Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-01-03
The Chicago Whisky Ring.
Congressman Farwrl Z INJECTED
with il.
OTHER PARTICULARS.

New York, January. The Heralds Chicago
special says;
alt is alleged that other public men will be ar
rested, on Monday, for completely in the whskcy
frauds: II is said that Congressman Charles b.
Farwell District Attorney j. d. Ward and City
Marshal Godell will meet this fate. The principal
allegations according to these statements, against
Farwell arc that he was interested in Jake Rhem .
Northwestern malt house, that monies paid BY the
distillers to Rhem wore traced into his hands and
that some $1,000 were raised from the crooked
distillers the campaign Of 1874. for the benefit
Of Farwell, who was running for Congress.
These rumors also charge Goodell with being
implicated in tine assessments of crooked disti-
lers to the amount of $4,000. for the campaign
fund Of 1873, and in this connection Hessing,
Rhem and Miller are charged with being princi-
pallv responsible for the corrupt raising Of this
fund.- supposed to have been used for the people
party.
District Attorney Ward is supposed TO have
been implicated in the South Branch distilery.
1t is certain that many further arrests will follow,
and among those likely are mentioned a num-
Der of prominent politicians and officials, besides
the above.
Times Chicago Special:
The Chicago Times to-day, gives publicity to
several interviews with indicted dh tilers caught
in the first seizures some weeks ago. w. S.
GhRson says the recently arrested distillers vol
unteered to pay his fine if he would not tell what
he knew against them, that a number of them ad-
vanced him several thousand dollars after his
seizure. with which to start business again; that
there is documentary evidence enough to convict
II. b. Miller, ex-County Treasurer, and one Of the
arrested distiers, and that the whole lot are in
very bad predicament, and liable to go under at
any moment. Another indicted distiller stated
that H. Il. Millers distilleIy, the Black Hawk,
had been dealing in crooked whiskey since the
spring OF 1872; that fully one-third of the whis-
key manufactured by this house was crooked;
that A. C.. Hessing pretended to control the po-
litical machinery as to appoltoning or dischargng
gaugers store keepers and the like, and that if
q gauger was too impertinent and curious about q
distllery, Iiessing had him transferred. That
Jacob Rhem who run the malt business, is impli-
Gated by reason Of his influence with politicians ;
that money ostensbly for campaign purposes was
paid to him by the distillers.
Another distiller details the proceedings of
McPherson's syndicate, held two weeks ago, OF
distlers who had not up to that time been arrest
ed. The meeting consisted Of four gentlemen
who had been caught in the meshes this week,
and it was suggested to pay Ghalson IS, 600 to
CATION was appointed to go to Washington and
negotiate terms for them, such as would save pro
perry and prevent their houses from bein. seized
and themselves from beag indicted.
Another distiler places Miller's frauds at An
aggregate of 5000 He says that Miller
Hersing and Rhem took money from the distillers
aggregating 900 for their influence, and divid-
ed it among themselves, while the rectifers took
care OF the Z uagers and other hangers on.
This man also stated that Hon. j. ID. Ward, late
L. S. Attorney for this district, is one Of the
owners OF the South Branch distery, recently
seized; and that house made fully fifty barrels
per week of croo ked spirits. He also AYERS that
Hon. c. b. Farwell, Jacob Rehm and another
prominent politician were instrumental in en-
deavoring to secure the release of large guam
tity of illicit spirits in bond at the Chicago Dock
Companys warehouse, several months ago. He
was very positive in his statement.
In addition to these points, it is positively stated
that the wholesale house of Ghason 4 Eastman
acted as "fence" for illicit distillers, receiving
and dispensing fully 200 barrels per week, for
which they paid mere nominal sum, and dis
posed of it at figures far below the market. They
were, it seems, the first to dvulge the secrets Of
the illicit operation, for the purpose Of saving
themselves. Eastman was at the time one of the
editors of the Chicago Times, and later State
Senator and also Postmaster eff this city.