The New York herald., 1877-02-17
PRIMITIVE LIFE IN THE MOUNTAINS.
How the Whiskey is Manufactured
and Disposed Of
BAD CHARACTER OF REVENUE OFFICIALS
A Bloody and Desperate Fight
Threatened.

the Second Infantry. and private Sutherland by the
illicit disters has caused the ncnsost excitement in
military circles here. The bushwhacking voley that
killed these mon the first that ever been fired
by tho dstllers against regular United States troops
Timo and again they have riddcA tho deputies, but
heretofore they have always scattered IN confusion
upon the approach Of the blue coats.
THIS audacous attack, unexpected and SO dcplora-
bic in results will hasten into imm edate execution
q plan that has long been ripcning circles
TO make grand rad through the invested belt and
sweep It clean. As this systematic crusade apt to
be protractcd and full OF desperate work 1t has oc-
cured to correspondent that 1t would bc well to
furnish facts concerning tho strip of country
that Is held by tho Illicit dstlers and touching tho
habits Of these lawless men themselves.
THE ILLICIT DisrILLERs.
doubt II any section over thoroughly in
tested Illicit dealers is the mountainous region
running through North Georgia and tho western end Of
both tho Caroinas at the present time. Italy, In
the palmiest days Of brisandagc never had one-ha
as many who were defying Justice They haunt
every hillside during the night time and people the
friendly shadows OF every vale during the day. They
have regular camps with sentincs thrown out to halt
all passers by aSd throttle the revenue spies. Tho
mountains filled with caves and sburrows' in
which the chcd men hide when pursuit becomes
too hot pursuers OF overwhelming strength
these illicit dslillers; there arc thousands OF
item; they amid tho almost impen-
ctrable businesses Of tho Blue Ridge chain of
mountains in countless bands Beyond the
reach OF railroads, way beyond the desul-
tory stretch Of ''the wagon roads," where they
be reached by horsemen or pedestrians only through
certain hidden paths, they plant their primitive
.stills" In natural artificial ''snuggcrles" and
have "crookcd' whiskey gushing from every
rock They live wild ana restless life as the trap.
pers Of the upper Rocky Mountains They all
well armed and OF course good hunters A more ath-
Iotic hardy and seli-reliant people be found
where. Tho mountains abound with game OF all sorts,
up bear and panthers Tho dstllers about
the only inhabitants Of these Inaccessible parts and
hold them inviolate by sort OF Alexander Selkirk
title.
VISITORS ARE TREATED
Occasional parties hunters from cities stray
into these mountains, und as soon as they mako II
perfectly clear that they are in wise connected with
the service, arc received with the most cor
dial hospitality. Guides furnished them and the
best game haunts freely pointed out. Tney
handsomely entertained by the OUTLAWS, and regaed
with what is peculiarly cxhilarattng to Southerner
namely, homo made rye whiskey that distilled in
q mountain cleft, under the wnkng stars, ana has
been debased by ono OF Uncle Sans revenue
stamps But who looks like a revenue iniormer,
or has clear titles TO being 'good, square man,
had better not venture this Wilderness Our
brawny rustics feel no more hesitation in "shucking
a revenue inorlner or any man who looks ike one
than you would have in kicking pebble from your
path. They are law unto themselves up there. Not
long since the state Geoogisi, with a iorce Of some
ten men, carried IN wagons, struck Of
mountain "ncsls,' and without suspccting that his
labors being CAREFULLY sped upon from behind
every bush went quietly 10 work. The dst,lers stood
1t for some tlnie and then coming out in some forco
m md
convincing them Of his thoroughly pacific designs, and
was then not only permitted to proceed, but
almost overwh elmed with various sorts OF ''rocks
that the simplehearted mountaineers would bring TO
his camp
Some idea OF the extent of ono OF these 'squads'
may be had when state that tho revenue on1cers
with company Of troops TO back them frequently de-
stroy from iorty 10 nfty stills and from 1O, 900 to
20 gallons OF crooked whiskey, besides capturing
raid Tho great bulk Of Illicit dstlllng is DONE how
ever IN a much quieter and more unobtrusive way
than this In tho OF tho section OF tho three
States referred tho settlement very sparse, and
the people class exceedingly poor. The enormous
profit oil disng. without tho ceremony OF a stamp"
has tempted great numbers OF these squad people TO
engage in tho business. AS q consequence there are
little stills. tucked away snugy under the ovcrhanging
banks OF nearly every creek or branch Hundreds OF
families have their worm ut work somewhere the
or daughter usually stationed on some adjacent hilltop
to announce by hcot or whistle the coming OF
strangers the father managing the ''stlIl" with
his rifle thrown INTO the bend oil his arm ready 10
make It '.spcak' TO any conner this side OF blue
coat. Tho whiskey thus made is carefully packed
away in old fashioned wagons, frequently being hid
den under load OF chickens and eggs, and oil
10 neighboring to the city OF Atlanta, where
il IS quietly and surrcputiousiy sold
THE BUSINESS.
Tho origin OF this Illicit business 10 given follows
by legislator from one OF the counties IN which It Is
most practiscd-Whcn the strife over secession began
IL was discovered that there large number OF
| Union men in tho mountain districts of Georgia Ten
nessee the Carolinas These men cung to their
faith even after the States seeded There thcn very
naturally ugly spirit against these Unioniss,
which grew strong finaiy that many Of them were
forced take to tho woods TO save their lives. They
were soon joined by large numbers of descrters from
armies ard by refugees from tue Confederate
mountains They were hunted Cy the authorities with
great hcrccuess during the war and soon won the eu-
phonious utlo OF "hoebacks." Having nothing better
10 do during their enforced outlawry they nearly all
became distillas, and finding II very profitable have
kept up to the present time They were reinforced
al The close OF the BY many soldiers who had been
made utterly pcnniless and had no other opening for
| cuARAcTEa or REVENUE OFFICIALS.
The practice Illicit distiling has been increased
rather checked IN the past years by Of
| the class OF men VINO have been employed to Pot II
| down. The revenue collectors, agents and marshals
are almost without exception either aliens Carpet
Daggers) native republicans who have made them.
selves outside OF their revenue relations, thoroughly
| obnoxious the white people The revenue spies,
or niormcr almost universally OF ,he worst class
OF local hammers, enjoying the cordial contempt OF all
good people and the respect OF nobody They have OPP
pressed ana angered the people, they have torn ipn0
people from thcir bcds and carried them nun
dreds OF miles under arrest; they charged with
| having levied backmai, with having taken pay Tor
pardons granted Dy thc goycF00oaS, WIN nav
ing murdered unoncnding citizens under cover OF law,
with having nsultcd women and maltrcated mep, and
they consequently despsed aud hated with tho ut
most bitterness so thorough Is the public hatred Of
these fellows that tho sentiment Of tho people is al
ways against Them and with the dis'illers In this
way an apparent respectaby Is gwen to tho awless
practice that has encouraged hundreds OF people other
wise perfectly respectable to embark IN IT, Whole
communities who have interest whatever In
''crookcd' whskey yet sympathizo so Thoroughly
with the distllers as against tho "nformers' that
they hinder tho late in their search In every way
qucntly combining TO ride him on rail. duck him IN
mill pond hun TO q suit Of tar and feathers
THE PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST.
Indeed, Is hardly too much to Say that this matter
OF illicit distilng won't very lar toward deciding tho
late Presidential contest as followsln North caro-
lima Zcb Vance, who bore the Tden banner as guhcr'
natoral candidate, was exceedingly unpopular IN tho
Western counties AS tho Governor oil North Caro-
hn cdt hose