National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-04-22
The Boughton- Affair-spicy Test.
mony to be Given To-day.

Horace Boughton, clerk to the Military Com
mittee, has charged that Col. Bridgeland, for.
merly Supervisor Of Internal Revenue for Texas,
and now consul to Havre, and whom he claims to
be the man who made the charges against him,
has two indictments resting against him. 1t ap-
pears that Col. Bridgeland is now in the city and
goes before the Committee on Military Affairs TO-
day. Col. Bridgeland has been acquitted OF the
charges against him by letter Of the Internal
Revenue Department Of 1870, entering q noue
prosequi Of the two cases, on the ground that the
charges were too trivial for consideration.
In the tim Of Col to be
severely oyerhauled. 1t appears that In 1870
Col Bridgeland, who was there as supervisor Of
between the cost Of distilling and the cost Of
freights around by way of Galveston was such
that it was impossible to distin spirits. in the
State Of Texas, with corn at one dollar and quar-
ter q bushel, against corn in the North Missis-
sippi valley at from three to forty cents bushel.
taking an escort of twenty i've mounted men
with q lieutenant in command, two mule teams
and one ambulance he proceeded to Austin to
He shut up my four distilleries and carted of
the valuable portions Of the distilling property,
stumbled across the firm Of Douglass, Rhomc &
Co., merchants, manufacturers and dstillers-
the leading business men of Smith county, Texas.
lass admitted that for year or two he had been
expecting that every stranger passing by that
way was Government officer to arrest him; that
count with Horace Boughton, assessor Of the
district, and dividing the liquors with him at the
dlstillery door; Boughton agreeing to take care Of
the tax, stating ut the same time that the
Government was not collecting taxes Just
then. MIR. Douglass said his firm made up
little return Of about eight hundred dollars,
enough to make q show, and, under the crcum-
stances he was advised to make full breast Of
the matter. He did under oath admit that he
had divided liquor with Boughton, and that
Boughton had 'staken care Of the tax, as he had
promised, and wanted to know what he could do
about it. After 0 full confession, Col Bridge
land, the supervisor, consented to indorse his ap-
Of all tax upon his share OF the liquors and
penalty Of q 500, which penalty was deposited
with Collector Wood, and the papers went on to
Washington, Endorsed by Judge Duvall and all
copied. Horace Boughton then made q similar
offer to the Government Of compromise, which
Col. Bridgeland, as supervisor, declined to in.
dorse notwithstanding Col. Bridgeland would
have been entitled, under the moiety act then a
Colonel Bridgeland received his moiety from
the Douglass, Rhome & Co. compromise, but re-
fused IL In the Boughton case, and ordered the
assessor to levy special assessment against
delivered 70 him by Douglass, Rhome b Co., and
Collector Wood to appropriate the money In his
own hands TO the payment Of Boughton's taxes
due to the Government as Sistiiler While he was
Boughton is now in the Treasury OF the United
States, and Is due to the Government because Of
tax unpaid by Horace Boughton for his proportion
Of the LIQUORS delivered BY Douglass, Rhoms
Court Of Claims TO get the money back, upon the
ground that he put II in the hands Of the collector
for q compromise and II was used opsy his taxes.
The banana crop in Louisiana Is the largest ever
grown there. The fruit has grown through the