The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-05-11

and the allegations preferred have been sum-
marily squelched. The last was in relation
to the bark Mary Merritt. The investigation
thus far leaves him in such position before
the committee that there is no necessity for
him to pursue inquiry any further. 1t will be
necessary for him to make his own statement
under cath, and one or two witnesses sum-
moned in his OWL behalf will be examined, al
though there seems no real necessity for it.
The charges have broken down absolutely on
the testimony OF those depended on by the pros
ccution to sustain them. Two attorneys for
parties indicted for whiskey frauds appear as
informers, and one or two other people, active
in the instigation of the publication, are lead
ing Democratic politicians. Weiss, the Deputy
on Saturday, his testimony giving strength to
that already taken and relieving the Secretary
from any improper connection with the affair.
Weiss made an important statement, however,
to the effect that he had paid ex-Dstrict Attor-
ney Hubbel $780, and had also paid $500 to G..
W. Hazleton, the present District Attorney
who was formerly q member of Congress, for
arguing against the release Of the vessel.
The history of the troubles of the case is
about as follows: In Hopkinsville, KY, two
brothers, named Trice, reside. In 1867 OF
1858 one OF the brothers went to st. Catharne's,
Canada, for his health. While there the Mary
Merritt was sold at public auction, aud lie pur-
chased half interest in her, leaving the cap
tain and crew to run the vessel. At that time
under an existing reciprocity treaty, the bark
was allowed to trade on the lakes The husi-
ness proved quite profitable, and subsequently
the second brother purchased the remaining
half interest, and the Trice brothers became
joint owners. Congress subsequently,
amended the reciprocity treaty, the result OF
which was that the vessel had to either secure
an American or Canadian register CT give up
traflickng. An application was made for an
American register, and it was refused because
the bark had a British bottom. Likewise the
Domirion Government refused her registry,
because it regarded the vessel, inasmuch as it
was owned by Americans, as foreign one
The application was first made for a registry
to the Canadian Government. he vessel then
proceeded to Milwaukee, and while the owners
were negotiating for American naturalization.
the moleties informers pounced down upon the
bark and reported her as engaged in viola
ton OF both the navigation and revenue laws. |
The case was carried to Court, and the result
was that the vessel was lbelled and ordered
to be Sold
Now, the owners were personal friends of
the present Secretary of the Treasury. They |
retained as their attorneys a firm doing bust
ness in Hopkinsyille, Kentucky, and applied to
tie Secretary Of the Treasury, then MIR. Bout
well, for remission OF the forfeiture. Score
tary Bristow, then private citizen of Ken
tucky, being friend of bob the cHners OF
the vessel ana OF the attorneys, on one occa-
sion when coming to Washington, without be-
ing retained in the case or receiving fee OF
any kind, gratuitously consented to lay a
statement OF the facts before Judge Richard
son, the Acting Secretary. He made his argu-
ment, and never had anything further to do
with it, Mr.. Richardson never disposed Of it,
and when Secretary Bristow entered upon the
duties Of the office he now holds, it was u mat
ter Of adjudication by the Department. Sub
sequently the presentation Of the facts was re- |
ferred to Solicitor Wilson,. lie examined
quite thoroughly into the matter, and concud-
ed that a remission of the forfeiture should te
granted, as the violation Of the law was only
technical.
The complications Of The case were added to
on account OF the efforts of the moety inform
ers to thwart the endeavors Of the owners to
secure release. II the vessel was sold under
the forfeiture, they would get half Of the sale,
or II handed back to the owners. lalf OF u
$4,000 fine imposed. So solictous was this
interest not to have the Treasury release the
vessel. that it employed attorneys to appear in
the capacity OF prosecutors, not so much to
represent the interest Of the Government as
their own. The Solicitor of the Treasury
wrote several letters concerning the ADVISABLE
ty of releasing the vessel to Judge Levi Hub
bell, the U. S. District Attorneyat Milwaukee,
under whose administration the salt against
the owners was successfully prosecuted in
Court He persistently refused to recommend
a remission of the fine, and when the release
was ordered it was against his protest, as he
would neither recommend 1t Or any compro
mise looking to settlement Of the differences
between the owners and the Government. The
sequel to his opposition is now made manifest
since the investigation began. He was being
paid by the inoiety men, and it is shown that
he received from them 5000, aud would TN
doubtedly have received Il much larger amount
had the vessel been sold or the owners paid the
$4,000.
Last March a year ago an additional effort
was made to adjudicate the matter. Appica-
ton was made to Secretary Brstow to pass
upon it. He stated to she ATTORNEYS represent
ing the owners that he would have nothing to
do with the matter, because of the fact that he
had at one time appeared for the owners in the
capacity of a friend, and made an argument in
their behalf Mr.. Biist0W said ut the time,
however, that though he should refuse to pass
upon it he recognized the right of every petit
ton being considered by the Department. of
Which he was the head; that it should be dis
posed Of precisely in the same manner that a
case at court would be where one of the Judges
had had a previous interest in a matter which
might come before him for subsequent action
and that was to turn it over to another Judge
The matter was referred to Acting Secretary
ConanJ, who, upon the recommendation of the
Judge who originally tried the case and order
eu the vessel libelled, the law officer of the
Treasury Department and the officer in charge
OF the Navigation division of the Treasury, is
the vessel was restored to the custody of the
owners. When Conant issped the warrant
Secretary Bristow was not in Washington, nor
had he been for six days previous thereto. This
is the case OF the Mary Merritt in a nutshell.
The action Of the Department, Of course, in
censed the moiety informers who saw slip
from them half Of the nformer's fee. When
Mr.. Blistow made his raid on the Milwaukee
Whisky Ring they intimated by inuendo that he
was interested in pecunary way in the re-
lease, and the whiskey thieves circulated the
libellous charge, until it became a matter of
discussion in the Whiskey Ring organs at Mil
waukee. and finally was brought to the atten-
ton Of Congress by one of the representatives
ON the floor. The case has proven so barren
of results that Judge Cate, at whose instance
the investigation was ordered. studously keeps
away from the sessions Of the committee, rs
the fmsinesS of the attack on Mr. BristoW