Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-09-05
KILLED BY RATTLE SNAKES

KILLED BY RATTLESNAKES
A distiller named Jones. WHO
lived with his family near the
lower bench Of the Big Smoky
Mountain, had been annoyed a
good deal by The revenue rangers
last fall, and determined TO change
his location and business 10 more
secluded spot.
TO carry out this purpose lie Sc
lected the head Of a deGp gorge
some four miles distant, wherein
with his friends, he erected log
building. AS soon as the cold wea-
ther vas over and,the spring fairly
opened, the still and other things
necessary were moved 10 the place
and the work of violating the rev
enue law was resumed Several
runs were made, and JoEea be-
gan to congratulate himself that
he had at last found a refuge be-
yond the prying eyes of the Gov
eminent hirelings, where he
could pursue his avocation in
peace.
The still house being some dis
lance from where his family lived
Jones rarely visited them more
than once fortnight. Every
thing went off well enough until
about four weeks ago, when lie
failed to appear at the accustomed
time.
Nothing was thought of this for
a day or two, but when another
week elasped without the return
of Jones, the family became alarm
ed, and they though that he had
been captured by the revenue jay
hawks and carried to Knoxville
or some other place whore viola
tors of the law are occasionally
convicted and punished The farm
was given through The sparsely
settled neighborhood. A small
number of men gathered, and ac-
companied 10y Mrs. Jones and her
son, youth of ten or twelve years
of age, they started up the gorge
in the direction of the still house.
On reaching the building they
found the door closed and fastened.
and no sign of Jones or any one
else could be seen. Mrs. Jones
called the name of her husband
several times, no responses, how
ever, came to relieve her anxiety
But upon attempting to force an
entrance they were greeted with
those peculiar notes of warning
which the ear of the East Tennes-
see muuntaineer never fails to
recognize. The door was at once
broken down, and sight met them
that caused all to start with fright
and horror.
The form of the distiller lay up
on the floor, with eyes starting
from their sockets, the features
horribly distorted, and body swol-
len TO twice its usual proportions,
while the whole interior of the
building WAS alive with rattle
snakes, some in coil and ready for
battle, but The larger proportion
stupid and inert, as though they
had been imbibing literally of the
Illicit fruit of the still. The mo-
ther and son fed horror stricken
from the place. A consultation
was had, and as it was impossible
to rescue the body of poor Jones
without lncurring fearful risk it
was determined to reclose the en-
trance and other apertures and fire
the building. which was done. The
party stayed until the house was
entirely consumed, andnothing re-
manned but the now useless still
and the calcined bones of the mis-
cradle distiller.
1t is supposed that Jones built
his mandatory close upon den
OF the deadly reptiles in the oyer
hanging cliff, and that attracted by
the heat, or possibly the fumes of
the whiskey, they found their way
into the building in large numbers
after he had closed the door and
lain down TO sleep.
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