The record-union., 1891-06-17
MISPLACED CREDIT.
The CaIistoga Seizure Was Made by
Sacramento Officers.
Where the First Information Came
From-The Bay Officers Declined
to Assist at First.

The San Francisco journals contained
quite 'blow'' yesterday about how
Revenue Collector Quinn of the First
District seized the plant of the Calistoga
Wine and Distillery Company, of which
George Lang is the leading spirit. Much
was said about the clever work done by
the Government officers in ferreting out
the frauds Lang is said to have perpe-
trated.
But it appears now that it was the
officers of the Sacramento District who did
the 'clever ferreting," it was they who
made the seizure, and it was they who
gave the San Francisco officers, as well as
the Revenue Department itself, the first
information of the alleged frauds.
COLLECTOR BYINGToN's STORY.
Collector Byington of this district is
particularly exercised over the action
of the San Francisco officers in taking all
the credit.
1.-The first knowledge of the infraction
of revenue laws by George Lang was
brought to the notice of the revenue Off
GERS on May 5th last" said Mr.. Byington
to a RECoRD-UNIoN reporter last night.
''Officer Watts Sink, United States
Gauger Of this district, telephoned to me
from st. Helena that four packages of
spirits had been refused shipment to San
Francisco by the railroad agent at st.
Helena. | Immediately telegraphed him
TO detain the same, and wired my deputy,
Charles Newman, at Davisville, to at once
proceed to make an investigation. He
did so, and reported to this office that the
four packages had been transported back
to Lang's distillery at CaliStoga, and that
two packages had been shipped to San
Francisco; but that he and Gauger Sink
had discovered two more packages that
appeared to be tampered with. / imme-
diately ordered the four packages seized,
which was made on June 9Th.
II then telegraphed to San Francisco
TO know if Revenue Agent Eldridge was
in the city. Learning that he was not
wrote to Collector Quinn the facts of the
shipment of the two packages bearing
wholesale stamps to his district, and sug-
gested that the fraud had extended into
his district. He investigated, and his
deputy reported that the packages ap-
peared to be all right, and inquired if
had any other evidence than suspicion to
offer.
REPORTED TO WASHINGTON.
81 then reported the seizure Of the four
packages made on the 9th of June to the
department, and in a lengthy report 1
stated that l was satisfied that if the facts
could be got at it could be shown that
Lang had been systematically detrauding
the Government, and that his distillery,
and perhaps his wholesale house
i'll San Francisco, would be sub
ject to seizure and forfeiture.
My report to the department, and other
papers l submitted, were returned to
Revenue Agent Eldridge for investiga-
ton. Agent Eldridge, on May 28th,
came to my office to consult with me,
and it was there agreed that he would
meet Deputy Newman on June ID. at
Calistoga. and investigate the matter. He.
however, iustead sent B. NJ. Thomas,
who met Mr.. Newman, my deputy, and
on examination they found one cask Of
Illicit spirits. When reported to this
Office l ordered my deputy to seize it and
place it in the bonded warehouse, which
he did June 9th.
ION the 30th of May I was informed
THAT Charles Kelly of Davisville had i'm
portant evidence in this case. I at once
telegraphCd him to come to this city
which he did on the evening Of May 30th
and made affidavit that he had the num-
Der of barrel-heads that had been shipped
to ST. Helena in cases sometimes labeled
as grapes and sometimes as 'pict-
ures.' This affidavit l sent TO Revenue
Agent Eldridge on May 3Ist, and on this
affidavit and the report of mine sent
back to the agent by the department the
investigation was made.
THE SEIZURE.
''On June Sth, with the evidence I had
obtained, I seized Lang's distillery with
out instruction from anyone. On June
18th | received from the department in
structions to seize Lang's distillery and
all his spirits. / telegraphed in answer
that Lang's distillery was seized on the
Sth inst, and all spirits on the 9th inst
Now this is full statement of the facts
in the case, and the credit of all this is
due to this office, and is stolen from it
by the revenue officers in the First Dis
trict, who at first declined to assist me in
ferreting out this fraud"
The facts are said to be that the San
Francisco officers only seized Lang's
warehouse at San Francisco, while the
distillery and spirits We're seized by the
Sacramento officers.