New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-13
VHISEY FRAUDS IN LOUISIANA.

TIE SUDDENLY ACQUIRED WEALTH OF MANY DIS
TuITIs-A BELIEF THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS
BEEN DEFRAUDED OF SEVERAL MILLIONS.
NEw-ORLEANs, La, Jan. 3.-Ihe develop
mens made at the Investigations Of the whisky factories
al ST LOUIS and indianapolis have led MI Bfst0W 10 the
belief that portion OF the frauds upon the revenue were
executed in this city Acting upon the Information oil
some OF the men who confessed I'm st. Louis orders were
given at the Treasury Department for quiet invesga-
ton of the method that the whisky business was CON
Quoted upon here Detectives were AT once set mt Work
and have, It said discovered great attractions OF the
law in the manufacture Of spirits, and alec Ia the
sale OF CROOKED" whisky shipped TO this city from
ST. Louis Evansville and Cincinnati the greatest portion
sod coming from ST. Louis. The investigation here has
not only disclosed fraud pcrpetrated since the raid made
by Revenue Supervisor Jas j. Brooks In April 1874 Du
also frauds from 1867 10 that lime IL II alleged that the
Government has been defrauded Of nearly S3'oooooo.
Great fortunes wero made by previously obsc'se men
These fortunes are held by three four peIsons one
Of these men, am told WAS in ls67 working a. clerk
Al $50 Dor month. lie saw an opportunity 70 dcfraud
the Government, borrowed $1,000 for three months
paid 81 500 the loan, started distlery ana not
only paid principal and interest al the time specified hui
had a balance OF $1,000 to his credit In bank No"
the same man has great influence in both political par
ties owns at least so houses aud lots in the city one ~
the finest plantations in the state and is largely inter
Gated In two BANKS and two insurance companies.
Another man the proprietor Of bowling alley and
saloon on OF the chief thoroughfarcS lie bought
dsacry and is estimated TO be worth Tl,1Ooooo,
invested chiefly III real estate and bank and insurance
company shares He has had intimate business relations
with n prominent Government official. In The raid Of
1874 three dsileres seized hut were subsequently
bonded AMI were released by Judge Durel The Ham
noud distllery one OF the three seized, was conducted
by Samuel Hammond His bond for 81 5000 VAS signed
by W. j. Behan, John Thorn and by himself Another
distnery was run in the name OF Dennis O'Bren and
bonded I'm the sum Of $4,000; the sureiles bclhs
O,ErleD Patrick Irwin and John McGinty The spirits
bonded were secured by John Henderson, ST. and John
Henderson IT. The third dstillery run In the name
Of Edward Fehrenback lie swOre he could not manufac-
ture over $50 gallons daily, but Mr. Wills. Deputy
Collector. testified that the man could make
7s5 gallons "A day This disuhery was re-
leased upon bond of $1,000; the surctics
being the owner Columbus II. Allen, John A. O'Bren-a
brother OF Dennis OBrien-Joscph Schwaltz ana Thomas
Murray The principal plea made for the release "i these
d.tieres wa, that some cattle hogs, and good. owned
by the poor in neghborhoOd were fed upon the sop
OF the dsteres Scores Of adavits 10 that effect were
made strange TO say, the moment Judge Durell re
leased the diseries upon that plea and the establish
ments were taken OF by their owncrs the dis
tlleres were closed aud whisky has been mauufac
tured there since. Consequently the countless numbers
Of cattle and hogs that formerly derived their food nom
the opubs must have died Soon after these seizures
Suporyior Cobb Of the Revenue Department came here
to look after department matters While at the st.
Charles Hotel he was visited by Government official,
who in behalf Of the dstcrs asked him 10 release the
establishments and offered him large sum Of money If
ne would Supervisor Cobb refused and the release
was subsequently secured through Judge Duolls order
Revenue Office, and they owned by Bchan, OITich
and Henderson. Al these hut little Manufacturing l.
shmeuts the city, few II any, have done dny
thing since tie seizure OF dlstiIleric' 1t st. LOUIS