The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-02
BoooKLYNs BOURBON BRIBERY.


LERs "A SIMILAR ACCUSATION MADE TWO
YEARS AGO.
The publication in the HERALD OF yesterday OF the
intention OF United Statcs District Attorney A. W.
Tenncy to proceed against certain officials Of the In
terna Revenue Dcpar aud cx-Assistant District
Attorney William D. Hughes for alleged maifeasancs
in Office caused considerable excitement In public CIR
clos. The revenue officers said to be implicated
Deputy Collectors Daniel Gilen and Samuel Giberson-
arc widely known, and have long been regarded 40
tho most efficient rnd trustworthy men In
tho First Internal Revenue Collection district
Yesterday forenoon District Attorney Tenney was early
In his oco and visited by tho accused parties and
also by Sas Boone, cashier Of the First Internal
Revenue Collection district Mr.. Boone's interview
was protracted enc. As no was leaving he was &C
costed by reporter who questioned him as to whether
he bad read the statements published rejecting the
parties named above Mr. Boone's reply was "Thcre
Is nothing in II, gentlemen, nothing at aat least
don't believe there anything In It," District Attor
ney Tcnncy seeing that several members Of tho press
werc waiting in tho adjoining office. requested his
clerk TO close the door between them After waiting
few moments the reporters entered Mr.. Tenneys room
only TO find that it vacant The District Attorney
drcading, doubtless tho batteries OF the inqusitoria
party hod rercated by side door leading 10 tho
suoS, thcuCc uoWu anu Out iutO tuo stIccI
The District Attorney, in reply to questions, said
that he mad positively no part in any manner
whatever IN giving publicity to the articles that had
been published. Itwoud be wrong for him to have
movement against the officers did not cmauate from
him or IRON his oIice.n few months ago 1t was
stated by one of the St. Louis men that much OF the
revenue robbing was done in Brooklyn. Thus led the
writer 10 make inquiry IN official circles in the Office OF
Collector Freeland, and the result, published in tho
HERALD at the time. that strict had been the
Inspection OF late close tho
lance exercised NJ the present time, that 1t would be
utterly impossible to deraud the Revenue Department
In the manufacture OF spirits to any considerable
tcnt To DO sure there werc few small stills running
hero and there. but these were broken up
as found. They unanimous IN the exT rcssion or
tho opinion that no s'rng' had or could exist in
Brooklyn while tho officers OF the Revenue Depart
ment were honest and capable, as they had always
proved TO DO. Tho present revelations upon this
vauntca purity and tor tho public welfare like
'thunderbolt IRON clear sky"
COLLECTOR PREELAYD.
when spoken the subject STEMS revelations
yesterday, said that some two three weeks ago lie
received letter from the department AT Washington,
tho contents OF which he would not make public but
II had bearing this He replied to 1t that he
should investigate the matter and that he thought any
overt action against these officers pending his
cation would DO unjust He has since engaged in
investigating the matter regards Mcssrs Giicn and
Giberson. Thus far everything has been found cor
rect The amount alleged to have bccn paid bride
10 three men was too much money. the Collector
thought and no Brooklyn distiller could afford to pay
It, He could not say whence the attack against his
proceeded but he was free TO say that be
did not believe anything Of It
Chief Deputy Collector Boone, the cashier OF the
Office said II hard enough 10 make straight whis
key and pay the tax II would be impossible, he said,
to any length Of time with tho connivance OF two
deputy There forty fifty assistant
assessors at the time stein ran these stills ana when
he alleges he paid the money. Besides there were
twelve or fifteen deputy collectors, any one OF whom
had power TO make seizure anywhere that they found
wrong. Neither oil these officers will DO suspended
during the investigation. Even should thcv DO in
dcted and tried the most extreme measure would DO
suspendlun them during trial
THE POLICY SILENCE.
Mr. William D Hughes, formerly Assistant District
Using law in Now York, declined 10 say thing what
ever about the case until II shall have been brought
properly before the Courts when no will be fully pre-
pared to rciutc tho base accusation.
DEPUTY COLLECTOR GILLEN.
one OF the accused deputy collectors said that the rst
time STEMS establishment, IN Furman street, was
seized by him was in the spring OF 1872 "Thc story
that he had ever paid me money, said Mr.. Gllen, us
simply absurd am sure II will be so shown when
this matter TO be investigated l was the
nrst person who gave Information 10 the government
officers which resulted In exposing tho operations OF
formation supplied by me that led 10 their indictment
for conspiracy to defraud the government Tho par
this plan for the purpose OF manufacturing public opn
ion and creating prejudice against In advance.
shall be able 20 show II the isc IS brought 10 trial
that there 10 not one word OF truth IN it,
DEPUTY COLLECTOR EMERSON
said that there no truth in the matter; that he
never received one dollar from stcin. and be had
lector HAD there been any good ground for making
such charge would have been brought to tho notice
oil Collector Frecland in the usual way, and not have
come from the Supervisors Office New York for toe
purpose Of creating prejudice against us In advance
70, mranu 1a,y s sn, a%
against GiIIen and himself and It was referred to the
authorities At Washington There was truth in 1t,
and they were retained in their present positions
AN INSIDE OFFICIAL OPINION or THx CASE
A HERALD reporter had conversation yesterday
afternoon with United States Deputy Marshal Do Clue
n
department Of the government service IN Brooklyn,
touching the merits OF the accusations made by Chris
tian A. Stein. the indicted dister, against Messrs
Hughes, Gen and Giberson. The Deputy Marshal
SAID that there may be against them, but that
oil the allegations published could not bc truc BY any
possibility For instance was stated that SteiL had
during period extending over Two years, paid 10 Ex
Assistant District Attorney Hughes, and TO Deputy
Collectors Giberson and Gillcn, the sum OF $500
weekly the price OF their silence with regard to the
existence Of the Illicit whiskcy stills that he was
engaged IN running mt that time. Five hundred dol
lars per week for two years would amount TO about
$4,000 Mr. Hughes appointed Assistant District
Attorney about the spring Of 1873 and lie held the occ
not more than twelve months He came TO Brooklyn
from Washington and held other position here. It.
therefore, follows that as Mr.. Hughes was not in ofco
more than one year he could not have met Stein as
Assistant District Attorney and received that money
pncc Of silence. !" This Whole matter said Deputy
Marshal De Clue scenes. in my Judgment, from the
oncc OF the Supervisor o! Internal Revenue in New
York You when Hughes came into Office he was
full Of energy and made a raid upon sanborn \ Co,
States internal He finally procured their in
dctmcst In the preparation Of the case in obtaining
the necessary evidence and witnesses, he was aided
Chiefly by Deputy Collectors Giberson and Gilicn.
In that way he incurred the enmty Of the
people In the Supervisors Office In New
YORK who wcrc friendly 10 Sanborn believe, and
Hughes Gillen and Gberson think SO. too, and that
she story, rs published, emanated from that quarter,
from the friends OF Mr.. Hawlcy, and that proceeds
from an old grudge against them II Is bad looking
case, however, stands, provided this Stem
produce witnesses he pretends to be ablc to do 10
show that these officials visited his Illicit stills while they
in operation, and were seen there by workmen.
But the other hand, II DO borne In mind that
Stein prisoner. He ID In a very tight box and. Of
coufsc, wants 10 get out best he may. Why, when
Hughes Assistant District Attorney he had Chris
tan A. Stein indicted twice Tor Illicit distling
man named Arthur smith went bail Tor Stein
Ia the amount Of several thousand dollars, and
Subsequent inquiry revealed the fact that the
bond gwen by Smith was worthless II
was straw bail. Smith was arrested and
tried and narrowly escaped upon legal tcchncatv
raised by his lawyer his behalf Smith Tell out with
Stein and they not now ON very good tcrmA Stcln
told me tho other day that he had been served with
bill Ivy the government for $25 900 taxes due wills
key. There are three indictments against him. The
Grand Jury, before whom the papers in the case Will
DO brought. will mcct on Wednesday next, and sum-