Louisiana capitolian., 1880-08-21
New York Sun.

How the members of what was once
the New Orleans whisky ring made good
their boast that they were stronger than
the government, was made familiar to
the public in the second year OF Hayes
administration. BY their influence n
district attorney was removed who had
evidence to convict and the tiTmness anu
integrity necessary to conduct the suits
begun by SccretaryB BrIstow under Grant,
and another man whom the ring could
control was appointed. 1h' SUITS
against thirty persons over whose hcaas
indictments still hang were, after the
rclnovafof District Attorney BeekWlth,
and BY The consent of uitcd States Dis
trict Judge Billings and District Att"r-
ncy Lacey, Mr.. Hayes appolntcc, "con-
timed indcGnitcly.'
The operations OF the New, Orleans
yhiskcy ring were the first OF the wills
kcy frauds TO tcolmr aunder the ottica
notice Of Gen. Blistow when hc was
secretary of the treasury The story has
nr.rg been fully told, although hints
of It's main features leaked ont at the
time.
Mr.. Bristow was informed hE A promj-
nrut nmanutacturu-Mi George
Buchanan. Of Iousyile--who knew of
the tgsgsactjoDs through his business
operations. that whskcy was being
made and nut upon tlic market IN such
Quantities and at such Il low price as TO
mike the conclusion certain that 1t mad
never paid the government tax. Therc-
fore Uudcr the stringent provisions oi
The law, il was equally certain that
government Officials must be parties to
The r.aud. Honest dealers found it lnl-
possibIe.to compete, With the manHtac.
;ure,s and rctincrs Of This Irregular whls-
key and they We're crowded ont Of the
business.
4 very slightsvipseStiSation satisfied
Mr.. Erstow that New orleans and ~
l.ons were thc localities where II large
part of these frauds Were pcrpetraick
It was certain that immense Quantities
of whisky were manufactured and re-
fined in the New Orleans distiilcrirS,
whereas every onr IN the business knew
that the manufacture Of whisky III HAT
ra Souherllcity, remote hnmAlhe coal
supply and ir0m'thr matrrialWaS Wholly
uunatural. Yet next to 81. Louis, New
Orleans was producing more whisky
.lan any other city in the United States ;
rai nloresthan Louisville. and Frankfort
combined, which cities paid something
like uuc-iifth Of the entire revenue rails
cI from the manufacture of whisky.
The New Orleans lainliac urcs, altllOlsE
compelled to transport Their corn thou
sands of miles, were undorscllinS their
kentucky competitors. Besides, this
Development of New Orleans as a great
whisky manufacturing ceutr was very
| sudden. Three or inur years before no
| whisky was made there.
With these facts before him the srcrc-
/ tary determined to 90 10 the bottom Of
tn" matter. He knew Il gentleman, a
former Office holder. who he believed
could master the secret me thodS Sof the
whiskey operators. This gentleman,
4 Col. Burgess Hunt, of Lexington, ky.,
! Was asked by the secretary 20 accept an
appointment as supervisor Of Internal
revenue for 1hc district Of wliithaNcw
Orleans is a pait, and which included
Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and
!, Louisiana, Col. Hunt accepted the
appointment. and Secretary 'Hristow,
not knowing whomle could trust, ;, for
lle was satisfied. the tsieeprr he Hooked
into the matter, that government ot,i-
rials every where. wee in tie paS Qf the
| ring, determined to Keep lie appoint
meat an absolute secret 81 Slarais it.was
III his power 70 do So The ring. Of
course, learned Of the removal Of Col.
| Hunt : predecessors Suut,i,isDr f'uhh