The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1876-02-17
CROOKED WHISKY.
william Mckee, OF the St. Louis Globe
Dem Dcr=If, Convicted.

DNAAA SSa-eas NOANACASus
The most notable trial so far in COLI
nectiOn with the whisky ring closed
last week, in st. Louis, the jury bring
ing in a verdict of guilty in the case Of
VIM. Mckee, senior proprietor of the ST.
Louis GlObe-Democrat. A different YER
dict was anticipated not only in st.
Louis, but everywhere else, on account
of the contradictory testimony of wit
nesses for the prosecution; but it seems
the jury, after making full allowance for
this, still considered the evidence of
guilt strong enough to Justify them in
arriving at the decision they did, which,
it was ascertained in court, was a unani-
nous one. And then, too, the charge of
the judges squinted just a trihe in the
interest of the defendant, making the sit
uatiOn apparently favorable for acquit-
tai, or at least hung jury. Conviction
III this case will strike terror into the
hearts Of the culprits yet to be tried
Mcguire and BabcOck. Apparently,
nothing can save them. A brfet history
of the Mckee trial will be Of at least
passing interest.
A jury was found without delay, and
the prosecution opened with a speech by
Col. Der, the district attorney. The
evidence already given in other cases,
showing the existence of the conspiracy,
and the universal belief that Mckee was
party to it, was then repeated, with
some few facts tending TO prove his ac-
tive participation. The testimony of
FitzrOy, one of the disbursing agents of
the ring, that he paid money to Mckee
and was warned yhim TO remember that
''this was a sacred thing" was followed
by that of Engelike, a rectifier, who
swOre that he once approached Mckee in
behalf of certain parties who demanded
to be allowed to run fraudulently with
out paying tax; that Mckee promised
that he would see the arrangement
carried out, and that il was done and the
parties did run fraudulently. McGrue.
at another time the disburser, testified
that before he had given evidence to the
grand jury Mckee came to him, and
wanted such testimony given as to save
him, but that he said he should tell the
truth-that he had divided the profits
into five parts, and given two to John
LeaYenwOrth to be delivered to Mckee
for himself and Ford, the collector. At
this point desperate effort was made by
the defense to shut out all evidence as to
admissions made by the conspirators
tending to show Mr. McKee's participa-
tion in the conspiracy. Theelaborately pre-
pared argument showed that the defense
had regarded this as absolutely necessa-
~. The prosecution, also, was evident
ly prepared 10 meet the objection. After
prolonged argument, the objection was
Overruled by Judge Dillon, and the evi-
dence on the part of the prosecution was
completed on Wednesday. The repeated
assertions of LeavenwOrth that ne had
paid money to Mckee, numerous conver-
satiOns had by conspirators with him, in
which ne spoke as if with a full knowl-
edge and direct interest in the cOnspira-
cy, and the declaration of one witness
that money was paid 10 Mckee in his
presence, formed together a very strong
case. 1t IS noted as somewhat strange
that the prosecution did not produce
Everest, the witness who was brought
back from Europe. The natural infer
ence is that he knew nothing which
would strengthen the case against Mckee,
however important his evidence may be
in other cases.