The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-22
THE COURTS.
The Western Whiskey Ring Con-
spiracy Indictments.
SEARCHING FOR THE BOTTOM FACTS.
early Glance at the Emma Nine and Glance
at the MaripOsa Estate.
SOLVING THE kETCHUM MYSTERY.

The United States Circuit Court room criminal
branch was well filled yesterday on the OCCASION OF
the calling up for trial OF the OF the United States
against Francis O. Boyd and Edgar p. Ill., wholesale
liquor dealers, Of Beaver street, Jointly indicted for
conspiracy to defraud the internal revenue Of the
United States. These parties, after long delays IN
bringing them to trial. were arragned yesterday and
the trial proceeded There was considerable time
spent in obtaining jury.
The jury having been by Mr.. Thomas Shields,
Clerk of the court Mr. Roger NJ. Sherman, Assistant
United States District Attorney specially appointed to
represent the prosecution proceeded to open the
for tho government.
Mr. Sherman In presenting the case based upon the
charges said crcumstantial evidence peculiarly ncc
ssary to be relied In proving conspiracy does
tate the charge Of conspiracy that there has been
completely knowledge the part OF all the
sonspiraors of oil stages Of the conspiracy OF
I'll the which done effect the object,
II only happens where the govern ment prosecutes
conspirators that IL is possible TO show that they
together ut time aud place. and said many
words 1--WE hereby ccnsplre together" The jury
would not therefore, expect and tho government can.
Conspiracy came together a. gwen t,mo
and place and unanimously agreed 10 defraud
ns r. , wou, soSd
that In the city OF Chicago in ths 1874 and
PRIOR to that year, there grew up by degrees com
bnaton OF tho most startling and dangerous character,
involving Hrst one and then another, and nnally all
Or nearly ali the persons engaged in the business Of
iistiiers and rcctihers in the city OF Chicago, and
What Is still moro serious and to be deplored, not only
onnived but conducted by the local officers Of the
evenue from tho highest to the lowest, who abused
ncir and used them to rob the government and
10 backma the Taxpayers The enterprise
pidy the deien iants Induced them to place their
ervices in disposlng this Illicit Chicago spirits at
he command OF John Clarke Co., members of Chi
ugo's sc-casd Whisky Ring From tho fall Of 1874
TO-, the deiendants, received between $500 and
1000 barrels of distilled spirits from Clarke,
al. Eacs nf oh ro1
which had been paid II was agreed that
hey should receive 81 barrel for dsposng OF 1t be-
hdes lher ordinary comm ssion They accounted for
heir sales upon false gauger returns, showing less
luantiy OF spirits sold than that for which they
exposed and all inc dlstileries and rectltyng houses
N Chicago ST Louis, Milwaukee and other places
we're seized ana prosecutions instituted, which resulted
IN the breaking up OF tho Western whiskoy rings
Boyd aud Hill, the defendants, removed several lots
OF the reach Of tho government officers, aiterward
putting them on the market when the danger seemed
10 have passed away
Mr. Sherman having concluded the opening testi-
mony iof the prosecution put In. The first wit
called was Mr. AnlhonyC. Hessong, editor Of the
Chicago Stats Zeitung who was indicted tried and
sonvictcd OF comrlcity In the Western Whiskey Ring
frauds He testified That be was interested 10 dstii
Ing spirits In Chicago in 1874 and 1875 hc did not
know OF any combination between the dstillers aud
rcct6ers In Chicago with the government revenue
officers TO deiraud the government; did not know OF
those parties having received any Information OF the
coming OF internal revenue agents to investigate
the mana cement OF tho distlerics and rectiiyng
houses there In TACT, witness knew nothing ut all on
he well posted on, and IN which, on account OF
government pardon, he expected him to testify fully to.
General Benjamin +. Tracy, Tor the defendant In the
OF the examination OF the witnoss excepted to
luy testimony in connection with tho Chicago con-
Bpracy by which 1t sought 10 damage his clients
The District Attorney he said, must prove the ex-
istence Of conspiracy in New York, which was very
different thing from conspiracy IN Chicago In the
after the Court would have jurisdiction TO try
parties here tor acts done in Chicago.
Judge Bla chford SAID II did follow that the
ID racy might not exist in both pluces at tho same
dme-at place the head, at another place the tall
but the same animal He had no doubt tho District
Attorney by the evidence intended 10 connect the de-
PENDANTS, II he could, with the conspiracy by proper
testimony and that ho intended conduct the prose-
.uton with all justice and fairness. Az all events, the
;ourt would that the detendans were protected IN
III thor rights and should have fair aud impartial
iral
Marshal b. Blake, Collector OF the Thirty second
revenue collection dsitict called and testified that
the defendants In 1874 aud 1875 wholesale liquor
dealers his district the time covered by tho indct
ment. This admitted the other side and tho
closed for the day. Mr. Roger NJ. Sherman prose-
cuted tor the government and General Tracy and Gen.
eral Burnett appeared Tor the defendants. The trial
Ei be resumed tomorrow morning NJ eleven O'Clock.
~