The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-08-09
THE ORIGINATOR oFTHE WHISKY

The Alleghanney, Penn. Erentng
Mail. Republican newspaper in
an issue of recentdate. touches
upon heretofore unwritten chapter OF
President Grants history. AS to The
truth Of this story the Mail writer atiirms
1--WE speak what we do know. and testify
ito what we have seen and heard with
our own eyes and ears. 1t Is the vcrita-
bile truth" The story will be read with
peculiar interest by the old time residents
of Cairo. The Mail tells it thus: 1t
was sometime in the sum
mer of 1862 that the first whisky
ring was formed. Gen. Grant was IN
command of the department of the south.
with his headquarters at Memphis, Tenn.
1t was during this time that Gen.
Grants famous whisky orders were pro-
mulgated. The occasion of these eNtraor-
binary pronunciamentos is still fresh IN
the memory of number of living Wit
nesses. At the time of which we are now
writing whisky was selling in Memphis
at from from forty to fifty cents per gal
Ion. and all other liquors in the same
proportion. Gen. Grant. through his
friends. united and purchased all the
available liquors in the market at that
place. Alter it had been bought
and delivered into the hands
of his friends and agents, Gen. Grant
suddenly discovered that there was en-
tirely too much whisky coming within
his lines. lie immediately issued posi-
tive order prohibiting any more liquor
from being transported to Memphis. In
three days after the issuance of the ia
nous whisky order, the price of whisky
advanced from fifty cents gallon to
from three to five dollars per gallon, ac-
cording to quality. This order was
maintained and strictly enforced until all
the liquors. were consumed within the
lines, or more properly speaking until
Grants agents had sold out and raked
into the pool an immense
pile of greenbacks. Shortly after
wards Gen. Grant suddenly dis
covered that liquor was again needed
within the lines for hospitals and medici-
nal purposes. but there was no new order
issued until his partners and agents had
time to visit Cairo and buy up every gal
lon of liquor available in the city, besides
having large quantities shipped from st.
Louis to Cairo, awaiting the fresh order
No. ., which took off all restrictions anC
opened up the whisky trade again il
Memphis. Gen. Grants agents, in the
meantime. being fully posted, has
their shipments all made and their Ii
quor on the way and in market before
outsiders knew anything of the order. o
course the market was completed,
glutted. and the price of whisky immedi
ately declined at Memphis to fifty cents
gallon. Now mark, as soon as Grant
friends, heavy invoices had been received
the general discovered that there was 5
much liquor shipped that there was in
minent danger OF demoralizing the army
and at once issued another order to pre-
hbit any more liquor from coming will
in the lines. Whisky again went up o
the issuance of the order. from fifty cent
! TO from three to five dollars. What
strange no person had any large quaint
ties of liquor on hand but Gen. Grant
partners, who reaped rich harvest o
this skillful manipulation of ii
market. General Grants shar
OF the plumber mast have bee
enormous, as some of his partner
amassed large fortunes from this frs
, venture. Col. VIM. 5. Hillyer, for il
stance. one OF his staff officers, accuml
lated enough money in a few months 10 g
; 10 New York and engage in the bankin
: business. "Interpreted in the light {
the little episode which we have relate
of his early life.' says the MAI. "tf
mysterious sympathy and lenienc
shown TO the criminals convicted Of rot
'bing the revenues OF the government
= especially In connection with the lille
: liquor business, will not be surprising
any person"