The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-06-07
70 answer the charges preferred BY Col.

| TO answer the charges preferred by Col
/ Hunt.
/ On February 81, ISIS. reached Jack
son, Mfssa on business saw Col. Hunt I
uaule registered At the hotel aseer-
tanned he was the Supervisor Of the
District: learned that Col. Hunt, who
had left the day previous. was at Holly
| Springs to witness transfer Of accounts
went there; met him ut the depot, in.
tr0duced myself, and as he was return
| ipg ii Jackson returned on the train
with him. At first had general con
versation with him; after breakfast. at
Granada, talked about my bust
ness: told him that up to
Captain Brooks raid the basis Of
assessment had been three gallons TO
the bushel. MY distillery was the only
one that was not seized at the time.
Sold my distillery to Mr.. Casey, and
when he was about TO start to work he
Ieurned the assessment was raised to
three and one- half gallons per busbel.
Requested Col. Hunt to come down and
gee for himself that the assessment was
excessive. Mr.. Casey had no other al.
tarnative hut to try. Col. Hum. was but
recently III office, and [ wanted him to
srss s6SYa fRs dIIfsrsnao tis ii as assessment %
amounted TO sixteen hundred dol
lars d week. that TO make up the
difference Mr.. Casey had to resort to
means that would eventually hurt Ills
business. Some six weeks later went
East. and on my return stopped at the
Gait House, in Louisville after my meal
took chair in the rotunda met Col.
Hunt, who told him he Rad been ut
Baton Rouge and New Orleans, but had
81 3S.A
in their previous conversation agreed
TO go TO Lexington with him !;
went there: stopped at the same
hotel went the next day
10 his office again pressed the matter,
and loft him on my way East. Never
saw him until after he took possession
OF the Casey dessillery. Never heard
that he had misconstrued my intentions
until the publication made In May Of
the same year in st. Louis paper; n
statement that / at the time answe red
through the columns Of the same paper
Questioned by Mr.. Stephenson Wit
ness states he never made to Mr.. Hunt
propositions similar to those agreed
office never had agreements with Mr..
Cobb, tho only allusion TO money was
to the difference In capacity, which
would cost Casey from $1,000 to $1,000 u
week / went To Lexington at the sug-
gestior OF Col. Hunt, il had had busi-
hess with him. could have Ind 1t settled
as we'll In Louisville, the Grand Jury
has had full control OF the telegraph
office: never received o telegram from
Senator West, and on no friendly terms
with him since 1870, and have hardly
spoken to him since that time.
10 Mr.. Couger Mr.. Hunt watched the
distillery very close never found that it
worked crooked. IL he did, his duty
would have been to seize the distillery
and the whisky, the dstiItery stopped
of It's own volition. and it was only six
weeks after that IN assessment was
levied against Casey, and myself as his
security, and the distillety was seized.
Col, Hunt and Mr.. TompkiHs had ebarge
OF my books, the rectifyiug house and
the distiliery, examined everything
found everything all right. Under Gen.
Brady's administration an Indictment
was found against me for alleged irregli- |
larities in gauging the indictment IL
yet TO be tried.
10 Mr.. Stephenson Witness does not
remember writing o telegram, Of which |
copy IL shown him. asking j. H. Cobb |
when his successorwouId be appointed /
the distillery ran some ten or fifteen /
lays after Mr.. Hunt had put new gaugers |
In the distilfery then stopped on account |
81 the assessment at 3l gallons does +
not remember having ever received a
letter from Mr.. Cobb, or any one writing |
n his behalf
TO Mr.. Conger = Did keep letter
book for his ordinary correspondence !;
copied some OF his letters. having no
partner, was not particular about copy
Ing his letters.
II signing his full name In kilograms to
Mr.. Cobb. merely signed j. A. w. his /
initials we're rather peculiar thought /
Mr.. Cobb would recognize them; may
have written to Cobb on political mat
.ers. Witness meeting with Hunt, at
Jackson, and at the Calf House, was
purely accidental.
To Judga New--Does ot know II Col. I
Hunt was keeping house in Lexington !;
stopped with MIN at the Phoenix Hotel !:
loes not know IL he Is u married man.
COLLECTOR FRANK N. WICKER,
IF Key West, Fla, was put next on tho i
stand. At the request Of Gen Sheldon, !
counsel for Collector Ca~y, il was /
,greed that Mr.. Kinsella, who investi- /
gated the matters OF this testimony t
,onjointly with Witness should be ex
lmiued af.cr Mr.. Wicker.
Upon the arrival Of the steamer Mar
saret from Key West. there were seven /
,ases OF merchandise marked "A. d. :"
he matter was indefinite, and the
iuty could not be assessed my sus-
Dicions were aroused ;opened cases they
$4,000 cigars called for mani /
est OF the Martha; found the seven
;ases were put down as $4,000; tele-
graphed to New Orleans for additional
The cigars were con-
signed to A. Debruille, and that Bornio
Brothers were the, principals, and forced
hem to prove ownership. The case
vas tried and / won the case, as ! con-
,inced the court that there was fraudu-
ent intent. My first step ON reaching
New Orleans was to get the tripIicate of
he invoice; found II had not been re-
,eived and no entry was made for them,
is the merchants had got wind Of the
- h. l. l. I