium. Ysryau gave
witness assurances similar TO those given by
Wilson last year-that the President was in
hearty sympathy with those who were pros-
ecuting the whisky thieves. Later, however,
to feel differently. He did not make any
direct charge against the President, but
spoke as IL he had not much respect for him.
Representative COchrane asked the wit
ness-Did Mr.. Wilson speak OF
Mr.. BRIsTow AS REFoRMER?
witness replted-At that time reform"
mad not become stereotype form as applied
Represen.ive Cochraue--Did he say tina.
brlst0w was the right man In the rig1t
place?
A. He said Bristow was the man for the
next President, and that they were going to
make him President. / listened TO him at
tentively, as liked his zeal. He was very
positive In his instruction that Bristow was
10 be next President. did not obey instruc-
lions as such. I regarded what he said a
strong intlmation that must turn over To
Bristow.
Mr.. Cocbrane.-Di Wilson ever ask you
TO go for Bristow?
a. Yes; at the Grand Hotel. He said, eve
are going to make him President" said
Q Did you instruct him 10 60 for Blaine?
A. he was my superior officer.
q Then he had no such power to instruct
A. III he had instructed me should not
have obeyed him, nor would L OBEY tue Pres
ident himself in such case.
The witness gave further testimony COW
corning whisky investigations in Sc. Louis.
sENAToR LOGAN AND Nh. FARwELL NOT
IMPLICATED.
Mark Bangs, u. g. district attorney for the
northern district OF Illinois, testified con
corning the frauds In Chicago and the gram
ing certain parties immunity If they would
done by authority from washington. Ni' was
Q By Mr.. Plaisted:-Was any evidence
disclosed before the grand jury showing that
Senator Logan or Mr.. Farwell was compli-
Gated with the whisky ring?
a. Not the slightest; nor in my investlga-
tion did discover any thing tending to I'm
plicate them In the whisky frauds, nor did
near any evidence In that direction.
The witness was questioned at length re-
garding whisky trials, giving much infor.
matlon. already known TO the public. Being
interro as,sd, as 70 Jasper ID; Ward, former
trict OF Illinois, and Mr.. Wads worth, form
collector, who were indicted for conspiracy
with distillers, and for receiving money from
them, witness circumstantially gave the
reason why they were not tried, and why a
nolle prosecute was entered in their cases.
Solicitor Wilson said he would prosecute
them without reference TO consequences, be-
cause 1t was the province OF the court and
the jury to decide the question. The witness
wished to continue them, but could not
make arrangements with defendants coun-
sci, who wanted TO go TO trial. Some minor
cases had been tried, with the result show.
Ing that with the class of testimony relied
On, the conviction OF Ward and Wadsworth
would have been impossible.
The witness, In reply to Representative
Cochrane, said he thought the granting OF
promises to that effect were made for a wise
purpose. the object being, which was en-
tirely successful, to break up the WHISKY
ring In Chic ago.
THE TESTIMONY TO DAY.
At the meeting OF the committee to-day a
Chicago distiller confirmed the statement
that he had paid Ward, the district attorney
$500 to be let of.
Major Asa Bird Gardner, judge advocate in
the army, was sworn and testified Ia refer
ence TO the testimony of Btuford Wilson to
the effect that on the night OF February 22t
the attention of the President had bsen
called to the fact; that Babcock had stated
that he (BaDcockl had been engaged Ia the
transactions of Black Friday and had lest
heavily; that the losses had been paid TO Jay
Cooke Co., and that Babcock had made
trust deed making Asa Bird Gardner his
trustee, and he as Judge Advocate in the
Babcock Court OF Inquiry therefore could
not work against Babcock.
The pith OF the testimony of the witness
was that Gen. Butterfield had by reason OF
bis Bnowledge of real estate matters given
army officers his advice as to real estate
purchases, and that the transaction alluded
TO 6y Wilson was the purchase OF property
by Babcock from Butterneld, for which he
(Gardper) acted as trustee.
The examination of the witness was still
in progress when our report CLOSED.
A WOMAN SAVED BY PET DoG.-On
Thursday last large white bull, belonging
TO Mr.. Patterson, on his fan m near Peabody,
In some way got loose from the stall In which
1t was tied, and the men OF the family being
far from the house In the field, Mrs. Patter-
son attempted to catch the animal by APP
preaching 1t with basin of salt. This seem
ed To work we'll at drst, as the animal, on
being called, came near and bowed its head,
as II IL were about to lick the salt. At this
instant Mrs. Patterson attempted to catch
the animal by the ring In its nose, and to her
surpr' g the beast plunged at her and threw
her into The Air ten feet. When she fell to
the ground the beast made another rush at