Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-22
The whisky Ring Frauds

TE.AIs OF MkEE.
The uial Of William Mckee, proprietor OF
The 81. Louis Globe-Democrat, for ALLEGED
connection with the whisky ring conSpirR-
Tors, was commenced In Sc. Louis We steTi Az.
District Attorney Dyer openci the ca e with
statement OF what the prosecution eXD~ct-
e. TO prove, the material points being tina,
he would show that Mckee was not only a
member OF the ring, but the cause which led
10 his being taken into it. He was man OF
lnnuence at Washington, and IN the palny
days OF the ring he controlled one OF The priu-
cipaI party organs in ST. Louis. IL would be
shown That each week while the ring -four
lshed money obtained from the distIllers
was, after the gaugers and stOrekeepers had
been paid, divided into five parts, one OF
which went TO Mcdonald. one 10 joyce &
McGrue and two TO Mckee, he TO divide
with the collector. We will show you also
that the defendant now under trial was one
OF the parties interested in the suppression
of evidence before the grand Jury: that the
conspiracy was not only combination to
defraud the government, but also became a
combination TO keep evidence from the
grand jury. We will also show that, when
Conduce Megrue was brought here upon a
capiaS, Mckee had three interviews with
Megrue, and plead with that gentleman 10
and that when these proved unsuccessful a
proposition was made by members OF the
ring, Mckee being one OF them, 10 buy of
Megrue' ana that this was not accomplished
because the money could not be raised.
CON MEGRUE AND ]. n. FITZRoY
were put on the stand as witnesses, and teSti-
fed to pretty much the same points as were
developed in the Avery trial. The following
were the no Ain points bearing on Mckee, tes-
titled to by the latter. With SIS said: / col
lectCd from distilleries between June, 1918
and August, 1874, from one 10 five thousand
collars per week; that is, returned that
much aIUer taking out sums for gaugers and
storekCepers. This money was taken 70 the
supervisors office, where IL was divided into
hve parts, up 10 the death of Mr.. Ford, by
Colonel Joyce and myself. Then the money
was left there for Joyce to distribute Met
the defendant at the Office once IL was after
Ford's death. II was between the tune OF
FOru's death and Mr.. Megrue's appointment
General Mcdonald and Joyce were present
at the time. 1t was on Saturday evening. L
had taken the money there which had coll
lected from the distillers. 1 had been there
half an hour when Mckee came in. i was in
the back room when i saw Mckee. The
money had been divided by Joyce, and as
Joyce handed Mckee one of the money pack
ages, Mckee said: "FitZroy is here" Nc
Donald replied, "FitZroy is all right" Then
Mckee turned To me, In funny way, and
said, "FitZroy, this is a sacred thing; keep il
anything more, and added he remarked thar
amount was more than usual. Joyce ex-
planned IL by saying that Ford was dead.
The money had Just been divided into four
parts, one for Joyce, one for Mcdonald, one
Tor Mckee, and one for myself This was in
testified that after Mckee said TO me. "Fitz-
roy, this is a Eacred thing; you must keen IN
scorer" replied, al will not do anytbIne or
say anything that will injure myself" / fold
Mr.. Bevis this after had been before the
grand Jury In June. have not sworn 10 the
contrary OF what have sworn here. have
not sworn that i knew nothing OF any con.
nectIon between Mckee and the whisky
ring. i stand indicted for perjury and for
connection with the whisky ring.