The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-01-24
81. Louis Whisky Trial.

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The first witness was B. H. Engelke, o.
the firm Of Bornecker & Co., rectifers
After stating that his firm had handled .
good deal OF crooked whisky, witness re
counted a long conversation he had with
Mckee at the Globe Democrat Office in 0c'
tober, 1874, OF which the following Is the
substance: I went to Mckee at the SO.
licitation Of Henry Hardaway, ex.United
States storekeeper, and told him that
Joyce had promised Hardaway that he
should be given IN interest in the Busby
distillery, and that the product OF that
distillery should not be subject to levies
for ring purposes. In consideration Of
this Henry Hardaway was to take care oi
Chat. Hardaway, his brother, Megrue
and other fellows, who threatened mis-
chief. Hardaway complained that Joyce
was dealing double with him, and that he
and McD Donald were always throwing OBJ
staCles in his way. Hardaway declared
that he would have nothing further to do
with Joyce, and threatened, II the Busby
distillery arrangement was not carried
out, that he and his friends (most OF whom
were ex.Gaugers and Storekeepers, and
knew all about the illicit distilling that
had been carried on) would expose and
break up the ring. l told Mckee that
this was the arrangement insisted on by
Hardaway and his friends, and that II it
was not carried out they would burst the
ring. l also told him they had already
brought Supervisor Mum, Of Illinois, over
here, and had gone around with him ut
night and showed him what the Busby
house was doing; that Chat. Hardaway
had, or was 10 have, n commission from
the Secretary OF the Treasury to go
through this district, and with the knowl-
edge he had, he knew Just where to strike
the Ring. Mckee asked il this was the
only way they could be kept quiet and l
replied that this was the only thing they
would accept; and furthermore, Henry
Hardaway had particularly requested me
to say to him (McKee) that he made the
bullets and Chat. fired them, and that II
he Nickel and the Ring could'stand it,
they (the Hardaways) could. Mckee
then said he would drop q note TO Joyce,
and have him come over and see him. /
said Joyce was not at his office. Mckee
then said, "Try and keep him quiet for a
few days, and will see what can be
DONE" l told him that would notdo, as
Hardaway and Barton were outside wait
ing for me, and wanted positive and
immediate answer. They declared they
would have no more shillyshallying.
Mckee told me he would see Joyce in the
morning, and for me to tell them that he
would see that the arrangements they de-
sired would be carried out. I then left
and told the parties what Mckee had
suid, and they seemed satisfied. Shortly
afterward Henry Hardaway went into
the Busby distillery as manager, and re-
mained till about February, when they
had q row among themselves and burst
up. The distillery.was run according to
the arrangement made, and the whisky
went to Babb's house and my house for
rectiication. Some was brought with
stamps and some without stamps. If
they had no stamps they sent It naked.
Witness also gave an account OF anoth-
er conversation he had with Mckee,
shortly after the indictment had been
found against the latter, in which witness
stated that Mckee attempted TO make
him believe that the conversation above
related was about some goods Of the wit
ness which had been seized in Colorado,
and that witness had asked him to inter-
ccde in his behalf with Collector Mcguire,
and secure their release. Witness con-
tinued: Mckee asked me to refresh my
memory regarding the matter, and deter
mine if he was not right. told Mckee
that 1t was absurd that I should go 10 him
to invoke his influence with Maguiro for
interference with theconcerns ofthe local
officers OF Colorado. II had had any
goods under seizure there, l would have
known what to do without going to him.
l then remarked something to this effect:
"Mr. Mckee, you are an old man, and
ought TO have more sense than 10 talk
such nonsense l never had any other
conversation with Mckee, and never had
any conversation at all Of the character
which he detailed. ,.
During cross-examination OF witness he
was questioned very closely concerning
the divorce he obtained from his first
wife, in 1867, the purpose OF the defense
being to show he was bigamist; but this
they failed to do, and the Court stopped
further inquiry into his family affairs.
Witness again described the conversation
with Mckee at the Globe. Democrat office,
but the defense tailed to break down his
statement made in the direct examina-
tion.
A good deal OF other testimony was
brought out. It related to acts Of witness
as a rectifier, and had no bearing upon
Mckee. In reply to question, witness
said he was under Indictment, and had
pleaded guilty to some Of the indictments
against him. He was asked why 1t was
he had pleaded guilty only to'such counts
rs charged him with misdemeanor; why
did he not plead guilty to those charging
him with felony, as he had admitted fel-
ony in his testimony He replied he had
left the whole matter to his attorney, and
had followed his advice. The defense ev-
identity designed or desired to show that
by this act Of the witness he had been asked
to turn States evidence, offered some in
ducement to take such course, or been
promised indulgence at the hands Of the
prosecution,ibut he cmphatically denied
this.
S. D. Thorpe, ex.United States Store
keeper, was the next witness, and testiti-
ed to having performed services at vari-
Gus distilleries and received money from
distillers for the Ring and for himself.
Witness continued: I remember when
Megrue came here last June; saw him at
the Lindell Hotel the day Of his arrival.
The same evening l saw Mckee, and he
asked me II / could not arrange an inter-
view with Megrue, and / told him 1
thought / could saw Megrue again that
night, and told him OF McKee's desire 10
see him, and he said he would be glad to
see Mckee; l then went 10 the Globe
Democrat Office, told Mckee what Megrue
had said, and he told me he did not wish
to visit the hotel to see Megrue, but
would meet him in some dark and seclud.
ed spot; we talked the matter over and
agreed upon the corner Of Seventh and
ST. Charles streets as the place Of meeting;
Megrue refused to leave the hotel; I then
wentto the place appointed, told Mckee
Of Megrue's decision, and we went to the
hotel together, entering the ladies' enter
ance, and / introduced Mckee to Mcgrue,
and left them together; saw Mckee the
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