The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-08

SCISSOR, whose duty it was to know if there
was any fraud. They would show that
Frysinger was in the habit of purchasing
highwines of other distilleries and rectify-
ing them, and that he properly had more
than his distillery produced. They would
show that the transactions with the rail-
road men had reference to freights and
not to Illicit whisky.
JUDGE MURPHY,
of Davenport, also made an opening statos
ment In behalf OF the defendant Seaverns
lie said the government had not treated
them fairly. The Indictment against Fry
singer alone should have been tried first,
in which case Seaverns could have taken
the stand, and explained all the suspicious
circumstances. Seaverns stood in the same
position as the government witnesses,
Grennele, Manchester, and the other rail-
road men. Not one of them had any sus-
picion that the goods were crooked.
A the close of Judge Murphy address,
General Hawley stated that the govern
ment closed sooner than was expected, and
they would like little time 10 arrange
! their testimony. A recess was according
ingly taken until 2 o'clock. 1t is expected
AFTERNOON.
The Frysinger and Seaverns trial was
resumed at o'clock this afternoon. The
first witness called by the defense was
NJ. t. WISER,
who was examined by Gen. Hawley. He
was in the revenue service first as assist
ant assessor, and then as deputy collector,
from 1869 to October, 1875. He resided
at Rock Island and had his office there
knows the Frysinger distillery; he opened
aud closed the tubs of that distiilery during
that entire period named; the changes in
capacity were frequent; was very often
there alone and with other revenue officers;
never knew of any irregularities in the
running Of that distillery; never knew of
any extra mashes they could not have
used any tubs without his knowledge; he
never had any reason to suppose there
were any irregularities.
Cross examined by Mr. Burke; could not
tell how often he visited the distillery in
1872; extra mashes might have been run
without his knowledge
WILLIAM A. NORRIS
testified: Live at Rock Island; was a
storekeeper assigned to duty at the
Frysnger distillery from 1871 to Deem
Der, 1873: was night storekeeper; his
duty was to see that no highwnes were
taken from the distille~y and the grain;
no spirits were made there to his
knowledge on which the tax was not paid
none were ever removed to his knowledge
would have known if any had been remoy,
ed when he was on duty; Frysinger had a
rectitying house near the distillery; saw
what appeared to be barrels of spirits, not
produced there, being taken to the rectify
ing house; saw this at different times.
Cross-examined: Could not state Of his
own knowledge whose distllery it was
could not swear the barrels he saw going
there we're not empty
DAVID HALVES,
sworn: Resides in Rock Island; was ;
gauger; was assigned to Frysingers dis
defendant ran the distilery. except /
liquor manufactured there during tina
period; none were manufactured that hi
did not inspect aud stamp; all the spirits
produced there were properly stamped
TO barrels were eyer returned there OF
which the stamps had not been cancelled
know the rectiiying house; spirits were
recti6ed there not produced at Frysinger
distilery; think some came from lows
/ and some from Rock Island; distille,
spirits could not have been made Their
without his knowledge George p. Frysiu
t ger ceased to operate the distillery i
9 January, lS73,to the best Of his knowledge
Cross examined: Had charge Of othe
t rectifying houses at the same time; wa
r usually in Rock Island in the Afternoon
D Witness has seen wines from the Mia
e distilery dumped at Friess rectityin
: house at Rock Island.