Year: 1875

Information from Washington says the
Treasury Department has the most con-
elusive evidence to show that the Whisky
Ring has decided to resort to murder, if
necessary, to protect its members. The
circumstance which points directly to this
conclusion is the attempted assassination
of ]. E. Miller, in Chicago, Friday night
of last week. Mr.. Miller was formerly a
United States guager. He was discharged
from the service i'll May last, for a violation
of the rules and regulations of the Internal
Revenue Bureau. His offense was of
technical and not criminal character.
Subsequently he gave the Government very
valuable information of his own accord.
He implicated in the whisky frauds persons
who hold high social and civil positions in
Chicago, whose names have never yet been
mentioned in the reports on the subject.
His disclosures astounded the Treasury
officials, and the officers of the Revenue
and Secret Service, who had had the most
knowledge of the inside workings of the
Ring, and through whose efforts largely
the plan for the seizures had been made.
The Ring fully understood Miller's means
of knowing of their operation. Learning,
through treachery, that he had in some
way communicated his information to the
Government, knowing that his evidence
could be given orally only, in a criminal
case, and could not be perpetuated by
deposition, the Ring seem to have deter
mined to prevent him from ever reaching
the witness stand.


The information in the possession of the
Treasury Department indicates that the
Ring sought to accomplish this purpose by
the hands of an assassin. On Friday night
of last week, while Miller was quietly look
ing about Chicago for additional evidence
against the Ring, he was shot by an assas-
sin. The ball was intended for his heart,
but lodged in his left arm. He was badly
wounded, but will recover. He was taken
care of by friends, and is now understood
to be in a place where hired murderers
cannot reach him.


1t is the intention of the Government to
protect him from further assault and to
place him on the stand at the proper time,
that he may tell the whole truth regarding
the mOnstrous swindling operations of the
Ring of which he had personal knowledge.
What he knows will assist the Government
materially in securing convictions. His
revelations are considered of so much i'm
portance that he will be constantly attended
until the trial by Government officers, who
will shield him from harm. Although the
assassin was within few feet of Miller
when he fired, his face was not fully ex-
posed, and Miller is able to give only a
meager and unsatisfactory description of
him. 1t is doubtful if his identity can
ever be established. Through the assist
ance of Miller and others the Treasury has
obtained mass of evidence against per-
sons in Chicago which is startling.


There can be no doubt of the credbility
of the evidence or of the identity of the
prominent persons whose names are in
volved. These names the Treasury will
withhold until the trial of the causes at
the October term of the Court. Their
publication at any time would create pro-
found sensation. Miller is the person who
was the means of discovering the 400 bar
rels of illicit highwines in Chicago, which
had been concealed since the seizure. The
Secret Service is closely watching every
movement in Chicago, St. Louis, and Mil
waukee, the leading centers of the Whisky
Ring. 1t is known that former Chicago
detective recently discharged from Govern
ment service, is in the employ of the Ring,
and is shadowing the operations of the
Government officers.