Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-17
ABOUT "TuE MOONsHINERs.. >,
Their Haunts, Practices and Modes
Of Defence.

those Just below. Several revenue officers have
been shot and large number of seizures made
The war is not making very great progress not
withstanding these facts, and the revenue
forces have been somewhat withdrawn. The
arming Of the revenue officers and their depu-
ties for this war was met with great apprehen-
sion by the people of Georgia from the governor
down. They know the character OF the men
who are being raided, and are much in fear
that 1t will bring on conflict or series
OF conflicts between the Federal officers
and the Illicit distillers. Governor Colquitt has
become so impressed with the fear Of trouble
that he has wttten to the President asking that
the raid be abandoned. The movement has not,
however, been abandoned, but, at present is, for
various reasons, not conducted on the scale con-
templated. One'reason for this is that under
the present administration of the United States
attorneys office for Georgia there have not
been such vigorous prosecutions of moonshinerS
as tends to give them a wholesome fear of the
law. The class Of men who are being hunted
and who are promised more of it, are brave, un-
educated d.dt , and almost oarbaric They carry on
right to. They are crafty, and will brook no in
reference if they can prevent it; and will fight
as means OF prevention.
THE HOMES OF TEE MOONSHINERs.
They are as poor as church mice. They live
in the mountain valleys and at the foot Of the
mountains These valleys are fertile and the
small farms productive. Corn especially is pro-
duced in abundance. There are no railroads
near them, and their roads are rough; often only
half beaten track showing that road is in
tended. They have no means of hauling their
produce to market. therefore they make the
most of it however they can. The most abun-
proftably disposed of when converted into
liquor. They cannot afford to turn out the juice
and pay the tax; SO they turn it out without
tion can effectually stop them. They are all
firm believers in Honorable Alexander H. Ste
phens. That gentleman says:-"If man can
take his corn to the mill and have 1t ground into
bread without tax he is clearly entitled to the
privilege of turning it into little whisky with
out taxation" That is the moonshiners senti-
ment.
THEIR VIEWS UPON THE WHISKY TAX.
They hold that they have national right to
distill without taxation and propose to do So
and in fact carry out their views. Many OF them
were loyal during the war. Before the war they
did not have any whisky tax; and why they
should submit to such tax since the war is be-
cal purposes banded together. Those who do
not distili connive at and encourage those who
do. The denizens of the mountains are the most
dangerous class Of law-b breakers; those near
their base have not the facilities for escape and
resistance. In making warfare upon the former
the work has to be quick, decisive and the re-
treat rapid The blow has to be struck and the
raldlDg party has TO retreat with speed. II they
do not get out without delay they are picked off
as they retreat. In the attack there must be
surprise where any number OF moonshiners are
IUSCtllcl.
AN EXCITING WARFARE.
1t Is a rushing warfare. The officers find the
greatest difficulty in taking out prisoners cap
tured, as an attempted rescue follows nearly
every capture. In the mountains the favor
lite location for crooked whiskey distillatiOn is
near sheet of water, only accessible by it.
The still is placed under cliffs. that cannot be
descended from above or approached from the
sides; it is only approachable over the water.
The strength of such position is evident.
other less faVorite locations are hooks in the
rocks and under embankments and in deep
brush. Further down, the unfreQuented wood
near stream is the favorite spot. The stills
vary in capacity from gallon day upward.
THE MIILERs AND THE MooNsHNERs.
The principal ally OF the crooked distillers is
the miller. The corn has to be ground before
distillation; the miller knows where his money
for grinding comes from, and guides himself ac-
cordingly. He will always give warning of a
raid when it comes to his knowledge, and will
40 his pest TO throw officers off the scent. The
revenue officer is surrounded with danger He
does not know the country, and not often can
get guide. He cannot tell when he is to be
attacked, or by whom. A revenue raid in the
scenes in Rob Roy. The only definlte informa- ma
tion that is to be obtained is from the women
among the moohshiners. They are, as a rule,
always opposed to Illicit distilllng, because OF
It's dangers and effect upon the morals OF the
male population. They will write to the reve-
nue. officer, giving definite information of the
location Of stills run by their fathers. brothers
or lovers. The officers always rely upon this
information; they do not ever suspect it of be-
ing decoys, many OF which they receive. They
go 10 the place where the woman has informed
There is one strange feature about the revenue
raiding. Whenever section is raided the dis
tilling breaks out afresh; the distilers think
they are safe for time
STIRRING ADVENTURES RA1p1NG THE MOON
SINNERS.
revenue officer who has raided in the noun
tains and on the lowlands said the other even
ing that the poverty Of the people he was after
always 'sorter made him sick.' son one occa-
slon,' he said, II was out with a party after
secured guide. There were six of us and the
guide had no horse. A double mount ON one
animal was made and a rush followed. We
went over hills, through water, through woods
and brush for six miles as fast as our horses
could travel, and finally came to a log cabin
near little stream We forced the door, In
day she was born. She was surprised-not at
our catching her in that condition, but at our
presence; there was only a rude couch in one
corner OF m the room and frying pan and drink
ing cup. The woman evidently had no clothes.
one OF our party had turned around a sharp
hill and saw the still. He notified us; we rushed
mar ara captured d man pa lat at work before he could
very little more clothing than his wife"
"HoW ABOUT your guidesGH 1ndulred the re-
porter
4.:-"They nearly all come TO grlef when We
are lucky enough to get Them Our guide in this
instance was not seen by either the old man OF
woman. He had house and tract OF land and
was well off for that region. A short time after
wards we heard that his house. barn and every
thing had been destroyed by fire. His wife and
three children escaped with only their night
ciornes ,r,t, No one knew who the incendiaries
were positively, but as his was the rate OF all
guides and infOrmerS 1t was easy to guess. On
one occasion an innocent blind shoemaker came
near being burnt out. We were on raid and
had just dashed mile off the track-it could
not be called a road-and destroyed a
little STILL We returned and went on
at hard gallop. There was a little
house few yards back in the woods. turned
off and entered A blind shoemaker was at
work. ] asked hin II he could sell me glass of
whisky. He did not have any, he said, but knew
where l could get drink of the pure article,
and gave me minute directions. l overlook my
party, and after difficult march we came upon
the still. After Skir1nish with five men at
work In 1t, we made seizure. We did not take
prisoner; the men got out the back way and
apparently went nowhere. About two weeks
after l passed through the same section and
found quite a tumult. The people had been
unable to fix the person who gave the thing
away but had such strong suspicious OF the
shoemaker that 1t was intended to burn him out
called upon the man who appeared to be the
leader and told him how the shoemaker had in
nocently given me the information. He was
forgiven"
TIE HAGS OF THE STILL.
'.The women, as rule, are against the prac-
tice?" INQUIRED THE STAR.