Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-03-28
Tho Revenue Raiders.

Our town and county were visited last week
by tho United States Revenue officers on q
raid for Illicit distillcrs. Tho raiders consisted
OF squad Of twenty mon under the command
OF Captains Langford, Jillson and Hoffman,
who were under tho guidenco Of tho notorious
Pat Kirkland. Wo learn that on thoir route
from Pickens to this place they discovered,
captured and destroyed tho stills Of one
Joseph Chapman, who lives in Pickens
County, on Kcowee River. They found at
this distillery about ono hundred gallons of
whiskoy with large quantity Of mash, the
former was confisoatod and the latter de-
stroyed. Thomas Mckinney, Chap
man and one Moscly woro taken prisoners and
brought to Walhnlla, and after examination
by United States Commissioner Ladd were
released upon their own recognizancc, there
not being sufficient evidence to commit to iail.
Ono of tho new features Of this raid is that
it has portable commissioner in this man
Ladd for the ps poses Of trial, &C. The com.
missoncrs of the counties of Pickens and
Oconeo were ignored.
On Friday night squad Of these mon and
officers made q raid into NORTHWESTERN por~
ton of Oconee County in the Brass.Town
country. The results Of this raid wcrc very
good. They found and destroyed three stills
together with large quantity of mash. There
was also captured q small quantity of whis.
key. Four mon. to wit, Jacob Butts, Ike
Pointer, W. X. Bryce and negro man were
taken. Bryce, by caroessnoss. was allowed
to escape. The others were lodged in ail at
Walhalla.
The conduct Of these revenue officers and
men was anything but becoming to those who
are cnforccrs of tho law, and who should be
oxenplars by showing that they themselves
are ready to obey tho law. Tho laws both
State and United States, must be obeycd, and
our people must be made to learn this, but
yet it is the duty of the State and United
States to SEQ to it that those who execute the
law do so in conformity to tho law.
1t is said that both here and Pickens the
officers and men behaved in a way which
was unbecoming. The conraband whiskey
captured by these officers was freely drunk
in broad day light in tho streets of
Walhalla. The people of Oconce County
have no sympathy for those who arc
violators of tho law in tho illicit dis
tiliing and tralficking of whiskey, and thoy
haVo been and arc now anxious that those
who have boon engaged at this business, not
only in this county but also and more ospe-
cially those lawless characters who noss
regularly through from Georgia and North
Carolina and are dsturbers of tho peace
should DO brought to swift and speedy
punishment; but yet is duo to the unofrcndinr
people that they should bo protected against
tho lawlessnoss of those who pretend to bo
tho guardians Of tho law.
The characters of those Who have heretofore
been the executors Of the internal revenue
laws have becn such as to bring the law
itself into disreputo. The law to bo respect;,d
must be executed, and that, too, by respees.
able mon whose character and conduct ia
above reproaoh.
For tho last twelve motifs I'D q..,.uic in
Illicit whiskey in this county has boen on tho
increase. Those who dstill in the parts of
Georgia and North Carolina ,4jacent to our
County, mako their tours Of traffic through
our County going South, and thus tho Coun;,
has become sort of thoronghfaro for tho
business. Our people desire that it should be
stopped, butt mover Gun be done by men of
such character as those who have just visited
tho county. Our people ask that tho govern.
mont appoint such mon among us who can
and will;enforce the law properly.
, atlanta has resumed specie payments.
!, G9d is paid on checks at ono Of her banks.