Chuk, if
"they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes"

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

it would have been because

The first four men (the poorest) had drunk a teaspoon of beer each
The fifth had drunk a very small glass of beer
The sixth had drunk a small glass
The seventh had drunk a medium glass
The eighth had drunk two medium glasses
The ninth had drunk two large glasses
And the tenth man (the richest) had drunk a barrel

And yes, the man #10 got what he deserved.