The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1876-02-23
49, A History OF the Whiskey Ring. :

A corresp ondont Of the New
York World states that the origi-
nal "crookod whiskey" ring of 81.
Louis was started in 1879, ostonsi-
ply for campaign purposes in the
interest Of Grant. It's Leading
splrits wero Mcdonald, Supervisor;
Joyce, Revenue Agent, BOWS and
Eraser,O Distillers -, and G.. G.
Mogruoi Cashier and ,Paymastot.
Instead Of using their funds to
promote tho cause Of tho Rcp publi-
"an party, the money was divided
among them. This narrangom ont
continued till after the Presidential
election, The Government boing
dofraudod Of from $4,000 to S15,-
900 per ,weok by tho officials. " After
tho election was over Mcdonald
and Joyce wanted' to 'Ireeze out"
certain mombers Of, the conspiracy,
and accomplished their object bS'
having :, all crooked 'oporatiops
storped for a whilo. As soon as
the obnoxious persons were igot
rid OF, including Mogrue, operations
were. resumed. more boldly, anil
upon larger, scale than at first.
All tho distillers, With unilnportant
EXCEPTIONS, the Supervisor, tho
rovenue agents,c gaugers and store
koopers, wera in tho ring.odi upul
In 1874, Poter Curran, y. haying
boon prosecuted by, tho Government
(his case was subsequently settlod)
dosi, cd to got out Of his trouble,
and tho ex-,nembors of tho Original
ring, suspecting tho trick which had
been played upon them, and having
suspicious that the crooked oporn
tions had been resumed, opened n
correspondence with Commissioner
Douglass, informing him of tho
existence Of the ring. Pom Brashoar
Il secret service detective, was sent
to st. Louis to investigate, The
ring was forowarned by Avery,
chief clork of Douglass, and
Brashoar was conquered by a bribo
of $4,000. Ho returned to Wash
ington with q clean bill. After
that, Hong, nnothor5 secret service
man, was sent here, and the ring
paid him $4,000 for the sntisfaoto-
ry report which ho tucncd in at
Washington. Then Brashear' md
Yaryan came. Their iiiyosttiig ttii5 gt,tti55ill,
cost tho ring another $4,000
which Brashear took, promising to
divide with Yaryan. The former
returned to Washington and made
out tho regulation report, showing
everything nll atSSMt, certifying that
Aaryan coincided in the opinion.
The latter went to Now Orlonns
from st. Louis, where he passed
tho winter. On returning to Wash.
ington in the spring of 1875 he
discovered the report made by Bra
shear, and donied that he rulncilcd
in the report.
The ring continued it's operations,
till April last, whom information
WAS received that Yaryan was in
town, ostensibly working up rnil-
road case, but in fact secretly ;en
gaged in looking after tho revenue
frauds, When tho ring learned
what WIS being dono Mcdonald
raised $4,000 from it's members
for the purpose, as he said, of
stopping investigation, Bowls had
gone to California, but was called
home bya telegram, reaching st,
Louis three or fonr days boforo tho
seizures were made. a Tho descent
was early in May last, and impair
TALLY included all distillcrs and
roctificrs in St. Louis. Mcdonald
still continued to toll tho ring
"things are all right = tint he knew
who had that $4,000; that all was
straight, and that they would surely
bo released" TO their sorrow,
Mcdonald proved a false prophet
The grand jury was in session for
six wceks At tho end OF that tim
it brought in truo bills against
Mcdonald, u supervisors; Joyce,
revenue agents. nll thc gaugcrs and
storckeepors; NIL tho distillcrs and
rectifcrs, with the exception Of one
who died just in the nick Of time to
save himself !; Fitzroy, deputy COL
lector, and financial agont OF tho
ring, and Avery, chief clerk in. the
Revenue Department. at Washing
ton. ',-, -
The ring continued in good ,spir
it's, still relying on, McDonslds
promises, and thoso Of Joyce, that.
Fall would blow over ;" ." but in
October, having lost jill .faith,ip Him,
the distfllere md rcctiiors all came
into the United Statos District
Court ana pleaded gliilty Titzroy, {
deputy collector, together with the
gangers and store keepers, mado tho
samo plea. At tho November term
Of tho same Court Mcdonald and
Avery were tried and found guilty.
Joyce, under indictment III the
Western District Of the State, had
previously been tried. Ind found
guilty. Sentenco was Suspended on
all who pleadedg,iilty and they were
used as States evidence Sentence
was also suspended on hl found
guilty by trial in tho Eastern Dis ,