Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-02-07
HUT AMARISE
The Romantic Story Of a Tennessee
MOOnshlner-- "A Long Course Of Sue.
cessfuI Law-BrsakIng Ended.


Washington Cor. New York Herald, Feb. 81
Hut Amarine, a noted moonshiner,
who has long defed the officers of the
law in the mountains of East Tennes-
see, was captured to-day. He has a
novel history. As a Union soldier he
served through the late war, and was
noted for his bravery and daring
Since the war he has been constantly
engaged in violations of the United
States internal revenue laws. His
haunts have been we'll selected in the
head of Wier's Cove, at the base of
Chillhowee mountain, Blount county.
East Tennessee. There, in an mae
cessible position, he built a rude still
house, and went quietly to work max
ing whisky and brandy, which he fur
nished to all corners at a cheap price.
All around him the wild hills stood
covered with laurel thickets, impene-
trable except by creeping animals.
Those hills frowned as a strong barrier
against all yisitations from the revenue
department. Every approach was
constantly guarded by the Willy moon
sinner. He soon became the leader
of a band of bad men along the base of
the ChillhOwee, and his distillery was
known as a leading market for brush
whisky and brandy. A number of
United States warrants were issued
for Amarine's arrest, but he was
looked upon as too dangerous a man
to be tackled in his natural fortifca-
ton, and the warrants were usually
worn out by being long carried in the
pockets Of United States marshals.
Occasionally, however, the officers
would make it lively for him.
On one occasion he was found in
his house asleep, but when he was
awakened to find himself surrounded
he boldly leaped out at window and
made his escape amid a volley of PTS
toll balls.
PLoUGHING WITH REVOLVERs.
On another occasion he was found
by the marshal and his posse plough
ing with a little mule in a mountain
corn patch, but before they could
seize him he quietly drewa pair of re-
volvers from their cases, which were
hanging on his plough-handles, and
opened fire on his pursuers from both
pistols at once, thus making his escape.
He was again found at a later day in
company with the same mule, this
time riding upon its back and carry
ing a bag Of meal to his distillery,
but the intrepid bushwhacker jumped
off and escaped unframed by the bull
that pursued him. The constant
pursuit became so annoying to ANA
that he left his mountain beat
and went to Texas, but soon returned to
the oldhOme again. The officers succeed
ed in cutting his still and tubs to pieces
on m or two occasions. They car
ried a keg of his whisky out of the
cove one night and deposited it in the
court house of the county, but ANA
rine slipped in and stole it before
morning and carried it back success
fully. On another occasion he was
surprised on the road driving a team
of oxen hitched to a wagon in which
was found a vessel containing whisky.
He escaped to the mountain, but his
team was seized by the officers. They
started to drive the outftto the collec-
tors Office, but this daring moonshiner
mustered a force from his clan, pur-
sued the officers and re%captured the
booty.
OFFICERS FOILED.
This continued resistance soon
evoked the unbOunded ~displeasure of
Collector Cooper and Commissioner
Raum, and a determined effort was
made to capture and bring him to
justice. For this purpose, a raid in
charge of Deputy w. r. Cooper ap-
preached his haunts one morning dur
ing last summer, but as they neared
the spot they were suddenly greeted
by a volley of rife balls, and officer
Snider fell badly wounded. The
bushwhackers were secreted in the
deep thick jungle of laurel that sur
rounded the distillery, and since the
officers could stand no chance of dis
lodging them, they retired after sew
eral Intellectual rounds had been fred
from their carbines. With increased
force the officers returned on the
following morning. They stole in
quietly, and were within a few yards
of the stillhouse when a volley from
the bushes killed officer John Cooper
and threw the posse again into con
sternation. The outlaws escaped UNI
harmed by the shots fred at them.
CAUGHT AT LAST.
Fletcher Emmett and Ad Wilson
we're known to be in company with
Amarine on this occasion, and for the
three handsome rewards were at once
offered by Collector Cooper Whose
son had been killed., Commissioner
Raum and Governor Porter of Ten
nessee. AID Wilson was soon captured,
tried, convicted and sentenced to the
%penitentiary for twenty-five years.
Emmett was also captured in a few
days, and now awaits his trial.
Amarine has for several months
evaded the officers by scouting in the
wild Chillhowee mountain. He has
been interviewed by newspaper repsr-
ters, lawyers, ETC., but always carried
on his person a brace Of trusty revoly-
ers and threatened any one with death
who would attempt his arrest. He
has been captured at last and will no
doubt hang, as the evidence is yolum-
nous against him.