Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1876-02-05

MCKEE CoNvIcTED.-The trial of Me-
Kee, connected with. the St. Louis whis-
ky ring has at last been brought to a
close. The Jury in the case rendered
verdict of guilty, and VIM. Mckee will
doubtless join his old comrade, Mr..
Joyce. The progress Of this criminal
prosecution has been watched with much
interest by the public generally, but we
learn that in st. Louis the memory OF the
oldest citizen fails to recall the time
when so much feeling was exhibited in
the result of a criminal trial, as that
shown in the Mckee case. Judge Dill
Ions charge TO the Jury occupied four
columns in one of the city dalies, and it
was pronounced, not only by the defeR-
dant's counsel, but by the whole commu-
nifty, as virtual instruction for acquit-
tai. 1t seems, however, that the Jury,
with all the facts before them, believed
the accused to be guilty, and so EXPIRE SIS
ed themselves before the Court. As CO.
temporary says: zone by one Grants
friends are going to the penitentiary,"
and the saddest mourners are Mcguire
and Babcock, the remaining culprits,
who are awaiting their fates with fear
and trembling. Joyce, Mckee, Mcguire
and Babeoek in the penitentiary would
furnish eableaux scene OF rare piotu-
resqueness. With Gen. Grant we say
"'let no guilty nan escape" A brief re-
sumo of the Mckee trial may be of inter
est to our readers, so we give it for what
it is worth: ga jury was found without
delay, and the prosecution opened with a
speech by Col. Dyer, the District Attor-
ney. The evidence already given in 9TH
er cases, showing the existence of the
conspiracy, and the universal belief that
Mckee was a party to it, was then re-
peated, with some new facts tending 70
prove his active participation. The tes-
timony of Fitzroy, one of the discussing
agents of the ring, that he paid money to
Mckee and was warned by him to re-
member that "this was sacred thing"
was followed by that of Engelike, rec
tifier, who swore that he once applied to
Mckee in behalf of certain parties who
demanded TO be allowed to run fraudu-
lently without paying tax; that Mckee
ment carried out, and that it was done
and the parties did run fraudulently.-
McGrue, at another time the disburser,
testified that before he had given evil
dence TO the grand jury Mckee came to
him, and wanted such testimony given
rs to save him, but that he said he should
tell the truth-that he had divided the
int fua nrSv
John Leavenworth to be delivered to Nc
Kes 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-
ton in the conspiracy. The deliberately
prepared arguments showed that the de-
Tense had regarded this as absolutely
necessary. The prosecution, also, was
evidently prepared to meet the objection.
After prolonged argument, the objection
was overruled by Judge Dillon, and the
evidence on the part of the prosecution
was completed on Wednesday. The re-
peated assertions Of Leavenworth that he
had paid money to Mckee, numerous con-
Versations had by conspiratOrs with him,
in which he spoke as if with full knowl-
edge and direct interest in the conspira-
cy, and the declaration of one witness
that money was paid to Mckee in his
presence, formed together very strong
case. 1t Is noted as somewhat strange
that the prosecution did not produce Ey-
crest, the witness who was brought back
from Europe. The natural inference is
that he knew nothing which would
strengthen the case against Mckee, how
ever important his evidence may be in
other cases."