Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1896-07-03
A Scrap oi History.

history OF the Unlted STATES, anu
fully explains the origin of the fac
tions of the Republican party in
Missouri, and the bitter warfare
that has been waged against
Chauncey l. Filley for quarter
of century by Jno. L. Bettinger
and others engaged in the Whisky
Ring frauds:
General Grants second admin
istration was saddened by some of
the most gigantic frau S and swim
dies ever brought to light against
government officials and promi
nent men in political circles. Dur
ing the latter part of the year 1875,
disclosures were made of a wide
spread conspiracy among the
United States revenue officers,
distillers and others to defraud
the government OF it's revenue on
whisky. This was known as the
"whiskey ring" o. E. Babcock,
President Grants private secreta-
ry, was one of the accused, but on
trial was acquitted.
The "whiskey ring" seemed to
have its headquarters in st. Louis
though there were branches ex-
tending to Kansas City and st.
Joseph. 1t was wholly within the
ranks of the Republican officials
and Republican leaders, whose OBJ
ject was to increase their own
wealth by violating the law and
defrauding the government. Re-
spectacle Republicans kept aloof
from the gigantic fraud, and saved
their good names from reproach.
Those familiar with the ring and
its schemes understand it's strenu-
Gus and persistent efforts to domi-
nate and control City, State and
National politics.
For tx years, all else had to
yield to or feel its influence. The
chief Republican paper of st.
Louis and Missouri was the st.
Louis Democrat, owned by Fish
back, Houser and William Mckee,
all three having an interes in it.
This paper, from its skill md en-
terprise, had gained a wide intlu-
cree during the war. March 23,
1S72, William Mckee and ID M.
Houser sold their share in the
Democrat to Fishback & Co. for
S456, 600. On July is, 1872, Me
kee and Houser established a new
Republican paper, called the Globe
which it is supposed derived It's
first vigor from the proceeds of the
whiskey ring frauds, though there
is no evidence that Mr.. D. NJ.
Houser, or any one else connected
with the paper, save Mckee, had
anything whatever to do with the
whiskey ring frauds. The emolu-
ments of the whiskey ring frauds,
according to the statement of Gen
eral Mcdonald, reached the enor-
nous amount of 50, 2,7S6,000. OF
this, it is said that Mckee of the
Globe received 1900, 900. On March
10, 1875, Mckee and Houser
purchased The Democrat from
Fishback & Co., and. consolidat-
ing it with the Globe, it became
the st. Louis Globe Democrat
which name it bears to-day.
The power of the VIII iskey ring
was almost unlimited. Scarce any
dared opposed it; and he who did
was cru shed by the weight of its in
tluence. Republican State conven-
tions were manipulated in its in
ferest, and ChaunceyI. Filley, the
Republican leader then and now
In the State, because he W ould not
accede to the wishes of the ring,
was retired from tn e State commit
tee. He was at The time, of it,
exposure, by Geor, ye w. Fishback
to Secretary Brist ow, postmastel
of st. Lo lis. These giganti,
frauds on such wholesale plar
could not 20 enti' .ely unoticed. On
May 10, 1875, sc izures were mad,
py Two revenue officers going to 5
Louis for that p urpose after Fish
back mad given into the hands o
Bristow the swo IN proof. The par
ties inst. Louis who aided in fur
nishing the inf' ,rnation were Jess,
b oodv5ard, an attcrHey, ant
Myron Coloney. a special agent.
On May 15, 1875, the commits
sioner of revenue was supersede,
by Commissioner Pratt of indiana
and in June, Mcdonald. Joyc,
and Fitzroy we're indicted. II
July, General join, B. Henderson