Year: 1875

fact that 1t was thought that he was honest
than anything else, and that t. =
HE DID NOT PROPOSE TO DECEIVE ANYBODY,
and if whisky was made in New Orleans il
must be made according to law, II he could
make the distillers do it. Watson said he
didn't propose what Colonel Hunts prede-
cessor got as q measure OF what ne shoulo
get; as tax was raised, they could pay more.
! But being again assured by Colonel Hunt
I that he could not entertain any such propo-
sition, be replied: "If that is the case,
J we will have to stop; we can't do it," he
4 then asked Colonel Hunt II he would
not consider the proposition, and give him
an answer at any day he preferred. Col.
Hunt replied: "You have my answer, and
i have nothing more to say about it," The
distiller assured Hunt that his consent was
all that was necessary, as all the subordi-
naJo revenue officers were in the thing.
Col. Hunt had not then decided to go to
New Orleans, but thinking he might get a
little further insight into the matter, he
sent one of his special clerks in advance TO
New Orleans to take some observations and
memoranda, and report to him upon his ar
rival. What Col. Hunt learned in New
Orleans soon convinced him that


THE WHOLE THING WAS ROTTEN,


and he left the day following his arriyS 20
arrange some plan to stop the fraud. He
Immediately went to Washington and in
formed the secretary OF the treasury and the
commissioner of what he had learned, de
failing to them the names of the st. Louis
parties deirauding the government, and
their various modes of procedure, and of
the course he Thought best to pursue.
The secretary at once gave him the
fullest authority to organize his
He decided to send storekeepers and gsu-
gers upon whom he could rely-men that
he was satisfied could not be bought. Care
fully selecting his nine men they were sent
to New Orleans and were placed over one dis
tillery, which run only five days and then
decided to close for the season. Other dis
tilleries that were preparing to run, and
were about ready to begin, decided not to run
when they ascertained that he was going to
place honest officials over them. The
distillery which run five days made
3.79 gallons to the bushel. though there was
leak, which was made one of the pre-
lenses for stopping. Prior to that time the
same distillery reported yield Of 2.6l
gallons per bushel for one month, and for
another month 2S1 gallons, and another
month 2S4 gallons per bushel, showing that
they were stealing on the amount OF grain
reported, about gallon to the bushel.
Among other


PRACTICES WHICH COLONEL HUNT DETECTED
he found gsuger who was charging whole
sale liquor dealers twenty-five cents for each
stamp he put on barrels instead of the ten
cents authorized by law, reporting the legal
price and putting the surplus in his pocket.
rhe gsugers and storekeepers involved in
fraud were promptly dismissed. The honest
dealers appeared to be grstified with what
was done. and afforded facilities to
Colonel Hunts assistants to procure
all the Information they desired.
Col. Hunt promptly, vigorously and
thoroughly investigated the distilleries in
New Orleans, and made a clear sweep of all
the CROOKED" ones and had the satisfaction
of knowing that the Importation of fraudu-
lently distilled whisky had ceased to be
shipped from his district to New York, at
which place 1t had been actually sold for less
than the government tax. Col. Hunts
vigorous action at New Orleans and the
information he communicated to Secretary
Bristow caused that official to Immediately
move, all along the line, upon the whisky
ring, and now the bottom is about knocked
out of the ring, and day by day the telegraph
brings infol lmation ofnew arrests and impor-
tant developments, but still Col. Hunt thinks
the end not yet.