The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-04-13
MOUNTAIN DEW.
AN EARLY MORNING RAID IN TIE
MOUNTAINS.
Two Illicit Stills Broken Up--Thc Eocn.
sinners Held FOR Court.

sinners Held FOR Court.
The party Of revenue raiders whose
movements against the Somerset
Moonshiners had been 50 much adj
vertised within the past few days,
started est on their journey on
Wcdnesl : afternoon at 4 o'clock,
and in due time were landed at the
pretty little village of Mt. Pleasant.
The party was composed OF Captain
NJ. G. Corey, Captain j. NJ. Kent,
William Dalgliesh, J. L. Graham,
l.ieutenants Robert McCready and
Thomas McIlwaine, d. E. Weaver,
Assistant District Attorney Woods,
and three Westmoreland county men,
one of whom was farmer who lives
at Jones' Mills. not far from the
scene of the crookedness.
The road was twenty miles
through the mountains, with a
binding snow storm, a cold, bleak
wind, and three feet Of snow under
foot. TO make matters worse, the
night was dark and cloqdy. The
teams attached to the spring wagons
gave out long before the destination
was reached, aud their occupants
were compelled to get out and foot it.
At 10 o'clock in the morning yester-
day the guide pointed out lonely
little house of q story and q halt,
standing or a gentle slope, with
struggling fence around it and
smaller building. about three hun
drcd yards away. The party took
careful survey of the place and made
arrangements to intercept any of its
occupants who should attempt to
escape. As they approached the
house a woman opened the door and
they passed in, and inquiriug for the
occupant were pointed to the yard
back of the house where two men
were standing. The latter appeared
to be taken completely by surprise,
and made no resistance when they
were told that they were under ar
rest.
They were Jonathan Hochstetler
and Samuel Pile. Hochstetler is a
tell, lean, lank. sallow and melan-
choly specimen of humanity, with
long Roman nose and a sarcastic ex-
preston on his face His hair was
black, long and unkempt, and his
general appearance corresponded
pretty well with his surroundings.
Pile, his companion, was the husband
Of the woman who had admitted
the officers. OF the same general
appearance as his friend, he had less
of coldness and calculation in his
look. After securing the men, the
party made a careful search of the
premises. Everything appeared
straight enough in the first floor and
the loft, but down in the cellar,
which was somewhat exposed to the
weather and covered with layer of
ice, several articles were discovered
that amply repaid the party for their
trouble. There was a copper still
with 4 cap TO fit it, with a layer of
dry "mash around the top and
other evidences of having been used;
also two kegs Of whisky, white and
clear as water. 1t looked as if it
had been made only recently, and
the customary Government stamps
were wanting.
The spring-house was nextsearch-
ed, and here the raiders were even
more richly rewarded. A big iron
kettle, a broken brick furnace, two
good sized mash tubs and a num-
Der of smaller ones formed the prln-
ciple part of the tell-taie appara-
1 tus.
While the little ceremony of de-
stroying this stuff was going on,
genial looking little parsonage, with
Kriss-Krinkle face, fringed with
thick, bushy black hair and beard
and wearing comforter about his
neck, drove up in a rough wagon,
and came in to warm his fingers at
the fire. He was nabbed and then
the raiders proceeded to inquire his
name, residence and such other
triiing particulars as he might be
pleased to give them. His name
was William Miller, and he was
farmer, living two miles of in the
mountains, honest and perfectly
straight, according to his account.
His wagon, however, gave him
away. Whiskey was the principle
article in it, and the company con-
cluded that they could not get
along without his accompanying
them to the Smoky City.
The work Of destroying the stills
at the house completed, the line of
march was directed to Mr.. Miller's
mountain home. Here a distillery
was found hid away in wooded
valley, approached by a narrow
path. The apparatus was primitive,
but no doubt could be entertained
as TO its use. Moreover, part of
one of the vessels containing mash
was still warm, showing thGt the
fires were but recently put out. At
Miller's place young fellow named
Wicklow was captured. He is %
years of age amagnificent specimen
of physical perfection. He lived
near Miller's, and was a frequent
visitor of both houses. Miller's
house was found literally full of
mountain dew demijohns, kegs,
barrels, TASKS and bottles were un-
covered in all parts of the premises,
in trunks, under beds, stored away
in the loft, and packed against the
walls in the cellar-everywhere.
The illicit liquid was poured out
and most of the articles were de
stroyed.
At 10 o'clock this morning the
party, excepting Captain Corey, who,
with Weaver, McCready and Nell
waine, stayed behind, stepped into
the Union depot, having disembark-
ed from the Uniontown Express. !
The genial u. Miller and the Mepis-
tophciean Mr.. Hoehssetler wore !
gaudy steel bracelets, and Pile and !
Wicklow were kept under strict |
surveillance. The party went to
Commissioner Davis office on 4th !
acaruo vbara tho rol;a- ,rora do