The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-01-12
THE s1NUoUs SENSATION.
The Chicago Crooked Coming to a
s- Crisis.
GIsT OF THE EVIDENCE.

GlSI VI The ENlDENCE
REASONS OF THE GOVERNMENT FOR LENIENCY
TOWARD THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. GUILTY
KNowLEDGB OF FRAUDS CHARGED AGAINST
EX-CoMMIsSIoNER DOUGLAS.
The New York Herald of Wednesday
says: Owing TO the absence OF District At
torney Bangs, who was expected back this
morning but did not reach here until after
the grand jury had adjourned, none of the i'm
pertsnt witnesses were brought before the
latter to-day. Messrs. Junke and Golsen
waited ali day to be called, but were not,
the other "squeaiers," as they are caleb
Parker, Mason and R0eQe- were also
ready 10 tell all they knew. AS District At
tOrneV Bangs has especial charge of THESE
cases it was deemed best to defer the laying
OF the important testimony before the
grad jury until his return. Meanwhile
two of TIE miuOr witnesses of the govern
ment appeared before them, Frederick
and Miller, the owners of the Lake Shore
distil cry, which, although small, was one OF
the most "crOOkeo" of all the crooked"
establishments in Chicago. Both Miller
and Frederick, who paid taxes on about
halt of the whisky they sold, are under it.
dictment, but have turned states evidence.
The only man bf sides the jurors and wit
Desses present In the room VAS Mr.. Writ
DeX er, one OF tie special counsel ems aged
by the govern ment tor these whisky cases.
Never in the history Of grand iuries was
there greater care taken to exclude repre-
SCI atives OF the press. First, they
we're Danish from the door, and afterward
even from The hall leading TO the door. The
most
COMPREHENSIVE PRECAUTIONS WERE TAKEN
to prevent any body from OBJ aiming an lux
ling of the testimony, aud still the Herald
will be accurately informed of its general
-
gave q history of the COicagO ring from Its
Inception, showing that they were decoyed
into 1t by corrupt officials, at the head
which stood Hesing and R-hm, VINO prom
ised 10 assign to their oil -tillery connlvIng
store keepers and gaugers on condition tia
they would divide the spoils. From their
evidence IL appears that Hesing aud Rehm
through their supposed ability TO control
the votes OF Chicago, dictated the assign
ment of these petty officials To whatever dis
Jillery they pleased. Ostensioly tol-
leetor Irwin, VINO Is now DEAD,
made these assignments, but Hes
log and Rebm, 1t was generally
understood 10y all the crooked" oistillers,
controlled them. 1t also appears tnat large
sums of money were paid by the witnesses
to Hesing aud Rehm, they unders snuing
that these two gentlemen had to divide W To
Miller aud other prominent city officials
with a we'll known C ngressman-wnOse
name need not be mentioned until he is
also indlcted-sDd with other in Influential
persons ut Washington. They also gave
some details showing the mode of making
these pay ments. Both Hesi1g ana Ret III,
it seems, were too cautious To take checks,
aud insisted in every case upon receiving
some of Mr.. SpinDer's currency. TIE
MODE OF swINDLING THE GOVERNMENT
they also confessed frankly, but no hing
new is to be- said on this score, as it has been
| . - Il in, ha Har.ld
cording to these Witnesses the money paid
to Hesiug, Rebm e. Company, was always
charged TO the expense account OF tue dis
Lillery, IN pursuance OF a.. asr9e ment made
TO that effec5. The govern ment has the bank
accounts Uftnese gentlemen, which corre-
spOnd so closely to these large entries for
expenses that the accounts received by them
can be- exactly sscertaiDed. The above IN
formation, although IL comes from no gov
eminent official, Is nevertheless trustworthy.
l. seems that the most stringent command
mas gore fortn from Washington to all cuD
necIed with the prosecution not TO breath a
syllable of the ties imoDy given before the
grand Jury to mortal ear. Even to-day tele7
graphic jDjuBctions we're receiver
20 that effect. The reason
for his extraordinary secrecy is
this: 1t is feared that il HesiDg, r Inn q
Company learn how overwhelming Is the
evidence against them that they may es-
cape and forfeit their bonds. They 90 not
dream, at present. OF the strength OF cyl
dence that can az d will be brought against
them. How necessary it is TOR the govern
meet to reserve the stric,est silence is seen
from the escape of Mintg. which, it appears,
il entirely owing TO the iooiscretion or care
lessness OF a gentleman Attached To the dis
trict at orney's Otfice. A list OF the lanes
Of the persons 10 oe arrested WAS handed TO
him, either by the cole ctor or supervisor, il
mas no transpired which, aGd he dropped
the piece of paper upon tse floor. Tie RI
porter of an AFTERNOON paper picked 1t up.
AID, seeing the name OF Minty night AFTER
that OF Hesing, Renm aud Miller, immsdi-
ately guessed thas Deputy Collector MInty
was also to he arrested and published the
tact. This, no doubt,
WARNED MINTY EFFEcrUALLY,
who fed ss once. Now the government
was particularly anxious to punish Minty,
who was, perbat s.sthe blacklist OF sll the
rogues in the "riDg," selling the govern
ment stamp and being the central figure in
most extensive network of frauds on the
revenue, aud this escape OF MiBty has been
a serious warning to the Officials engaged In
he prosecution. The gfaod jury, after
| listening to the testimony OF the two wit
nesses named above. adjourned at hall past
2 O'Clock in the afternoon until 10 O'Clock
| tomorrow morning. Some OF the import
ant witnesses will be called to-morroW,
wien the session will probably be longer
one. Assistant District Attorney Burke
gives il his opinion that no indictments
in the whisky cases will be handed into
court btiore Saturday. No ad
ditfonsl distilleries or rectifying houses We're
bonded out to-day. II appears that thegoV-
ernmenPs policy of leniency toward the die
tiilers who have made clean breasts of / ell
guilt and given important information lead
ing to the srress of the really gully parties
namely, the corrupt officials and poll
ticians VINO entced Them into the ring
is nesting with popular spPro bation. The
Times and Tribune say this morning, eti-
torislly, that these are the really guilty ulen,
and that Ulcers oil the .overnment apu
their unofficial partners who drove TIE dis
tillers to the preparation OF these frauos
were really lar more deserving OF punish
meDt that The di>tillers. There seems to be
good deal ofsympsthy generally with the
last mentioned class ever since il has APP
90 rod hos fhau