Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-21
ASSAULT ON BROOKS.
An Exciting Episode I'm the War
Against the Whisky Ring.


From the Philadelphia Times.
Shortly after the war combination of
Philadelphia men. some of whom still oc
cupy high positions in the political world.
formed a ring, having for its object the
evasion of the whisky tax, which was then
very onerous, amounting to s. a gallon
This provision of the revenue law was
very unpopular, and Illicit distilleries
sprang up in every direction in this city.
The larger ones, which We're openly con-
Quoted. were financially supported by promi-
nent politicians, whose agents laughed at
the efforts Of the government authorities
to make them fully amenable to the law.
They falsified their books in q successful
effort to eyade the payment of the obnoX-
ious tax.
In this emergency the late James j.
Brooks, who had been appointed an
agent of the internal revenue depart
nent by President johnson, was or
dered to Philadelphia, with instructions
to uproot the conspiracy. He predicted
that the effort would cost him his life, but
he courageously undertook the task. He
went from distilery to distilery, making
rigid examinations of their books. examin-
ing their entries of grain receipts, and dis
covering wide discrepancies between The
announced output and the number of bar
rels of whisky which would naturally be
produced. He proved such a thorn in the
side of the distillers that 1t was determined
that he should be terrorzed into relaxa-
ton of his labors. In the light of suisse
quent investigation it Is not believed that
there was any intention on the part of the
whisky ringsters to kill him, but it is ab-
solutely certain that they raised a large
fund to employ men to assail the govern
ment detective and drive him from Phila-
delphia. The money subscribed for this
purpose was given under the guise of being
for the relief Of the victims of mine dis
aster in western Pennsylvania.
Prior to this time the whisky ring had sue
cessfully evade1 the examinations of in
ternal revenue agents by threats, cajolery
or brides. In Brooks they found a fearless
their money. and he laughed at their
threats. Several attempts to physically as
sault him failed to deter him from his duty.
1t was then determined that he should be
terrorized into flight. On September &,
1869 he was in Keenan's wholesale whisky
establishment at 112 North Front street.
and while engaged there in examining
book containing the government entries he
was approached from behind by the three
hired ruffians, and assaulted with black
jacks. When they thought he was beaten
into insensibility, they turned and ran. but
he staggered to his feet and followed them,
whereupon one of their number-supposed
to be Mara-drew a revolver and fired. The
bullet entered near Brooks heart and he
fell bleeding to the floor. The braves
jumped into a waiting carriage, and, de-
spite the efforts of the citizens. who were
attracted by the noise of the encounter,
succeeded in escaping. The outrage at
tracted widespread Indignation. Mayor Fox
offered a reward of $1,000 for the arrest of
the assassins. and the following day United
States Marshal Gregory expressed the feel
ings of the government by offering a re-
ward of 5000 for the apprehension of the
frgitives. One month later they were cap
tured in New York city.
For several weeks Detective Brooks
lowered between life and death, but
hearty constitution and careful habits of
life carried him safely through the ordeal.
The assault, however, proved the downfall
of the whisy ring 1t could not stand the
wave of popular Indignation which rolled
against it. The public. which had been
oareless-minded regarding the collection of
the excessive tax, resented the employment
of numerous methods for its evasion. The
trial Of the three men was one of the most
notable ever held in Philadelphia Nc
Laughlin made a sort of confession, but
before he appeared in front of jury he
had been induced in some mysterious way
not to betray the agents who had given him
employment as an assassin. They were
tried before Judge Ludlow, found guilty,
and sentenced to the full penalty Of the
law. seven years solitary confinement at
hard labor. Four months later Mclaughlin
died.