, 1877-05-13

srRryoFsELD, ILL.,, May 1.-THE TE1DpEE
full Washington dispatches regarding Affairs In th
| revenue district and the fight for and against Col
| lector Merriam create profound interest here.
| Merriam's statement in Washington, as The Thin.
| uSE has 1t, elicits utter astonlshment, ant
especially so that portion construed Us an assault
upon the integrity of his late Deputy, Maj. Pink.
| ham. The latter WAS Gov. Ogleaby's private
secretary. He is highly connected, and has always
been highly regarded, in which opinion Merriam
has always stated he fully shared, and recently
wrote Pinkham acknowledging his integrity and
! his efficiency as Deputy Collector. A few days
| prior 10 his departure for Washington, Merriam
personally testified his high regard for his late
Deputy.
So much Of Aerriam's Washington statement as
is construed as rejecting upon Gen. E. n. Bates
is regarded astounding, as Gen. Bates Ia here
and throughout the State considered ns in the
highest sense upright. and he never had the slight
est connection with the whisky interest," and has
always been friendly to 1tcrrium.
TIE Fight IS OPENED
here to-day, however. Pinkhams friends charge
to-day that the original organization OF Merram's
Pekin Eank, the First National was by Mcintyre,
the distiller; .. ". Lusk, now State Printer;
Judge Turner, formerly Mcrriam's Deputy at
Pekin, and whose daughter Merriam recently
discharged from her clcrsshlp here;
Henry Westcrman, Sam Jones, aud Jonathan
Merriam. Before the organization wns completed
Mcintyre and Westesman drew out. Among the
present officers, Directors aud stockholders are j.
Merriam, Charles Turner, late Deputy; E.
Hiesonymns, Deputy here; Al Sweetzer, Deputy
OF Bloomington; 4. B. Ioblctt, ex-Dcputy;. James
Palmer, now Government Storckeeper at the
Sangamon disttIIery, and Herset Bros, liquor
dealers at pekin. Il is urged that the bank being
antagontstic to the revenue service. pinkham also
tod: D: Mcintyre. distiller, taking security on
spirits in the warehouse, and that this 1s
OPPOSED TO PUBLIC INTERESTS.
Pinkhanl also charges that Merriam didn't sign
the stamps. as required by law. This litter charge
is the only admitted by Merrjam's fr,ends, who
say that, practice obtains among Collectors to
By Deputies; John T. Harper always did.
officers aud revenue agents here are present by
conspiracy with distillers and interests inimicai
to Merriam. Dispatches to and from the latter
have been burdcniny the wires all day and this
evening. and Merriam is confident by telegraph that
he can hold the fort. Westcrman was certainly
but hc m out Of
Tie Visiting Revenue agents seem to have con-
cluded their examination OF the Office proper, but
say nothing further than that the stamp account
Is ALL RIGHT.
Two strangers observed in conversation with the
Agents to-day got buggy Tonight and drove ont in
very bad. Why they did not 90 81 train can can only
be sur,niscd There have been numerous consul.
tations tonight between both factions among
ana much telcgraphing to Washington |
has followed, but both parties decline to show
Col. Baford Wilson says tonight that Merriom
Several friends of District Attorney Connolly
marvel at the prominence given Merriam Us pro- |
Willy Here copnsy was ony kpoWn
ns protesting vigorously, and ali the time against
%En ,.s1f
parties profess confidence, but especially Nerr,- !
am = friends. From the bad feelings cncentlcrcd |
p nnd q The 1shs among The whisty men themselves,
ot the whole Ring and Its operations may yet be /
disclosed.
IN wAsnNGToN.
Special Dispatch TO The Tribune -
wAsnTsegS n ise th p May aco1estor Mer
. long interview with Commissioner Raum this |
evening III the matter OF the cha.ccs made against
Lhe convicted dstiller. II. r Westerman. under
Inc name Of l.. T. Brown. 1t is Represented that
Etaum is convinced that Merriam is thoroughly
foundation than has already been mentioned in
thcse dispatches. Among the papers containing
The chnEgesis tue following dispatch:
half Of Collector Merriam, ia fraud md Merriam
frst-class iar. Letter Tor mail to,1aorrow: @ DO
nut tsqsi tsisaes5 M5''on. He would sell bis S6& &
The lnFFcnlons individual, L. P. Brown, has
oyershot himself, rs the charges over his own
name and those OF pinkham'a are ]
.>JDEST1cALLY THE SAME,
with q little difference In the statements and Nil
have been substantially disproycd Ore Of the
Eicks OF Pinkham was to represent that Merriam
aaa lad favored dsttllers 1y taking bnd bonds: The
aw provides that distii1crs shall give
'unnlng bond for : one year which |
It the expiration OF the year, II thcfc Is
40 frauds Is exhausted It Is the custom when dis
iers nre honest 70 continue to make new bond
with the same persons every year, 80 lone as thc
ecurities are good. pinkham has grouped nun
'ef OF bondsuen who have been boiit1smcn for |
evera! years on different bonds, added the sums |
u their liabilities for tho respective years as their
abil}{es a and charsed that Collector
This charge was addressed personai1v to sccretnTv
sherman and designed evidently for his eye oniy.