The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1876-02-23
%, The Wbiskey Conspiracy.

|SJhi ,IGWi ,NHT"NfN"Syf' .i"t p.
ne e&9llectionp 81 tho'leFs tho resoatio tattffEo fftoom
the mqpnufactare ahd sole of spiritu-
ous liquors has always beon attended
With much trouble. There are so
many ways Of dcfrau(ling the govern
mcnt Chat it has required tho most
stringent regulations and the utmost
vigilance to collect anything like a
good proportion Of the taxes levied.
Despite the vigorous Prosecution of
Offenders, and the constant raids of
revenue-ofiiccrs, illicit tliatilling con
tinucs to be engaged in to no small
extent. But within tho past few
months, there has developed q com
bination which long quietcd tho sus-
picions of the government, and con.
tinllca to make money for it's partici-
pants. The system ofrovcnuc-collcct
ing at ST.. Louis and other leading
cities was thought to DO as near nbso-
lutte perfection rs any human device
can be. Tho officials wcrG men OF
long experience, high politica
standing and, to MI appearances
great personal integrity With
such men authorized and directed
to collect tho public revenue, detect
fraud and bring offenders to iustioo,
there would seem to have been no
ground to fear that tho interests Of
tho government would suffer any
dotrimcnt at their hands. Bnt ii
has turned out far differently. The
The conspiracy which has 80 long
attracted public attcntion--and Of
which thcro will DO found in another
part Of this paper o concise but
comprehensive history---is found to
embrace the very mon from whom
the government had q right to ex-
poet the most constant protection
and in whom The full performance
of duty would havo been but the
trecognitjon of q solemn oath. Yet
tho sworn evidence recently ad-
duced at tho trials in dilforont parts
Of tho West shows that there was n
deliberate, well-plannetl scheme on
tho part Of revenue officers to
smction and protect the manufacture
md sale Of "crooked" spirits. The
mode Of procedure was simple
enough. The approval OF distilled
liquors, together With their stamp
ing and marking for market, was
entirely in the lm,lils of those
officials of whom many have proven
false. Tt VAS no difficult task, at
least for somo time, to carry on
the. plan of operations, 4 and tho
profit was,very large, alike to dis
tillers and to revefiuc4officers. Tho
way Of mahaging the business WAS
simply to dofrat,d tho government
out Of the.ta of seventy conts per
gallon, aid divide tho SUM TINS
saved equally between the whiskcy
man}5fac teh.ers and the Officials, m
terested. When it is remembered
TINT single establishment in tho
Wost counts it's product by thou
sands Of gallons, it can be ensily
ipoginel that tho conspiracy was q
real "big bonanza" to all engaged.
Mckee, who was recently convicted
atSt. Louiss is said to have realizcd
100000 iii q sihglc year from his
share Of The profits. Tie ring vas
large, including. noarly every
whiskey-,naker and revonuo officinl
In extensive sections of country.
Not the least remarkable feature of
this fconspiracJ is tho high chafnc-
ter heretofore borne by many of
those now shown to havo been i'm
picatcd. Mckee, Joyce, Avery,
Fitzroy and ,othors we're men of