New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-05-11
THE WHISKY WAR IN NEW YORK.


J. o. BOYD, Y. p. HILL, W. S. MILLER, EDWARD A.
BoURY, AND OTHERS ARRESTED on CHARGES or
FEAUD-AILIGED COMPLETELY WITH The WEST
ERN RING-CHARGEs OF large TRANSACTIONS
BY A STRONG RING THIS CITY.
The anniversary of the opening OF the war
against the Whisky Ring, the account OF which was pub
shed in The TRIBUNE one year ago to@lay, was cci'-
bratcd yesterday by OF members OF six leading
whisky firms of this city, and the Issue Of warrants for
Is others These men. the Government officials declare
compose a Ncw-York Whisky Ring Of great strength
whose transactions IN Illicit whisky alleged TO have
been very large.
This movement on the part Of the Government Is the
SEQUEL TO Assistant Distrct-Atorney sberman's inyos
cations the West and elsewhere which have been III
progress for than year IL is asserted that frauds
ON have been carried on In this city by the
accused dealers for three half years and that tho
existence fraud has been well known 10 the authorities
here but that the Ring has been strong In all IT'S ranih
cations, and much difficulty has been found III Obtain
ing evidence that prosecution has been delayed until
tie present time During the three and half yeas II is
estimated by the Government officials that from
1000 600 20 5000 600 gallons Of "crooked" whisky
have been sold In this market since the breaking OF
the Western Ring, Mr.. Sherman has been pushing his
search evidence against Newiork firms with better
success. Important witnesses were secured In the per
sons OF Bingham and other Western dstlors and Dealers
and it stated that evidence of an overwhelming char
many NewYork houses with the Rings III St Louis, Mil
waukee, Peoria, and elsewhere.
on the strength OF this evidence, the United States
Grand July on Tuesday returned twenty indictments
against liquor dealers in ills city, sA of whom were
brought Commissioner Shields yesterday AMI adj
mitted bail in sums varying u0n 100000 10 S-oOVo
The persons arrested were:
f. o. Boyd and Edgar p. Hill Of the firm OF j. o. BOYD
Co., liquor OInmissOn merchants, OF No % Broadst
W. s. Miller OF W. =. Miller az ,o fohiihIssioH moi-
chants, Of No. 81 BTOad-st. .
Edward A. Boury, Secretary Of the NewYork Rcctify-
Ing Company OF No. 10 Cedai.st.
j. A. Anthony. reetneI, OF No. $50 East Thirty
eightL-st.
william NJ Rice dealer In alcohol of No. 215 Pearl-st.
Some OF the indicted surrendered Themselves he
fore warrants served and others were arrested
by Deputy Marslals Robinson, Crowley Deubert New
comb and Harrison. large part OF the day was con-
sumed IN arranging satisfactory bail bonds, but all were
finally released bonds in the following SUNS: +. o.
Boyd, 10000; Edgar r. Hi, 10000; j. A. Anthony
$4,000 Edward A. Bonry, $4,000; W. :. Miller,
$4,000; W. NJ. Rice 10000. Boyd Il indicted on 20
counts Hill Oh 1G BouIy %, Miller Oh 10, and An
tbony on s. These counts almost as many differ
en kinds Of alleged frauds all In connection with West
ern Rings
Most Of the arrested declined to make any detailed
statements yesterday All asserted that they had only
bought whisky which duly stamped In accordance
with law and had not knowingly been guilty OF any
frauds. Nessrs Boury Boyd said that IL was prob
able that some whisky received by their firms had not
paid proper tax but they never bought any winch
was not stamped aud they had means OF knowing the
"straight from the crooked" whisky, in cases where
the frand had been perpetrod in ai1ng the stamps ut
the distilleries They claim that the stamp Is to bc
accepted guaranty that the tax has been paid and
that they are justified in purchasing in open market any
duly stamped goods without going behind the stamp ~
induire a. TO the legitimate manufacture OF the spirits
All Of the other indicted firms make IN substance the
same statement
The Government officials claim 10 have evidence to
show that the NcwYOrk consgnees of the Rings in 81.
Louis Milwaukee Chicago, and Peoria hal distinct I'M
destandings with Western dters as to the charac
ter Of their cOnsigments by which II was arranged that
lots Of Illicit whisky to be distributed through ship
that had paid duty that these Illicit goods were
known in New York by certain distinctive mark and
sold by the indicted firms with full knowledge Of
their fraudulent character II il alleged that thorough
understanding existed between the NewYorK firms and
that facilitate their business and 10 avoid suspicion,
Illicit eonsignments tended for firm often sent
to another
Assistant DstrictAttorney Sherman said 70 TRIBUNE
reporter yesterday that had been presented TO
the Grand Jury without ample evidence to
vicon lie declared that the real root of the whisky
Ring was In this city, and that the Western manufac
tureIs Illicit spirits could not have carried on business
without the aid Of the kewYork Ring in getting rid Of
their goods lie believed that the real offenders had
been reached.
Tie methods by NnlcD tDe NeW-1ork ueatfs
on the alleged Illicit transactions will not bo fully de-
yeloped until the trial the pending but they
are said to have formed ;om lete system Among
other facts asserted that it viii be shown that the
NewYork oOnsnees accustomed to take advantage
Of their knowledge Of the guilt OF the Western dsers
TO plumber them numerically In settling accenDts by
what is termed cutting on tho gauge" the gauger in
COLLISION with the Eew-York buyer reporting short
measurements aud the dstier not daring to complain
The indicted persons who not arrested yesterday
and who have left the city, will be brought before Com
missioner Shields to-day. The trial of these viii
begin at the June term Of the United States Circuit
Court