The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-04
THE WHIsKEY CoNspIRACY.
The Copspirators Protected by the boaders Of
the Administration Parry,

CHICAGO. Jan. As the bottom facts
are slowly reached In the wblskey Ring devel-
opments, It becomes very apparent that there
was general conspiracy to defraud the Gov
ernmcnt by the manufacture OF Illicit spirits,
and that this combination was protected at
Washington. The interesting statement Of an
old dstlller, which was telegraphed from here
last night, proved clearly that the honest men
who were engaged In the whlskey trade made
persistent efforts to prevent the production Of
crooked spirits, and that the authorities at
Washington, instead OF cooperating with
thom, did everything they could to dis
courage the movement. A majority OF the
distillcts made strenuous efforts to break up the
Illicit dlstiation in 1871. A delegation OF them
were In Washington that winter before the Com
mittcc on WAYS and Means to urge the consoli-
da'ion OF the direct and Indirect taxes into one
general tax Thcy succeeded In this, aud went
away thinking that they had convinced the Com
missioner OF Internal Revenue that they, with
his co6pcration could break up the crooked
business. which was running the legitimate
trade but they were disapponted. The Conn
missioner turned deaf ear to the complaints,
remoustfances, and warnings aud. uisheart-
cned. they gave ~ and disbanded their orsan-
iaa'ipn. The honest men who could not be
tempted went out Of the business, and their
places were filled by less ecrupulous
canliels,s, and the great whiskey Ring
agis OF the Mhte House influence, has
nourishcd wonderfully during tho past four
years. The leaders OF the Administration party
gave the unlawful combination their counte-
nance aud protection, and In return received
lioeral contributions for party purposes. 1t is
said that tens OF thousands u dollars were sent
by the Cnicaeo Whiskey Ring to the Eastern
state. IN lN,2. a. well "a IN 1874, to carry doubt
| iul diairc's. There IA undoubiedlN evidence
tahlish thi. fact, but Il Is questionable whether
II VIII bo brought out. inc distiiiers who have
peachcd will OF course only testify to such facts
A. the prosecuting oihcers want them
! To-, and IL Is moro than likely that tcs
| umony in regard to payments to cam
| The di~tiiier whose statement was telegraph
ed to THE SrN last night, said thst propositon
was received from IT. Louis IN ISL, to unite and
! that the ucrson who came here ~ the agent o
| the ~ Louis Ring was none Other than {. ID
Avery trials In ". Louis. aud that he was the
collecting and disbursing agent OF the st. Louis
| of canhien'i 4 Dispatches to Gen. Babcock, ant
having arranged things to the entire satisfaction
| Of hinseli ana his employers III ST. Louis, h'
! came here to Induce Chicago uisttlIcrs TO loiI
their crowd. The man Megruc selected I,
| rcpr, sent him IN Chicago was James NJ. Secrist
who had been a dlsullet In Kentucky. Iroduc,
| dealer and whi-key merchant IN Cincinnati, ant
was then in the real estate business Ia Chicago
Meerue wanted him 10 go to st. Louis and keel
an eye on things there, and see that there was
fair division OF the sp9tls, while he lMegrue
! was TO remain In Wa-hincton and keei
things straight at that end. lie assured
| Sectist that he was authorized 10y one nearest t'
the highest oflclal In the land to IN Ike thes'
| arrangements with the whlskey men. and tina
| 50 long as they made liberal contributions fo
| party purposes they would not be Interrupted
| Sccri.t says he went - 81 Louis and bad later
! views there with Mcdonald and joyce, who con
| hrmed all Megrue had told him. After thinking
the matter over. SecFist says he concluded tina
| a day OF reckonus would cone sooner or Later
| aud u he did not del . 10 bring up I'm the peni
tentiary he declined ,, 90 into the business. 1
seems. however. tna. & this timc there were tn,
! most intimate '..ioHs existing between
Megrue and Dan MUM, the Supervisor of Inter
nal Revenue aud there Is lttle room to doub
! tina. the connection between Chicago and ~
Louis was subsequently made through Megtu
| IN