Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-12-19
KEYEs.
an Instructive Chapter Of Crooked
ness,


In view of Postmaster Keyes's can.
dldacy for the Senate, some letters
produced and read at the trial of the
case of the United States Us. N. b.
VanSlyke, in the United States court,
at Madison, in June. last, are of inter.
est at this time. They were published
in the Chicago Times Of the 9th July,
bu; we think have never been pub
lished or alluded TO hitherto in any
newspaper of this State.
The letters, two in number, were
written by Charles III. Bunker. The
circumstances under which they were
written were as follows: The First
National Bank of Madison, Of which
Mr.. Van Slyke is Presidential come
into possession of whiskey distillery
in the town of Middleton, Dane
County, which it had taken as security
for loan. 1t had leased the distillery
and employed Mr.. Bunker to keep a
general supervision Of the premises
and protect the interests of the Bank.
The lessee, Rogers, in collision with
some of the revenue officials and
Bunker, began to.run "crooked whis-
key" 1t was in connection with this
establishment that the frauds were
perpetrated which led to tho arrest
and conviction Of Rindskopf, Mil
waukee rectifier, an affair that caused
much noise in the State at the time.
The Government got wind of what
was going on and arrested some OF
the parties. Col. James Bull, the
Government store-keeper at Middle
ton, fled to Canada, but afterwards
ventured back, was arrested in Min.
neSota, convicted and sent to Waupun.
Shortly after Bulls escape to Canada,
Bunker was arrested and was ulti.
mately convicted aud lightly punished
The letters referred to were written
by Bunker to Bull while he was in
Canada, and when the Government
wa1 moving against Bunker. The
following IS the material part of the
first Of these letters
0aEGoN, WIS, April %, ls74.-MY DgAr
Coz. We were all glad to hear from you anG
of your safe ar on the other side of dan.
ger. fou aid - 50 minute too soon fol
the next morning Oakley The United State,
Marshal went to Middleton to scr you. " ed
nesday was hot, tell you
They got Oil, warrants for now arrests re-
arrested poor Rogers and put him undel
$4,000 bonds, and for while blue smok,
issued from every window of the court hous,
building. The next day the battle opened
early, and for time things looked Jue for me
and wished had gone with you, but there il
an end TO all things-evcn to government fairy
E. w. Reyes did IT, Bless his old heart
will never forget him for it. Henceiorih anC
forever u. w. Reyes has one man who he car
always count on to be his-oHhis. I'll tell 70,
how he did it,
He comprehended the situation Instantly
lie said, Charley, my boy, yoa don's wan
any tdwyeT; you want FRIENDS" And how tina
man did work. lie set to work dozen of tht
most prominent aud inhuentalmen of Madison
TO hunt up other influential men and nannfae
ture public sentiment in our favor and apains
CNPron, men who went singly and in sGmad
TO ilamden and Bridges, from Chicago, to sa,
that they mustdo me no harm, etc Although
several times under threats to be arrested i,
five minutes, by Z. w. Reyes influence, it wa
defeated, and have escaped that calamity
hope, for good. And now everything is il
fair shape, with a good prospect for speed
and favorable settlement. But will not con
ccal from you, dear colonel the fact that
looks as though you would be obliged to con,
tnuc your residence abroad for some time
However, YOU may be assured that oyerythin
Is being aad wW be done Mat coul{ be If yot
"ere here yourself But it viii take time an
patience to let this thing die out, and you vii
he wise to make, if you have any opportunit,
plans for rather permanent stay in the couI
try you are now in.
The following is the second letter
some immaterial passages being omir
It'd as indicated bv asterisks:
\ DETAILED NARRATIVE.
MIDDLETON, Wis, June 24.-Mv DsA
COLONEL: | saw Mrs. Bull last nirbt an
she tells me you are blue No wonder, oil
boy; you have reason to be, and so have we al
AIN free 10 confess nov tina, this dstller
rHmgHSr Is r acJhiGerdeedio. We can can't than; O.
that we are none OF us killed.
have not whined nor felt any disposition TO 4
so until OF late, and intend 10 get over IL !
quickly as possible. But the soreness wi
never leave me nor the scar ever go away.
want TO give you the history but to loo
back upon II seems like lifetime, ipstea
OF Two months and my head Is so full I'm
hear' 100, LOT that matter), that may randi
around Mite; but | will try and get it all il
a'ld IN your leisure time YOU caa separat
and correct H. will begin away back 10 ihr
tuesday night of your departure. I stat
mai night IN Madison and the next mornin
the enemy opened battle in earnest, They p,
arrested Rogers and Miller hal warrant
out out they were not served, for Lacher an
MOVABLE and You and me. You were con,
l41cher speedily made himself scarce. Mo
wlhkle could not be found and went accom-
PANIED by good men and pledged myself an
Them rot to leave the city. Reluctantly ia
""' Sdlh was clinched by Boss keyes, yh
exclaimed, "By God, dou't want Won 10 ar
rest hun, and pledge you my word he shaI
not go away and my word is as good as AN
mans bonds, by God" There was of courst
much inquiry after you; but the first letter yo
wrote, addressed TO father, Louis Helm. III
poStotice) detected the Canada post marx an
your handwritins,and blowed the thing broad
cast That day was spent By them in lool,
ing over lhcher's books and correspondenr
and they had everything in their hands ,oprov
all that had been done, except our Iedeer
winch was at Lacher's house. II was sno
developed, however, that they could not nm
deistand Lacher's bookkeeping, and woul
need an expert TO post his blotter 10 prov
anything. In the meantime, Miller, bless hi
sanetimonious soul, damn lin Che laws il al
TO me now, went 10 Harnden (the collector
and offered to tell all he knew, if thew ynni
let him off TO go TO Germany. But hearin
That he did not know much, and doubtful !
his honest intentions in the matter thew n,
him Oft day. AT the same time Rogers en-
pioyed II. M. Lewis in the matter, and afte
hearing his story Lewis decided that he coul
scare the courthouse fellows by shown
now Tar The government officers were impli
Gated IN The business. Rogers said 10 hIl
that we could implicate sou and Capron (th
gauger) and Main (deputy collector) andth
intention was TO show them what bic stin
they were about 10 raise. When the idea wa
suggeSte i TO me denounced II as ynaan an