The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-07-02
A Tennessee Horror.

A passenger who came down on the Tellico
Narrow Guage Railroad a few days ago, tells q
story almost too horrible for belief. It seems
that an illicit 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 officers last Fall. and de-
termined to change his location and business
to more secluded spot. To carry out this
purpose, be selected the head of deep gorge
some four miles distant, walled ir with cliffs,
where, during the winter, assisted by some
friends, he erected small log building As
soon as the cold weather was over and Spring
fairly opened, the still and other things neces-
sary were moved to the place, and the work
of violating the revenue laws was resumed.
Several "runs" were made, and Jones began to
congratulate himself that he had at last found
a haven of safety, refuge beyond the prying
eyes of the Government hirelings, where he
could pursue his avocation in peace, with none
to molest or make him afraid. But alas how
little we know even of the immediate future,
and how often do the very steps which the
transgressor takes to insure safety, lead to his
swift and certain destruction The still-house
being some distance from where his family
lived, Jones rarely visited them more than
once fortnight, generally selecting Saturday
hight for the purpose Everything went on
well enough until about four weeks ago. when
he failed to make his appearance at the accus-
toned time.
Nothing was thought of this for day or
two but when another week passed without
the return of Jones, the family became alarm
ed, and thought perhaps he had been captured
by the revenue jay-hawks and carried to Knox
vile, or elsewhere where violators of the law
are occasionally convicted and punished. The
alarm was given among the sparsely settled
neighborhood. A small number of men gath
cred, and accompanied by Mrs. Jones and her
son, a boy 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 signs of Jones
or any one else could be seen. Mrs. J. called
the name of her husband several times; no
response, however, came back to relieve her
anxiety. The stiffness of death peryadcd the
gloomy spot. But upon attempting to force
an entrance, they were greeted with those Pc
culiar notes of warning which the ear of the
East Tennessee mountaineer never fails to re-
cognize. 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 upon the floor,
with eyes starting from their sockets, the fea.
lures horribly distorted, and body swollen 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 in the illicit
fruit of the still. The mother and son fed hor-
ror-stricken from the place. A consultation
was had, and as it was impossible to rescue the
body of poor Jones without incuriing fearful
risk, it was determined to re-close the entrance
and other apertures, and fire the building,
which was done. The party stayed until the
house was entirely consumed, and nothing re-
mained but the now useless still and the cal
cined bones Of the miserable distillcr
It is supposed that Jones had built his man
ufactory close upon den of the deadly rep
tiles in the overhangng cliff, and that, attract
ed by the heat, or possibly the fumes of whis-
key, they found their way into the building in
large numbers after he had closed the door and
laid down to sleep. His horrible fate has cre-
ated a profound sensation among the people of
the hill country, and it is likely to be some
time before another illicit rum mill is erected
in that range.-Athens (Tsnn.) Post.