Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-01-27
Raid on Illicit '.DistilIeries-SeverR
Persons Captured.

Wednesday evening, about 3 o'clock, the
following revenue officers; Capt. W. a
Gavett, Assistant Supervisor Capt. T. S.
Wheat, Dep. L. S. Marshal; Maj. S. c.
Marshall, Deputy Collector, and Capt.
Pfister, accompanied by a wagon and Ser
geant John c. Fahy with company g., 10th
Infantry, left this city for a raid upon what
they termed Illicit distilleries, supposed to
exist among the mountainous recesses and
lonely hollows of Sumner county. The
party travelled until about half past twelve
O'Clock that night, by which time they had
arrived in the vicinity of a distilleTy which
was located in the eighth district of Sum-
ner county, about ten mfies northwest OF
Saundersville. The country here is wild and
owing to its mountainous formation, IS not
SO thickly populated as the more favored
sections. Up hills and along unfrequented
paths, the party stealthily approached, and
after much difficulty in finding their way
over the rough and narrow road, came upon
a distillery, which was soon occupied with
out resistance having been met with. Here
they arrested Mr.. Jas. f. Clendining, who
stated that he was employed in and run
ming the distiIlery for Mr.. George II. Ham
iltOn, who owned the property. The dis
tillery was found to be in good running Or
der, having all the necessary and usual out
fit. The party captured at this distillery
two barrels of whisky, two copper stills and
worms, besides three thousand gallons Of
beer, nine hundred pounds Of corn
meal and one barrel Of 81" glings.
The latter were destroyed and left
for the hogs to make merry on, while
the former was placed in the army wagon
and brought safely here. The party then
proceeded to the residence of Stanley Ham,
ilton, father of Geo. II. Ham ilton, owner
of the distillery, and after some maneuver-
ing found two more barrels Of unstamped
and unmarked whisky, which had been
made at the distillery. Geo. Il. Hamilton
made an effort to escape by jumping out OF
the window, but was brought to halt by
one Of the soldiers who presented his gun
and came very near discharging it at him.
The party in charge of the prisoners and
whisky, next proceeded over a rugged
country, whose uncouth appearance had no
very happy effect upon them, to the distille J
ofDanIel Copeland, which they found also in
running order, under charge Of Anderson
GourleY, who claims that he was merely
EMPLOYED at $40 per month in the service
of Copeland Here two more copper stills
and worms, with twentysix hundred gal
Ions of beer were seized. The party went
TO the residence of Gourley and arrested
him and Copeland. By this time it was
daylight, and the party hired two teams
from persons in the neighbOrhoOd and load
ed them with the spoils of the raid. A
barrel Of whisky was found in the me at
house and taken possession of. The party
stopped over night with Daniel Montgome-
nv, at Shackle Island, brakes creek. and
setting out early in the day arrived here
about 3 o'clock yesterday after
noon with their prisoners and plumber
We understand that through the strict ex-
ertions of Sergeant Faby the men refrained
from the use of spirits, and what is most
unusual in such raids, none of them be-
came intoxicated. The prisoners were car
ried before United States Commissioner
John Ruhm yesterday, but waived an ex-
animation, and expect to give bond to-day
for their appearance at the next term of the
Federal Court, when the merits of their
cases will be investigated.