The New York herald., 1876-01-13
BROOKLYN WHISKEY.

WHAT DEPUTY COLLECTOR TRUEsDALE AND MAR
sHAL HARLOW KNOW ABOUT ITS CHARACTER.
Brooklyn in years gone by has been remarkable
among the cities OF the Union for the number and
hudacity of its Illicit whiskey distilers, and
frequently have all the strongest agencies OF the gov
ernment been called into requisItion 10 suppress the
traffic in the 'crookedn business The distiers and
dealers in this city feel too that the eyes Of the West
upon them since in the HERALD Of yesterday they
read that Mr. RUSSELL the witness for the prosecution
several OF the leading Chicago crooked" indc:-
ments has pointed out the liability of the Brooklyn
distillers to err when he said:-''Why in Brooklyn
they pay thirty cents for a bushel of corn than
do here, and yet they sell their whskey equally
cheap. How can they do that unless they
make crooked whiskeyY Yn For the purpose Of verify
ing or refuting the conclusions Of Mr.. Russell
HERALD reporter called the ONCE Of Collector James
Freeland of the Second district of the United States
Internal Revenue Department Brooklyn, yesterday
morning. The Collector, in response to the query
whether he of tho allegation OF Mr.. Russell
with respect to the existence Of Illicit ''crookedn
whiskey dealing in Brooklyn stopped writing in tue
middle of his signature looking up sharply eyed the
questioner. Alter moments pause, in which he ex-
pressed some astonishment he said, ''If you my
deputy, Mr.. Truesdae, he VIII your question.
You will excuse me, as you perceive that | am en-
gagged" The deputy Indicated was found in an adjon-
Ing apartment
''Mr Truesdae," said the reporter 81 have been re-
ferred by the Collector to you for answer to my
question DO you know that crooked whiskey Is
made In this clty3 IL has boon reported in Chicago
that Brooklyn is not STRAIGHT in that particular -
"Wel, SIR, remarked the deputy, ~ answer for
the fact that everything in this district is conducted
carefully lawfully and honestly and that there no
crooked distleries in Brooklyn and in the district
"what is the extent OF this dstrlct?n
cit embraces four counties-Kings Queens Rich
mond and Suffolk counties"
But il has been publicly stated that here the distll-
lers pay thirty cents more for each bushel OF grain
than they do in the West and yet they sell whiskey
equally cheap. Is not that sngularSn Before Mr..
Truosdae could reply an official who seated at
desk by looked up and said 'The gentleman who
made that statement in the Herald didn't 90 far
enough; that the trouble, You gee the dstillers
here pay thirty cents abusne more for grain than those
that they send theft whisky to loE YoiS ssd other
parts Of the East for market Well they pay heavy
freight to bring tito market over the railroads Here,
then they encounter expense which the Eastern pro-
ducers have not What the West saves in the purchase
OF grain, and it takes about bushels TO each barrel
Of whskey, expended the cost of transportation
The difference between the gram and the saving in
transportation which they realize, balances between
the two sections That is very plain. Then, again,
when their spirits reach New York they must come in
at the market rates or quotations aud sell the same as
the whiskey here manufactured so that there is really
no disparity IN the profits. That is where Mr. Russell
wrong High wines sell at about six cents per GAL
lon less IN the West than in the Eastn
Mr. Truesdale conceded and said that there were only
two disteres in the district aud that they were hon.
esty conducted and were constant surveillance
WHAT MARSHAL HARLOW SAYS
reporter then visited United States Marshal Har-
low In relation 10 the subject The Marshal said he
had heard the rumors that they had hecn aoat for
era days, but he was unable say whether they were
true or false. He thought Collector Freeland could
eucidate the subject be had any facts in his posses
sion. In case there any crooked dstilleries in
Brooklyn IL would he said be the Collectors duty to
seize them, and then the Marshal would take charge OF
them until they we're properly released He would not
commit himself so far as 10 say there is no crooked
whiskey Manufactured IN Brooklyn, but he thought
that there was Just where or by whom he could not
say His had frequently Of late seized Illicit stills
in that city and they would continue TO confscae all
such property discovered. he was guarded in his
answers
Collector Frceand visited the United States Marsbal's
office during the day and held private conference
with HIM.