The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-05-26

by the fact that four hundred barrels OF
high-wines that they had certified as dumped
were found in various cities with the identi-
cal liquor in them (as proved by serial num-
ber OF stamps, MARKS and brands on barrels,
&C., that they certified as dumped. The
identical stamps and brands were found on
the barrels that they certified as having
been by them cancelled.
It was charged that 10000 gallons Of
whiskey were by Myers surreptitiously and
Illegally placed upon the market The tax
upon that amount would have been S35, 900.
The jury were unanimous in the conclu.
sion that large frauds had been perpetrated,
and that Myers and some Of the Govern
ment officers had knowledge thereof. AS
to the officers, the jury were not sworn to
try them. As to Myers, a majority Of the
tury-perhaps misunderstood that they
were trying him for acts done as distiller.
They interpreted the instructions OF Judge
Bond to mean that it did not matter at what
place Myers manipulated" the crooked
whiskey SO that he was then acting not as
rectifier, but in his capacity as distiller,
with intent to defraud the United States OF
the tax on the whiskey. A majority of the
iury-stated by some as eight to four, others
as nine to three-thought that the Govern
ment had not proved satisfactorily that
THE FRAUD WAS COMMITTED
by Myers as distiller, and therefore they
thought him entitled to acquittal on this in
dictment.
Where the "crooked whiskev" came
from they never could clearly find out.
The theory Of the prosecution was at first
that the frauds were perpetrated by using
stamped barrels twice. When, however, in
the course OF the case, the evidence showed
that the liquor, stamps, and barrels found in
New York and elsewhere were in the same
condition as they were when they left the
bonded warehouse and distillery, this theory
had to be abandoned, for it was then clear
that the captured packages (barrels) had not
been refilled.
1t might have been that every ten
barrels Of high-wines which Myers
gave notice that he intended to dump
were shipped away, and that instead
he poured ten barrels of crooked whiskey
into the vats, and thus got stamps
for ten barrels OF high-wines and ten
barrels actually of rectified whiskey, when
he had only paid for stamps for ten barrels
of high-wines. All! but where did the
crooked whskey (high-wincs) come from?
That is what
THE JURY COULD NOT AGREE
upon. Some OF them thought the crooked
came from the distillcry ; others said that
was not proved.
There were various other theories.
One was that Myers by system OF over
gauging, which caused his customers to pay
for forty-two gallons OF rectifed whiskey
when they got only thirty-eight, might have
accumulated a surplus in the rectifying vats
which he could dispose Of without real
fraud upon the Government, but with fraud
upon his patrons and profit to himself.
This, indeed. was the theory OF an ex-
pert brought on the stand by the defence,
which theory was almost adopted by the
Assistant District Attorney.
The case OF accused was
CONTINUED
till October. Three other indictments are
resting against him. He was bailed in
S,0O0-S2, 900 in each case.
The District Attorney announced his
purpose to enter notle proSequi in each
case against Myer Myers, and he was per-
mitted to 60 without bail.
The cases against the storehousc-keepers
and the gaugers were continued until the
October term Of the court, and their bail
was renewed.
These frauds upon the Government were
as smart as any ever perpetratcd. The ways
and means OF doing them have, in the opin-
ion OF many persons conversant with the
case, never been discovered.
No theory yet advanced is supported by
concurrence OF facts and circumstances as
known