The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-02
BoooKLYNS BOURBON BRIBERY.

STEMS SENSATION AMONG RxvzNus oyu-
crAIs-wAs FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS PEN
WEEK PAID THEM By THE ILLICIT DnrL-
LERs "a SIMILAR ACCUSATION MADE TWO
YEARS AGO.
The publication in the HKRALD OF yesterday Of the
intention OF United statcs District Attorney A W.
Tenncy TO proceed against certain officials Of the In
ternal Revenue Department and cx-Assistant District
Attorney William D. Hughes for alleged malfessancs
in ONCE caused considerable excitement In public cir
clos The revenue officers said To DO implicated
Deputy Collectors Daniel Glllcn and Samuel Glberson
arc widely known, and have long becn regarded ~
tho most efficient md trustworthy men IN
the First Internal Revenue Collection district
Yesterday forenoon District Attorney Tenney early
In his oco visited by tho accused parties and
also by sas Boone, cashier Of the First Internal
Revenue Collection district Mr. Boones interview
was protracted enc. As no was leaving he was ac-
costed by reporter who questioned him TO whether
he had read the statements published refectng the
parties named above Mr.. Booncs reply was "There
Is nothing in IT, gentlemen, nothing at all-at least
don't believe there anything In It," District Atsor-
ney Tenncy. seeing that several members OF tho press
were waiting IN tho adjoining Office, requested his
clerk 70 close tho door between them. Alter waiting
few moments the reporters entered Mr.. Tenneys room
only 10 ind that It The District Attorney.
drcndng. doubtless tho batteries OF the inquistoral
party hod rctrcatsd by side door leading tho
rdor, and thence down stairs and out into the
The District Attorney. in reply to questions, said
that he mad positively takcn part in any manner
whatever In giving publicity TO the articles that had
boon published. II would be wrong for him 10 have
done So II he were TO prosecute these The
movement against the officers did not cmanate from
him or from his Office few months ago II was
stated by one OF tho ST. Louis men that much OF tho
revenue robbing was done IN Brooklyn THIS led tho
writer 10 make inquiry Official circles In the Office OF
Collector Freeland, and the result, published In tho
HERALD at the ,imc. that strict Lad been tho
inspection VI late years. and close the surveil
lance exercised the present tme that Il would be
utterly impossible ~ dtrAud the Revenue Department
IN the manufacture Of spirits to any considerable ex
hero and there. but these were broken up
a. found. They unanimous In the exT rcssion OF
Brooklyn while tho officers Of the Revenue Depart
ment were honest and capable, as they had always
proved 10 b. Tho present revelations come upon this
'thunderbolt from clear sky"
coLLEcroR YRxELAxD.
when spoken TO the subject OF STEMS revelations
yesterday, said that Two three weeks ago he
received letter from the department Washington,
tho OF which he would not make public but
u had bearing this case He replied to II that he
should investigate the matter and that he thought any
overt action against these officers pending his nvesti
investigating tho matter Ms regards Mcssra Glen and
Giberson. Thus far everything has been found
rect inc amount alleged 10 nave Oocu paid US 0ribc
TO three men was too much money. the Collector
thought and no Brooklyn distcr could afford pay
H.. He could not say whence tho attack against his
subordinacs proceeded but he free say that be
did not believe anything OF Il
Chief Deputy Collector Boone the cashier OF the
1s sn sas sd .. make sa. wh
10 run any length OF time with tho connivance OF
deputy assessors There were forty or nifty assistant
ASSESSORS At tho time stein these stills and when
be alleges he paid the money. Besides there wero
twelve fifteen deputy collectors any ono OF whom
wrong. Neither OF these ofnccrs viii be suspcnded
during the es;igation. Even should they DO in
dcted and tried, the most extreme measure would be
suspcndlng them during trial
THE POLICY sTLEScK
Mr. William d. Hughes, formerly Assistant District
IN New Yor esnsa 70
about the until II shall have been brought
properly before the Courts when he win be fully pre-
pared 10 refute tho base accusation
DEPUTY COLLECTOR GILLEN.
or the accused deputy collectors aid that the nrst
seized by him was the spring 1872 '.Tbc story
that he had ever paid mo money said Mr. Gilen, "is
simply absurd. ! am sure IL will be so shown when
ever this matter comes TO be Investigated. was the
hrst person who gave Information 10 the government
officers which resulted In exposing the operations Of
sanborn, Hawey and vanderwerken. 1t WINS tho in
formation supplied by me that led 10 their Indictment
for conspiracy TO defraud the government Tho par
tics at the back OF this charge have evidently adopted
this plan for the purpose OF manufacturing public opn
ton and creating prejudice against mo In advance I
shall be able 20 show, II the brought 10 trial,
that there ID not word OF truth IN IT,
DKrurY coLLEcroR EMERSON
said that thorc truth in tho matter; that he
never receivsd one dollar from stcin. and he had
already taken AFFIDAVIT to that effect before tho Col
lector HAD there been any good ground for making
such charge would have been brought 70 tho notice
come from the Supervisors ONCE New York for toe
purpose OF creating prejudice against ms in advance
Of the Grand Jury taking action" Mr. Giocrson said
that two years ago Stein mado similar complaint
against Gillen and himself and 1t referred to the
authorities a. Washington There was no truth in u.
Az INSIDE OFFICIAL OPINION or THE CASE
A HERALD reporter had conversation yesterday
afternoon with United States Deputy Marshal Do Clue,
who ia OF the most experienced officials that
department OF tho government service IN Brooklyn,
touching the merits Of the accusations made by Chris
tian A. Stein. the indicted dister, against Messrs.
Hughes, Giilen and Giberson. The Deputy Marshal
said that there may BIO case against them, but that
oil the allegations published could not be true BY any
possibility For instance, It was stated that SteL had,
during period extending over Two years, paid 10 Ex
Assistant District Attorney Hughes, and 10 Deputy
weekly q the price OF their silence with regard tho
existence OF the Illicit whiskcy stills that no
engaged IN running nc that time. Five hundred dol
lars pcr week Tor TWO years would amount 10 about
$4,000 Mr. Hughes was appointed AZ Asststan District
Attorney about the spring Of 1873 and lie held the oco
not more than twelve months He camo to Brooklyn
from Washington and held other position here II,
therefore, follows that Mr.. Hughes not in 0lco
more than one yoar he could mot have met Stein a.
Assistant District Attorney and received that money
price oi silence" This whole matter said Deputy
mhreuai D0 Oiue, '-CoueB, N my Juukncut, run tnc
ofIcc Of the Supervisor OF Internal Revenue In New
York You see when Hughes came into of3cc he was
full Of energy and made raid upon Sanborn 4 Co.,
who had been suspected Of dcfrauding the United
States internal revenue He finally procured their in
dicmcut In tho preparation Of the case, In obtaining
the necessary evidence and witnesses, he was aided
chiefly by Deputy Collectors Gbsrson and Giilcn.
In that way no incurred the enmity Of tho
people In the Supervisors Office IN New
YORK who wcro friendly 10 Sanborn, believe, and
Hughes, Gillen and Gibcrson think So too, and that
she story, published, smanatcd from that quarter,
from the friends Of Mr.. Hawey and that u proceeds
from old grudge against them. II is bad looking
case, however, stands, provided this stem
produce Witnesses he pretcnds TO be abc to do, 10
show that these officials visited his Illicit stills while they
were In operation, and seen there by workmon.
But the other hand, must be borno 10 mind that
Stein prisoner He 10 In . very tight box, and, of
coursc, wants 70 got out a. best he may Why when
Hughes Assistant District Attorney he had Chris
tan A. Stem Indicted twice for Illicit dstlliing
mau named Arthur smith went bail once Tor Stein
In tho amount Of several thousand dollars, and
subsequent inquiry revealed the fact that the
bond given by Smith was worthless Il
was straw bail. Smith was arrested and
tried and narrowly escaped upon legal tcchnicalitv