The evening times., 1895-10-12

him his life, but he courageously under
TOOK the task. He went from distillery to
dlstiiiery, making rigid examinations of
their books. examining their entries of
grain receipts, and discovering wide dis
crepancies between the announced output
and the number of barrels OF whisky
which would naturally be produced
He proved such a thorn in the side of
the disti!lers that il was determined that
he should be terroriZcd into Il rcla Xatio
of his iabors. In the light of subsequent
investigation it is not believed that there
was any intention on the part of The
whisky riDgsters to kill him. but it is alb
soiutely certain that they raised Il large
fund to employ men To ass;iil the Govern
ment detective and drive him from Phila-
delphia. The money subscribed for this
purpose was given under the Guisc of he
ing for the relief of the victims of a
mine disaster in Western Penns ylvania.
The braves employed were named Hugh
Mara, Neil Mclaughlin and James Dough-
erty. ruffians who valued human life
lightly.
Prior to this time the whisky ring had
successfully evadcd the examinations of
internal revenue agents by threats. ca
jolery or brides. In Brooks they found
a fearless ana honest man. He would not
accept their money, and he laughed at
their threats. Several attempts to physit-
his duty. 1t was then determined that
he should be terroriZcd into light. On
September 6. 1869, he was in Keenan's
wholesale whisky establishment, ut 112
North Front street, and while engaged
there in examining n 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 in
sensibility they turned and ran but he stag
gered 10 his feet and followed them. where
upon one of their number-suppOsed TO be
Mara-drew a revolver and fired. The bul-
let entered near Brooks heart. and he fell
bleeding TO the floor. The braves jumped
into a waiting carriage. and despite the
efforts of the citizens. who were attracted
by the noise of the encounter. succeeded
in escaping. The outrage attracted wide
spread indignation. Mayor Fox offered
a reward OF ST. 600 for the arrest of the
assassins. and the following day United
States Marshal Gregory expressed the
feelings of the government by offering a
reward of $1,000 for the apprehension of
the fugitives. One month later they were
captured in New York city.
DOwNED THE RING.
For several weeks Detective Brooks
hovered between life and death. but
hearty constitution and careful habits of
life carried him safely through the ordeal.
The assault, however, proved the down.
fail of the whisky ring. II could not
stand the wave of popular Indignation W lich
rolled against il. The public, which had
been careless-minded regarding the col
lection of the excessive tax, resented the
employment of nurderous methods for its
evasion. The trial of the three men was
one of the most notable ever held in Phil
adelphia. Mclaughlin made q sort of con-
fession, but before he appeared in front Of
a jury he had been induced in some mys-
terious 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
athardlabor. FournionthslaterM McLaugh-
lin died.