Whiskey Ring
The Whiskey Ring took place from 1871 to 1876 centering in
Prosecutions of members of the Ring started in 1875 and ended in 1876. McDonald was indicted, put on trial, found guilty, fined $5,000, and sentenced to federal prison for 18 months. Grant's private Secretary
History and formation
During the Lincoln Administration, Mid-West whiskey distillers created a slush fund by bribing treasury agents and evading taxes on whiskey they produced and sold.
Investigations
On June 4, 1874,
In mid-April 1875, Bristow gave Grant evidence of the ring. Grant left Washington to attend Centennial commemorations of the
Prosecutions (1875-1876)
On Monday, May 10, 1875, Bristow conducted a series of raids across the nation that broke up the Whiskey Ring. [7]The trials began at Jefferson City, Missouri in October 1875. Ultimately, of 238 people who were indicted, 110 convictions were made and more than $3 million in taxes were recovered.[8] President Ulysses S. Grant appointed General John Brooks Henderson (a former U.S. Senator from Missouri) to serve as special prosecutor in charge of the indictments and trials, but Grant eventually fired Gen. Henderson for challenging Grant's interference in the prosecutions. There was also some animosity between Grant and Henderson, because Senator Henderson, in 1868, voted to acquit President Andrew Johnson, saving Johnson from impeachment by one vote. Grant replaced Henderson with an attorney James Broadhead. The ringleader John McDonald, was indicted, tried by Henderson and United States Attorney of the Eastern District of Missouri, David P. Dyer. McDonald was convicted, fined $5,000, and sentenced to prison for 18 months. Revenue agent John A. Joyce, was indicted, tried, convicted, and sent to the penitentiary.[9]
Orville Babock's indictment
In July 1875, Bristow and Attorney General Edwards Pierrepont, working as Grant's anti-corruption team, met Grant, who was vacationing at Long Branch, and gave him evidence that Babcock was a member of the ring. [10] Grant told Pierrepont "Let no guilty man escape..." and said if Babcock was guilty then it was the "greatest piece of traitorism to me that a man could possibly practice."[11] In October, Babcock was summoned in front of Grant, Bristow, and Pierrepont at the White House to explain two ambiguous telegrams handwritten by Babcock and signed "Sylph", an apparent code name for Babcock.[12] The first message said, "I have succeeded. They will not go. I will write you." (December 10, 1874) and the second one said, "We have official information that the enemy weakens. Push things." (February 3, 1875)[13] Bristow had shown these messages to Grant at a cabinet meeting the same day.[14] Babcock said something to Grant, unintelligible to Bristow and Pierrepont, and Grant appeared satisfied by Babcock's interpretation of the telegrams.[15]
Pierrepont and Bristow, believing the matter to be crucial, insisted Babcock send a message to his telegraphic correspondent demanding that this individual come to Washington to give his version of the messages.[16] After Babcock seemed to be taking too long, Pierrepont went to check on him and found Babcock writing a warning to revenue agent John A. Joyce, his St. Louis confederate, to be on his guard.[17] Infuriated, Pierrepont grabbed Babcock's pen and dashed through his message yelling "You don't want to send your argument; send the fact, and go there and make your explanation. I do not understand it."[16] Grant, on the other hand, was divided between the loyalty he had for Babcock, and his desire for Bristow and Pierrepont, trustworthy members of his cabinet, to prosecute the Whiskey Ring.[11] Since Babcock had no acceptable explanation for his messages, he was indicted for conspiracy to defraud the Treasury of the United States on November 4, 1875.[18][3]
Orville Babcock's trial
On February 8, 1876, Babcock went on trial, an event that lasted eighteen days.[19] Babcock's defense team was noted for its prowess and included Grant's former Attorney General George Williams, a top criminal defense advocate and lawyer, Emory A. Storrs, and a former appeals judge (New York), John K. Porter.[20] It took place at the U.S. Post Office and Customs House located at 218 North Third Street, and the status of the defendant made the trial a popular and well-attended spectacle.[19] Demand to attend the proceedings was so great that only persons with signed passes and Whiskey Ring defendants were allowed in.[19] Babcock arrived in civilian clothes, including sky-blue pants, a silk hat, and a light jacket.[19] When court was not in session, Babcock stayed at the newly rebuilt Lindell Hotel on Sixth Street and Washington Avenue.[19]
Grant's White House deposition took place on February 12; it was notarized by Chief Justice Morrison Waite and witnessed by both Bristow and Pierrepont.[21] In his statement, Grant fully supported the Whiskey Ring prosecutions, but willfully refused to testify against Babcock, despite having been informed by Bristow of Babcock's duplicity. Instead, Grant praised Babcock, saying he had "great confidence" in Babcock's integrity, and that his confidence in Babcock was "unshaken".[22]
On February 17, Babcock's defense counsel read President Grant's deposition to the jury, which severely weakened any chance of Babcock being convicted.
Effect on Republican Party
The Whiskey Ring was seen by many as a sign of corruption under the
"Sylph"
According to John McDonald, the kingpin of the Whiskey Ring, there was much public interest and speculation of the "Sylph" letter signature. McDonald said that when Babcock had attended the annual St. Louis Fair, with Col. John A. Joyce, while they were walking on 5th Street, he saw a very attractive woman, who would be nicknamed the "Sylph" for her beauty. Although Babcock was a married man, he inquired who the lady was. Babcock reportedly said to Joyce, "She is the most beautiful and bewitching woman I ever saw; for heaven's sake; let us turn the corner and meet her again so that you can give me an introduction.". Later, meeting at Freund's restaurant, Babcock was introduced to Louise Hawkins, the "Sylph". Babcock would later use "Sylph", as a code signature for Babcock, in letter correspondence to Joyce.[27]
References
- ^ a b Kahan 2018, p. 117.
- ^ Calhoun 2017, p. 494.
- ^ a b c d Rives 2000.
- ^ Kahan 2018, p. 118.
- ^ Calhoun 2017, pp. 494–497.
- ^ Calhoun 2017, pp. 495–497.
- ^ Calhoun 2018, p. 498.
- ^ S2CID 149135246.
- ^ David P. Dyer (1922), Autobiography and Reminiscences, p. 161
- ^ White 2016, p. 562; McFeely 1974, p. 156.
- ^ a b White 2016, p. 562.
- ^ White 2016, p. 563; Brands 2012, p. 557 ; McFeely 1981, p. 410 .
- ^ Smith 2001, p. 591.
- ^ White 2016, p. 563.
- ^ White 2016, p. 563; McFeely 1981, p. 410 .
- ^ a b Brands 2012, p. 557 ; McFeely 1981, p. 411 .
- ^ McFeely 1981, p. 411.
- ^ Brands 2012, p. 557.
- ^ a b c d e f g O'neil 2017.
- ^ Calhoun 2017, p. 522.
- ^ a b White 2016, p. 564.
- ^ White 2016, p. 564; Chernow 2010, p. 806 .
- ISBN 0-394-46095-2.
- ISBN 978-1-878592-72-9.
- ^ Colton, David Douty; Huntington, Collis Potter (1992). The Octopus Speaks: The Colton Letters. San Luis Rey, CA: Tentacled Press. p. 155.
- OCLC 746941797.
- ^ McDonald 1880, pp. 113–120.
Sources
- OL 25079083M – via Internet Archive.
- ISBN 978-1-59420-487-6 – via Google Books.
- Kahan, Paul (2018). The Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant: Preserving the Civil War's Legacy. Yardley, PA: Westholme Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-59416-273-2 – via Google Books.
- McDonald, John (1880). Secrets of the Great Whiskey Ring and Eighteen Months In The Penitentiary. St. Louis, Missouri: W. S. Bryan – via Internet Archive.
- ISBN 978-0-440-05923-3 – via Internet Archive.
- Rives, Timothy (Fall 2000). "Grant, Babcock, and the Whiskey Ring". OCLC 321015582. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
- ISBN 978-0-684-84927-0 – via Internet Archive.
- ISBN 978-1-58836-992-5 – via Google Books.
Further reading
- Cooper, Edward S. (2016). John McDonald and the Whiskey Ring: From Thug to Grant's Inner Circle. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-6839-3013-6.
- Felton, Franklin Eliot (1870). The Secrets of Internal Revenue: Exposing the Whiskey Ring, Gold Ring, and Drawback Frauds. William Flint, philadelphia.
- Hopper, Jennifer Rose. "Reexamining the Nineteenth-Century Presidency and Partisan Press: The Case of President Grant and the Whiskey Ring Scandal." Social Science History 42.1 (2018): 109–133.
- Rives, Timothy, "Grant, Babcock, and the Whiskey Ring," Prologue, Fall 2000, Vol. 32, No. 3.