Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-07-11
n TALK WITH TIE CELEnRATED OUTLAW
IN HIS MOUNTAIN FAsTNEss-A CURI-
Gus AND EvENTFUL ll1sroRY.

The outlaws tale was long one, and mas
not completed 10 the FIRST interview. It will
not DO possible TO repeat it in tho limits of
one letter. 1t was taken down almost
verbatim, in short hand, in note book on
my knee as sat by his side, and will bo
given as nearly as possible in his own words.
Leaning his gun against tree, but retaining
his formidable aide arms and keeping
bright eye on guard the while, he began his
story:
II was born in Georgia" no began, "but
we removed to this State when | was quito
young. My father was old and infrm and
my mother was bcdriddcn. have had to
take care OF them and Of several sisters
ono OF whom was cripple, and could not
move without the aid Of crutchcs since
was child | am now % years Of age, and
will be 2t on the 9th Of next October
if live" This condition was added with
smilo that was saddcr than sigh, aud
reminded us that tho speakers life was at
the mercy Of any man who chooses to take
it, by day or night, on the highway or at
home, or in the rockcy lair to which he has
been driven like hunted wolf fTho
revenue officers want to capture me-" he
continued, "for sake Of tho rewards which
have been offered for mc--it is casir for
them to make their money in that way than
by working for it," Crhcy may fnd them.
selves mistaken in this vicw.) Only father
owned still all his life, us did all the
farmers about here, before tho revenue laws
were passed, and | worked it for him. We
wero very poor, and he could do very little
worked on tho farm all day and at the
's,ii,i,' III. night to mako living for us. l
have often worked AL day plcughing and
then run tho still all night until breakfast.
would be so tired next day that ! .,havc
gono to sleep in the corn row between tho
plough handles, aud would wake up only
when my horse stopped at tho cnd of the
furrow. This kind of life was too hard Tor
nc and soon broke me down, so that got
to working one night at tho still and slccp-
ing the next. [ worked in the farm every
day at tho same time. They 0hc revenue
oiiiccrs) pressed inc so close after awhile that
quit distilling aud went to hauling whiskcy
and selling it u North Carolina. They found
out that [ was doing this, and warrant was
issued for my arrest.
"Tho first trouble I had with the rcyonuo
officers was all on my side, as they captured
and destroyed for mo one huUdred and
twenty. three gallons of whiskey. had
paid ono dollar per bushcl for the corn that
made it, besides eighteen dollars month to
tho man who ran tho still. The officers
cut up and cmpticl three barrels of the
whiskcy, and kept two barrels for their own
drinking. They kept these two barrels hid
in tho woods, and would como back and get
it by the jug full whenever their supply
gave out. Among those who got somo of
it were Glenn Cism (ChisolmD md fellow
named uampdcn. Several people have
told me that they drank some of my whiskey
That was captured at that time. Old man
told me, the other day, that whom
they camo for tho last Of it thoy arrested
him Cd and took him off, and oil the officers
stopped on tho aide of tho road and filled
their jugs with tho whiskoy which, they
told him, was Redmond's They carried off
twenty three gallons at this load
"rhe next morning, it was Sunday, tho
officers rushed into my house and presented
their guns at my father and captured him.
llo was seventy eight years of age, and my
mother, who was confined to her bed with
palsy, was nearly as old. Father begged
them not to alarm hcr--sho was bndly
frightened no would surrender They
asked for me, but was at the spring when
they came up and saw thom, and so escaped.
Father told thcm that l was not far of, but
kept out Of tho way, and they took him
down to the church near by. They optured
several other mon in tho church, aud tho
preacher stopped in tho midst Of his sermon
and sat down. My father aud several
others gavo bail--tho rest thoy took away
with them. My mothor was badly fright
cnod by it all, and dicd fow days aftor-
wards Ny father had to 60 to Asheyile.