The Jasper weekly courier., 1874-07-10
An Awful Warning-The Fate Of an
Illicit Distiller.


The Athens (Tenn.) Post says; a man,
which his name IL was" Jones, who lived
with his family near the lower bench ofths
biz Smoky Mountain, had been annoyed
good deal by the revenue rangers last
fail, and determined 10 change his location
and business 10 more secluded spot.
To carry out this purpose he selected
the head of deep gorge some four miles
distant, walled in with cliffs, where during
the winter, assisted by some OF his friends.
he erected log building. As soon as the
cold weather was over and the spring fairly
opened, the still and other things necessary
were moved 10 the place, and the work OF
violating the revenue laws was resumed.
Several ''runs' were made, and Jones be-
gan to congratulate himself that he had at
last found refuge beyond the prying eyes
of the government hirelings, where he
could pursue his avocation I'm peace. But
alas how little we know even OF the im-
mediate future. and how often do the very
steps which the transgressor takes TO in
sure concealment and safety, lead 10 his
swim and certain destruction. The still
house being some distance from where his
family lived, Jones rarely visited them
more than once in fortnight. Everything
went on we'll enough until about four
weeks ago, when he failed to appear at the
accustomed time.
Nothing was thought OF this for day
or two, but when another week elapsed
without the return of Jones, the family
became alarmed, and thought perhaps he
had been captured by revenue jayhawks
and carried TO Knoxville or some other
place. where violaiors of the law are occa-
sionally convicted and punished. The
a1ar fh. saf-
tied neighbOrhood A small number OF
men gathered. and accompanied by Mrs.
Jones and her son. a youth ten or twelve
years of age. they started up the gorge in
the direction OF the stillhouse.
|. On reaching the building they found
the door closed and fastened, and no sign
OF Jones or any one else could be seen.
Mrs. j. called the name of her husband
several times; no response. however,
came back 10 relieve her anxiety. But
upon attempting TO force an entrance
they were greeted with those peculiar
NOES of warning which the ear of the
East Tennessee mountaineer never fails TO
recognize. The door was at once broken
down, and sight met them that caused
all 10 start with fright and horror.
The form of the distiller lay upon the
floor. with eyes starting from their sock
cts. the features horribly distorted, and
body swollen TO twice its usual proper
tions. while the whole interior of the
building was alive with rattlesnakes, some
in coil and ready for battle, but the larger
proportion stupid and inert as though
they had been imbbing literally OF the IL
licit fruit of the still. The mother and
son fed horror-stricken from the place.
A consultation was had, and as il was i'm
possible TO rescue the body Of poor Jones
without incurring fearful risk, il was de
termined TO reclose the entrance, and 9th
er aperturcs, and fl the building, which
was done. The party stayed until the
house was entirely consumed and nothing
remained but the now useless still and the
calcined bones of the miserable distiller.
Ii Is supposed that Jones had built his
mandatory close upon den OF the dead
" reptiles in the ovcrhanging cliff. and
that. attracted by the heat, or possibly the
fumes of the whisky, they found their
way into the building in large numbers
after he had closed the door and lay down
10 sleep. His horrible fate has created a
profound sensation among the people of
the hill country, and it is likely to be some
time before another Illicit rum still is
erected in that range.