The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-12
CHICAGO WHISKEY TRIALS.
THE EFFECT or MING fMMU-
NIFTY 70 LESSER OFEENDERS
The Ring Broken Up - The Evidence AaaInat
District Attorney Ward - How the Circu-
lar Letter Affected the Prosecutions.

WAsiuNGTON, Aug. lion the assem-
bling OF the Committee on Whiskoy Frauds this
morning Chairman Cochran and Mr. Plat tod rot
into another wrange on the admission of the
Presidents letter to Secretary Bristow az evi-
dence. The question was finally referred to Mr.
, Hurd Of Ouio, vino decided that the record might
say that Mr.. Pdisted offered III evidence IA letter
dated Executive Mansiou, Wellington, j. C.,
July Il, 1876" addressed to the Hon. II. u. Brs-
tow by L. :. Grant, relating 10 privileged COM
municatlons between members OF the Cabinet
and the Executive Of the Quilted States. The
mnjofit, Of the committee had held that the
letter Itself was nadmssbe. and Mr.. Plasted
! simply wished to identity 10 on the record. Mr.
/ Cochran objection was based on the fact that
Mr.. Plastod wanted to describe the contents Of
the letter written to relieve Secretary Brstow
from all obligations In testifying before the
committee; but the decision Of sir. 1iurd was
satisfactory TO both parties, and ended tue dis
pute.
| Ex-SupeFiutcndent Matthews was then called
70 the stand. and testineI at length regarding
| his connection with the work Of uUeartning the
frauds in Chicago. Regarding the ch ,rgcs
against MIR. Farwell he said that there were sus-
Uicious circumstances against him which form
cd the subject Of frequent discussion. Heknew
that Mr. Tuition had investigated tho charges.
but could not swear that he had ever heard him
say TO what extent he evidence i'm 3lir itcd Far
well, If ~ all. lie testified AT length regarding
the subject or immanitN extended to the first
DHtch; Aflrr the s.nlect had been fuliy Dis
cussed IN Chic lgO, Mathews Wa sem TO Wa D.
ington lust December to consult officials here
TeSufdtng the sun 'ct OF immunity, err iug
| wish bin letter from Gen, Wt0stcr, IN which
th ., f.eesenent was IVY set fourth. On his
rotary Bnstow AID Blu'ord Wilson, ami showed
them the letter Of Gen. Webster, wbo was per
sonll friend ~ tue President, and had been
requested - write the let or oB tUat account.
secrctnU b-i-toN said 60 Matthews that he was
inclined To object 70 the proposition. saving
that the offer wa too bro ID. that IL was piVing
too dearly flr tie Information thew would e.
ceiye: but hn cx crossed clnG lonce in inc zen.
tenan taviuE the prosecutions IN hand aud bis
Willingness to leave tho matter entirely to the
discretion Of tn Court Bluiord wilson sli1 in
took Gen. Wehste r's letter with him - Cab
met meeting an submitted It TO the President.
The letter was read Al that meeting of the Can-
met and she spirit Of It was fully endorsed.
now rue RNG WAS BROKEN.
Two OF the parties sought to bc discovered nv
this extension 81 immunity were Hcs-tng and
kehni Tue former especially. luis was deemed
by the resiieni as especially desirabic. These
men we're what are known us Rng men, whose
personal political ipnucncc was such as pro-
tsci the entire Rug. The detection, prcsccu-
ton and punishment Of those most deeply In
plica'cd IN the hi-key frauds depended uuon
the arrestand prosecution Of these men aud the
evidence ~ ne f'leu vino were first taken. The
sinri' OF Wenster's letter was therefore indorsed
oy tnc AQWhti, ana Matthews r. turned to chi
ch.O. TIC arrangement was made, and the re-
.ult was th4t the Wui-kcy Ring was Ell set ally
broken up. Mr.. Matthews said that In ms
opinion the extension 81 Immunity To those
men was the boat possible arrangement that
could have bcen made to succ, ssfnlly carr, On
the whiskey rOsscuton-. lie said thnt Bris-
tow told MIN thst the President read Gen. Web
the proposition was pretty broad. In his juig-
ment no price wa, too large To give for that kind
OF cNid nee
Rec ruing he circular letter to District At
torpoys Ntthcws said he thought II was very
dc,umentu t. the Prosecutions. lie was IN Judge
laHH
Dexter ami Aver were also present. After the
reading Of the letter. Il WA the imprcs ION that
IT VS. only written them to Keep the records all
right, ana tat DO Gid unt mean anNthins. al
though IL was strong letter for lawyer to
write, especially such a lawyer as the Attorney
General. Il it hat been kept quiet thev would
have thought no hin. II IL. but the effect of Its
publication he e1hsidere4 was very oad in many
conudencs Of jurors IA that character oi testi.
mony. II II had not been for its publication,
the letter would hayc been looked upon 10y the
ofcitis a. rather foolish, and would not have
the opposite, effect to the endorstment . Lei no
guilty man escape:' Nc regarded futon as
rather pelanuic. lie saii that he tried TO Get
tim to De ie'c as ne dii rcgNrhne matters rel Z
ing e. the prnsecuti lus; 1lt the more he t1ikei
10 nun me more obstinate tie became. lie At
uied q him 100 Wron. motives. but thought
tnat mis- inh ment = D. error.
1HE TESTIMONY AGAINST WARD.
Mr.. Matthews was asked 90 state what Kind Of
case be hai a-up-t Mr.. Ward. He rculrd tDat
he Nolld p'nrr mos 80 into mat, u.s. ne uld rot
want to G'i up auy more an aeonsm tnan tnefc
baS been. lhU prinIlWul evidence AGAINST M.Id
wa gwen ~ kehiu. VINO te-tiusd To having paid
Ward cHrtun suus Z u. ney. W1rd dd not
amy receiving certain pnrtione Of thlt money,
bur "a denied til he received % for the plr-
poses named hv Rrhm. Inc amount charged
by iishm vs. S-5Ql. rd did mot drny having
received $l.Nu 500 i-sist him ~ thr e. muai-n
two rclrs ago. and tirh'u said tnaf fhtrt.w Was
notuinr ccrruut iu TINT. bit the ~ 90 that
nn testified having rma to Nc. " ri was
pti un uis c'sl ln hi- N re. alter bee came
District Attorney. Tor corrept purpu- - .-
bnhe' OF eoui's'. 1t coul' moi hn'c been fnr
d. 4
him tu take 10 the cashier Il the Fourth 81
tlnual Bank. and tIrre f. deliver BE- to So. NV
ell VINO did ma, hsnAn- there. Matthews says
he imputed into tht bank account, To md ont
II any deposit. had been made 20 that time. put
hc uid NOT tud alN inin-. ia s.il taAi Ward
taincl, iu Addition 10 the @ljtI. q note ,nr some
money i'f oiern iueerng pugpos's IN connec-
T. Cuu-ros. Was taken down 20 bans. hc met
Tow d. aud ~ 80 81, paid to him. Mard sad
Powell, ami Powell 4id his uanking Their.
there prn ahlv -uud Ice ~one indictuon Of 1t
unou is gre un' Iut up n cNaminiuiug the
hans, he did nYt mud uckeii OF deposit covering
MS ueri nd. Ito tuil tne cashier about ii. WAC
f I'D it wus something Yert unusual ana very ~
NJ rkanie. Nh. Matfncws said he req. rttd the
IAthcr su.u,,iuAs Next dnV Mr. " ard came 10
him and sad. on Ne been down to the
b NIX examining my vcrount. You founi
MaEENe's OF cost me- Matthews $40;
a Suspicious circumstance. Ward then pro-
dnced { &c urh'is ana said tnat they mad
been witudrlwu the SUNDAY before. a, D. bad
teen ruWored that b, was 10 be impu,ated in
tins manner anu ne wished to remove tnem
for that re son. The uckr's were handed to
NJ. Matt teNh to examine them, and he said
thht he uldut Nni uiNtAiug iu fhe bank 49,
count OF Ward tn 4 looked at All SUSPICIOUS
ile' however ana hhd dep'sii oi slbJl To tine
or Ill. 81 W.. Powell about fWcn>-oae d.}s
after GA sc'&,rc, W'ro nalc. Toe tickets Of
post, after n'lus examined ny VT. Matthew'S,
were return q o. ,.r. ard. me witness aid
thar be supposed the one- shown 10 nm were
the originals, tnt remarked, In answer to a
Di ~tt IA, iNdf ne nlu ui non that II