New-York tribune., 1877-07-12
LIQUOR IMPORTERS EXCITED.
rrrrcr nE rnE TRBrNE EXPOsURE.


that extousiye asuertiou aud swndllngare practced
by importers OF liquors and dealers, has created excite
ment in tho trade and has led to formal oppression oi
views 10y the leading importers The article IN question
alleged:
That filly one-half the imported liquors sold here
are of American manufacture.
ii Tsat noi cniy the brands hut the stamped eorks Of
famous foreign houses ore largely nitedin hs country
bv importers Of the best credit and sianding .,
Ill That importers regularly alulerat" tne lnp
Uqnors and sen tcm to the retailers rs pure Donoeu
liquors
w. That the retailers then adulterate them seoond
time and sell them thus doubly poisoned across ic p'
Thai in the imposition on the retailer the importer
has aid of the keepers OF the HOFefhmcn' Do"uo
warehouses.
Among the retailers and obbers these charges were re-
ceiyed with alarm. The notorety Of the fact THAI many
of them aduterate their liquors they considered lnhfed
them 10 n certain extent, but thc announcement tuat
they were adding and various mixtures 10 hqior
already aCulteratcd by the importers disturbed them
rrratlv They said might seriously affect their hnsi-
ness ms consumers would prefer to buy OF importers
and thus get their liquors In the first stage OF adueFa-
,on rather than the second or third The retail deal
ers rs class deny that they aduerate their stock bnt
will not or cannot explain how they able to sell
brandy and other liquors from 20 cents TO 20 cents Tess
per gallon than the cost Of importation
The principal Importers Of New York were angry at
being classed among adultcraiors OF liquor and denied
the charge euphaucaly Several meetings were held at
which the most prOmnen firms in the trade were repre-
| gfUtgd.
following communication:
NEw-YoRK, July 9, 1877.
To the Rdftor. Of Thc TrtoTIn1 o,.to,o
uri~r tbe besdrg ''sod rs Pare Liquor" pub
ished in your ~ tn 4th INST ard rclrred 10 ny
Won cditoriay IN which you make, without any dscfn
nation tc most weeping charges against the import
ers Of hquers OF this city. ...-,.
In rcry, we beg to express our great a,onlshment
that a respectable aud leading j2nrnh, such as
yours should lend itself, without hayins TO our our
knew ledge sought correct aud thorough hipl-
nation to the publication of so gross ana 50 seneIaia
libel an honorable class Of merchants seeou 10 % n9e
regards respectabhA ana means We must s- NUS
vanity protest against, ana deny te if 80 Ar as W"
in said article and We herewith hand you COPY Oh
letter his day addressed Dy as 20 General Nhtslef a.
nc vou TO give This formal protest, the in
closed copy o. orr letter Genera; Arthur prominent
a cpace in your next issue ~ that granted the afu1c
Containing the uujustiaed attack made upon u.s.
We remain. dear sir, yours respectfully.
tagnc Galwcy & Casado, VI. Ilenau Co., Ives Beech
or 4 Co.. G. Ierrdt & CO.. Du yiylcr Cg, T. Boegler
| Co.. g. Tlldemann. Chas. J. Schmidt x Peteis
The Iettor to Collector Arthur is as follows;
NEw-YoEK July 8, 1877
! G,Y chester A. AriA,r, CoAcctor Of ne Port Of
SIR: We respectfully beg to call your attenon 70 the
accompanying article under the headihs oo.u ~ IN ,
| Liquor >" IN 1HE NEwYoRK DAILY TmBUNk Of the i.1
inst wen to tre incl 'sed copy ofaeiter addressed
| by us io The I,.ItOr 0f said Journal
We therefore respectfully and earnestly request You to
oider an immediate and lhorous myGst, 8 ] cn1
matter ~ ISSUE 80 that we NAV not hoW%Se4 Wen k1Mn
as Lorost merchants, remain sHlJected 20 HDe"Gs
|
! aot the slightest foundation
In csc you authority 20 act ~ above suggest
ten, solicit your khd lFcc respecting c No-'0 4Vi
us 10 pursue. .- -. . .....o,s.u,
This is signed by tAe hrls whlch sSieu 'e Ie'ter ~
! HE TRIBUNE a. given above.
The charges made in TIE TRIBUNE. to which
the importers take exception, based upon state
mentS by importer of liquors IN this city who
youched ior thcn accuracy. Fail investigation by a
TErIrST reporter confirms Tie main points of
| III. nrr he
-hed the facts was somewhat too sweeping IN his assr
t0us. The miri charge, THAT importers regu-
lly aduerate their imported liquors" is found TO ba
true in general way, but II should not be understood 10
embrace an importers, would De implied from another
sfatrmcu. o. TnE TBBUNE's informant that in m large
nporn. houses stoclao spirits, usually purchased in
the name Of some confidential clerk is Kept for aduesat
ng" THE TRECNEs charges otherwise correct, aud
can be confirmed by the best testimony.
The first charge. IS that nly oneLaf the imported
liquors sold here OF American manufac;urc Is adj
rtt to bc true by prominent importers, no. Of course,
claim ai The fraud with the iobbers. The second and
iri charges the brands and stamped corks
Of famous foreign rolsts largely initiated IL this
country by importers" aud that importers regularly
adul.erate their imTorcd liquors. also found 70 be
true. leading houses admitting taat many men IN The
trade pricHce these frauds.
Mr. osborn. the sole member Of the firm o, John o.
horn son Co.. stated to TRIBUsL reporter, recently,
that there was his knowledge system OF fraud IN
operation certain class of importers He class
ihrl the liquor dealers into three cas5cs The rc!al
dealers the importers who purchase OF foreign hoscs
and n some cases do iobbng business and the import
lO tle agents and Representatives in this couD-
ry the great European houses The retail dealers
NE said aduteraed their liquors, and were compelled to
do make a living. TEey could not sell bran
dy for 500 gallon, the cost OF importing
which Si,20 Gallon. Tne second class,
Mr.. Osborn 5aid composed Of men who nOt being
representatives, agents OF the great liquor firms of the
old world. could sell pure liquors with prof, at
the f- which Representatives and agents sold them
and driven unier the cXurbran custom rates, 70
resort aduertions OF their stock IN order carry
their business This aiueratiun carried on by the
smaller firms upon their premises. but by the larger
sWindling firms in what were termed " free
war.louscs." These frns. like the reputable and
honest importers, made their sales at their
Offices. and handed 10 the purchaser order upon
.aln stores which the liquor 90 be found These
stores in ,ie case OF the reputable importer United
states bonded Warehouses bat The order given by the
importer inclined 10 sWlndc the purchaser TO
.Boadcd store, No. so-andTc," but TO No store.
bonded warehouse" This, Pr. Osnorn sdd, found
II be "trecsi0rc" just adjoining, aud perhaps under
the same root with the bonded store. In the
ir, f ,tscs fh. puclnecr,lid not observe The diff
ference hut the lquor delivered him the store had
bon adultcratrd The importer had paid the duty at
Inc g.of, ln4. up,u in and had removed It from the
bonded warehouse his store. where be eoAll have aoul
.rst al .r pac,d counIfit foreign brands upon adul
tei,tri aed American liquors The unsispoctng buyer
str.tway removed TIE liquor 10 lis reta ,tOre whore
! il was AGAIN ~ubulittcd 10 1duitcraton.
1h- practice, NJ Osbon declared was not carried on
a.y oi tIc importers of gh standing, ~ bi siugc
irn acting ucy f'r glrat foreign house. His
firm. and n,er firm, which were The direct agents Ot
they sold; md these liquors were not atull rated " II
Ia" houses we rce en- heaf'l tat We hdull'a;d "a IN r
Guogs, would lose ncies immediately he de-
and me ntaan Of tcir Goods Is too niel Tor thria To-
/ tU Ia f