The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-07-04
GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATING
 A MONTGOMERY DISTILLERY

Kohn Distiiiing Company. said that he had heard the runnors of Irregularities in the stamping of casks of whiskey by his company, but the veracity of these ru- mors he emphatically denied. Mr. Steiner said that two United States speciai agents had examined the books of the distiliery. This fact. he explained. was not significant as the books of every distillery are frequently perused by agents of the Government. He was em- phatic in his statement that if irregular ities had been discovered by the agents, they had not been reported to the Kohn Distillery, which would. he said, have as- suredly been done in case of irreguiart- ties through fault of the Kohns had de- veioped.
 H.. R. Chivers, a negro Upited States gauger, who 1t was rumored had been dis missed from the service of the United states on account of alleged complicity in the irregularities,, as far as Mir. Steiner knew, was still a servant of the Gov erhment He Is now employed in the Kohn Digtillery but Mir. Steiner said that gaug- CTS are transferred several times year. and If 1t had developed that any casks of whiskey had been sent out from the distillery unstamped. Chivers would as- suredly been held responsible for not re- porting this irregularity. and would not now be in the service of the Government.
 As far as sforekeeper Hughes, who 1t was rumored, was . party to the alleged Kohn irreeularities, Is concerned, MT. Steiner said that Hughes is still an em- ploye of the Government in Birming- ham distillery. having been transferred there several weeks ago.
 As to a reported conference between E.. A. Kohn and J. O. Thompson, Collector of Internal Revenue. In reference to the alleged irregularities. MT. Steiner denied it's accuracy It Is true, he said. that both MT. Kohn and Mir. Thompson were in Montgomery several days ago. Mir. Kohn, he said. was paying his old home a visit, while Mir. Thompson. as IS his weekly custom. was en route to Tuskegee to spend Sunday with his family.
 No notice of any levy for single dollar for not stamping casks had been served on the Kohn Distiliery to the knowledge of Mir. Steiner, and ae averred that ne was in a position to know if such levy was made. The proposition for compro- mise he denied.
 ..I would take a solemn oath" said Mr. Steiner, that not a keg of whiskey has rome out of the distilery without being properly stamped and if any irregularity was found by the agents 1t was on the part of the Government bookkeeper, for which our company cannot be held re- sponsible."
 The rumors, he said. had been caused by prejudice against his firm by whole sale liquor dealer and were malicious.
 The Kohn Distillery Is not in active op- eration. Its store, however. is now run ming. Mir Steiner says that it Is not the custom of the distiliery to operate through the entire year. but to be idle for at least five months
 Chivers, the negro United States gauger, vvas seen at his home. He said that he Knew absolutely nothing of any irregular ity at the works of the Kohn Company. He stated that he was still in the service of the United States as gauger. Chiv- CTS knew that special agents had been at work on the Kohn Company's books. but said that this was a frequent occurr- ence in all distilleries. On being ques- toned further. Chivers referred repre- sentative of The Advertiser to Mr. stein- ST.
 Deputy Internal Revenue Collectors in Montgomery declare that all information concerning the Kohn Distillery investiga- ton must come from Internal Revenue Collector Thompson.