The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-07-29
THE WHEELING DAILY TUESDAY MORNING JULY 49,


Mn. Aueusrus PoLLAcx ASD THE IxrER.
NAL REVENUE 0EFfcIALs.-Rumofs have
been current on the streets for Q day or
two past that q United States detective
had visited the city In the interest Of the
Internal Revenue Department, aud after
nosing around while had interdicted the
sale Of certain packages Of smoking To.
bAcco manufactured by Mr.. Augustus Pol.
lack, the well.known cigar manufacturer.
The officials at the Custom House, when
Intercepted upon the subject, were as
close as oysters, and no information what
ever could be gained from them. 1tWas
not an easy matter, therefore, 10 get Of
the bottom facts in the case. According
70 common report, some Of the packages
Of smoking tobaccos manufactured by Mr..
Pollock were heavier than they should
have been; that Is 10 saw, q four.ounce
package Of tobacco, bearing q four.ounce
Government stamp, exceeded four ounces
In weight. That was about all that could
be ascertained OF the reported crooked.
ness, though how Mr.. Pollock could Of.
ford 70 detraud the Government by selling
FIVE ounces Of tobacco for the same price
he received Tor four ounces was not ex.
planned.
Wehave been at some pains to get the
particulars Of Mr.. Pollack's alleged irreg.
ularities, and lay the result before our
readers. In the first place, II must be IN.
deFstood that the Government fixes the
weight Of packages Of smoking tobacco at
two ounces, three orlLces, four ounces,
eight ounces and sixteen ounces, respect.
lively. For each one OF these packages
revenue stamp is required, stamps Of the
denomination wanted being furnished By
the Government. II seems that recently
the attention Of the revenue officers was
called to the fact that the brand Of smok-
ing tobacco known as PollaCk's Standard,
which was sold in packages purporting to
weigh four, eight and sixteen ounces, re-
ally weighed more than represented, and
1t was claimed that in this way the Gov
eminent was swindled out OF the tax
which should have been paid on the sur
plus tobacco. The object Of the manufac-
turer in giving more tobacco for the same
money than other dealers was represent
ed as originating from q desire on his
part 70 popularize his brand and increase
the sales.
Col. Kellogg, a revenue officer from
Norwalk, Ohio, came TO the city, and at.
ter examining some Of the packages Of to-
bacco in the ware rooms oil the jObbers in
the city, visited the various wholesale
houses, and all places where the Pollack
Standard was sold, and interdlcted its sale
until the alleged crookedness had been in
vestigated, Yesterday Mr.. Thos. ]. Blair,
an attache oftheR Revenue 0fficein this city,
accompanied by Mr.. Pollack, visited the
shops in the Penitentiary where the tobac-
co is prepared, and examined the foreman,
Mr.. Weidebusch, as to his knowledge OF
the weight Of the packages. The four
ounce packages, we should have explain
ed before this, were found TO weigh about
five ounces. Thus the Government was
only paid tax on four ounces, and Mr..
Pollock was paid only for four ounces. OF
course this was direct loss to Dir. Pol
lack Of four ounces to the pound. Mr..
Weidebusch explained that It was usual
in packing tobacco to make allowance for
shrinkage, and that he had instructed the
packers to use four and one-hRlf ounces Of
tobacco to four.ounce package to cover
the shrinkage. He could not account for
the Gve-ounce packages, but in his opin-
lou It was owing TO the careleSsness OF the
convicts who do the packing, in weighing
the tobacco. This is about the gist OF the
Investigation at the Penitentiary.
Col. kellogg, who has left the city, will
submit to Commissioner Raum a report Of
the facts Of the case just as he found them.
Gen. Duvall, Collector in this district, will
also submit an official report to the Com
missioner. The former, before his de-
parture, assured Mr.. Pollock that he was
satisfied Of his innocence Of an intent TO
detraud the Government. At Gen. Du-
wallis Office, yesterday, we were told
that Mr.. Pollack was not suspected Of an
intent to sdeiraud the Government, that
the officers were satisfied he was not con-
scious Of the alleged Irregularities, and
that the whole matter would be satislac-
torily adjusted in day or dwo.
The action OF Col. Kellogg in interdict-
ing the sale OF Pollack's Standard tobacco
will not interfere in any way whatever
with the sales OF any other brands OF his
tobaccos. 1t is likely, also, that matters
will be adjusted within a day or two SO
that the sale Of the Standard Brand may
be resumed.