Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-09-24
The Whisky Ring Fraud.
Some Account of the Machinery Used to
Raise Republican Campaign Funds.


Some Account of the Machinery Used to
Raise Republican Campaign Funds.
Ever since Gen. John McDonal d
was released from the penitentiary
in the closing days of Grants Ad-
ministlation, he has said when the
time came he would talk. That time
has evidently come. In few days
the manuscript of book to be called
the Secrets of the Great Whisky
Ring" will he given to the public.
Mcdonald was Supervisor of Inter-
nal Revenue for the district compris-
ing Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Kan.
sas, Indian Territory and New Mexi-
CO when the ring was exposed, and
he served seventeen months in the
Missouri penitentiary for completely
in the frauds. He told the follow
ing to a correspondent Of the New
York World:
"I never lied to General Grant in
all my dealings with him. He had
positive knowledge of these opera
tions. The ring was formed to raise
money for the campaign expenses in
1872, and Grant and the leaders of
the Republican party knew it.
When had laid the plans in my
district 1 went to Washington and
told Grant about them. His instruc-
tons were to see Babcock aud give
him the details, and then we would
be protected from interference and
trouble by the Commissioner of In
ternal Revenue and the Treasury
Department. Douglass had infor-
nation of what was going on, but
begged not to be informed of details
that his conscience might not be
burdened. Rogers knew it as we'll
"a Avery, who went to the peniten-
tiary with US. tell you the Whisky
King formed for the purpose of
raising a campaign fund had the
sanction of the administration and
was a party measure. We sent
money to Morton to be used in car
rying Indiana and used it in paying
the expenses of Republican speakers
throughout the West. Thousands
of it went to keep up Republican
newspapers and to strengthen the
backbones of editors and make them
for Grant in 1872"
"And you wore the stripes before
you would make all this known ?"
81 did. Nobody can say that
John Mcdonald ever BETRAYED Il
friend. Before my trial, in the Fall
of 1875, Gen. Grant and Babcock
were here. I had been indicted, and
they were afraid was going to
squeal. They came to see what
could be done to save themselves,
aud when they found that I was firm
they went back to Washington. leav-
ing promises that / should never suf-
fer if sentenced. Then came my
conviction, and simultaneously with
it Babcock indictment. I was sent
to the St. Louis Jail, and they begged
me to hold off till Babcock could
have % trial. I furnished, under
positive pledges that they should be
returned to me, batch of Babcock's
letters to be used if necessary in his
trial. They were not used and never
returned. BabcocE was acquitted,
and that night he came to me In the
St Louis Jail and pledged his word
that my pardon should come as soon
as he returned to Washington. AL
most the day after he got there came
the Beknap exposure, and was
urged to hold off little while longer.
Then the Cincinnati Convention was
at hand and there was possibility
of Grant being re-nominated, and
once more l was asked to be martyr
for my friends u little longer. Then
came the campaign, and as party
measure I was asked to remain a
prisoner till the election. L waited
for the November returns. and saw
that Tilden had the electoral MAORI
tv. Then | said I would wait no
longer-they must let me so. l had
an address drawn up in which L mar
rated the origin of the Whisky
Riue, told as briefly as I could what
proof l had of the completely OF
Grant and other Republican leaders
in the frauds. / sent word that this
document was to be laid before Proc
tor Knotts committee, then investi-
eating the ring, unless nay pardon
was forthcoming by the Goth OF Jan
uary, 1877. Fletcher of Missouri,
came to the penitentiary and read
that paper. Then, and not till then
it was that my pardon came.
MISPLACED confidence is not so