The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-02-01
THE WAR AGAINST CROOKED
WHISKY. s..
Indictments.
Eight Prominent Men Already
Indicted -Others to Follow.
How the Frauds are Committed

On Monday morning, at the opening
Of the Federal Court, very large crowd
of people assembled, attracted thither
by deep curiosity to ascertain the
particulars Of the crooked whisky war.
Among the many persons present were
a considerable number Of merchants,
dealers, distillers and rectiflers.
Deputy United States Marshals might
have been seen scanning the faces Of the
spectators and occasionally one OF them
would slide up cautiously TO some man
connected with the whisky business and
whisper in his ear. The deputies were
serving capiases and the parties served
Immediately stepped forward for the
purpose Of giving bail.
The following persons were indicted
on the charge OF destroying, making
away with, or otherwise impeding access
to their books and records of shipments
and receipts of whiskies: Alfred 8.
Cowand, John A. Ryan, WIN. Flash,
John A. Lewis, L. A. Saxon, James A.
Gardner, Frederick II. Mathewsand John
Henderson. All of these parties were
arraigned, pleaded not guilty and were
placed under $1,000 bonds for their ap-
pearance. E tta
An interview with Gen. Brady, the
chief Of the corps of special employees
OF the Government, who are working up
these irregularities, elected the informa-
ton given below: a3 % s}H95e
It seems that the greatest fraud in
this line Is committed In connection with
the stamps on the whisky barrel, which
undergo what is called the India rubber,
or elastic process. ~ ti
These stamps come in book-form, like
o check book. Each stamp should be
numbered, the same number appearing
on the stub, and in both cases repre-
senting the number OF gallons for which
the stamp Is given, But frequently
stamps were issued by the officials for a
certain number Of gallons and an en-
tirely different number inscribed on the
stub, whereby the Government was de-
frauded to a large extent. e ~
The barrels having these stamps on
them have In many instances been used
dozens Of times, and sometimes the
stamps themselves have been kept in
use until they became as completely
worn out as piece OF fractional cur
rency Of the first ISSUE. And this has
been done under the very noses of the
Government inspectors. i8l
Another common device was for. the
distiller, rectifier, gauger and inspector
to combine together to defraud the
United States. The distiller is only al
lowed to make his spirits at a certain
standard or proof; but he makes them
twice as high, and when they go to the
rectifying establishment, which Is gen.
orally in very close proximity to the
distillery, they are rectifled. and pro-
duce double the amount OF alcohol ON
which the duty has been paid.
The subterfuges resorted to by the
crooked whisky men to avoid detection
are sometimes very ludicrous. We will
describe one OF them for the benefit and
enlightenment Of the curious ils4f
A certain individual, who runs distil-
lery on the banks Of the river, was in the
habit Of having more mash in his tubs
than he cared to account for, and, to
provide against detection, he had con-
structed a sewer through which he ran
off this surplus into the river On one
occasion, however, the Father Of Wa
ters had risen far above the level Of the
mash tubs, and they were completely
damned, as the distiller remarked on
sighting the argus-eyed inspector, who
happened to light upon him at this
awkward moment. fat
There is one fact very patent, which
demonstrates the truth that something
must be "rotten in Denmark, !" and that
is, that great deal OF uneasiness Is felt
and exhibited by those who are or have
been engaged In handling this tortuous
beverage. - f3i
We publish to-day q complete list of
the severeigns OF England, commencing
with the Danes and Saxons, and ending
with the House of Brunswick, together
with the year in which they each
assembled the throne; Is
DANES AND sAx0Ns.
ESbsIt kStsarolY 81 ~ Ss91sa Edwsrd 90 90
II.rII N