BRISTOW, BENJAMIN HELM American lawyer and politician, was born in Elkton, Ky., on June 20, 183 2. He graduated at Jefferson college, Cannonsburg, Pa., in 1851, studied law under his father, and was admitted to the Kentucky bar in 1853. During the Civil War he was lieutenant colonel of the 25th Kentucky infantry and helped to recruit the 8th Ken tucky cavalry, of which he became lieutenant colonel and later colonel. Thereafter he was successively State senator, assistant U.S. district attorney, district attorney for the Louisville district, and the (first appointed) solicitor general of the United States. As secretary of the Treasury (1874-76) he prosecuted with vigour the so-called "Whisky Ring," the headquarters of which was at St. Louis, and which, beginning in 2870 or 1871, had defrauded the Federal Government out of millions of dollars of its rightful revenue from the distillation of whisky. Distillers and revenue officers in various cities were implicated; and prominent among the ring's alleged accomplices at Washington was Orville E. Babcock, private secretary to President Grant, whose personal friendship for Babcock was unshaken. Babcock was acquitted.
Through Bristow's efforts more than 200 men were indicted, a number of whom were convicted, but after some months' imprison ment pardoned.
Benjamin Bristow resigned his portfolio in June, 1876. As sec retary of the Treasury he advocated a resumption of specie pay ments and at least a partial withdrawal of "greenbacks." A promi nent candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 1876, he gave his support to Hayes when his own nomination was seen to be impossible. After 1878 he practised law in New York city, where he died June 22, 1896.