The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-10-04

pOuS III struggle Win desperate
moonshincr, 81 left Gainesville on n
raid through the Mud Greek settlement.
That night we tore up distillcry at
Cranes and just before day we arrived
at Meeks's. 1t was under the side of q
mountain right on the creek. \ iont.
log across the creek led right into the
dist!!!ery. The top Of The shed WAS
level with the bank above it. CASTOR
climbed up the bank, and made hole
in the roo. and then concealed himself
in the laurel, which grew thick all around.
would not cross the tootlog, because
knew that when Meeks came in the
morning lie would sec my tracks in the
waded through where there was rifle
Il. c. a shallow. hid in the laurc! at
the end of the footlog, and waited for
Meeks to come We waited till ,',uut
sun.up, and | heard him coming down
the trail through the bushes lie was
whisting and dancing. He would walk
few steps and then stop and dance.
lie felt good. His feet kept time splcnd-
id. lie came down to the end Of the
log, and looked across the creek into the
distillcry. He then went across, went in,
aud began to work. lie made n fire in
| the still, aud began to stir the mash.
CASTOR understood was to give the sig
nal, when he would drop through the
hole and catch him. l stepped to the
end Of the log and waved my Laniker.
chief to CASTOR. CASTOR, pistol in hand
dropped through the hole, aud Meeks
bolted out with loud yell. He WAS the
worst scared man ever saw. He was
half way across the log before he saw
| hIe, and stopped so suddenly that lie fell
in the creek. The water was pretty
deep there. When he came up he blew
the water out of his mouth, and rs soon
as he could get breath, said: Don't
hurt me, boys, I'll give up" He swan
and waded out, and we took him in. lie
was pretty cold by the time we got
through chopping up the still, but we
gave him big drink of his own whisky,
aud he soon laughed at himself rs heart.
lily as we did"
1t is sometimes true that the moon.
sinners retalated on the revenue officer.
Very recently, party from the head.
quarters in Atlanta were "raiding"
through Pickens County. AS the coun
try was open, they were travelling in =.
large carriage, which belonged to one Of
the deputies, and while long way from
home, were having a comfortable tour.
One day they cut up still, and that
night they lodged at neighboring hotel
in the country town, leaving their car
riage standing in front of the house.
The morning came, and the stately and
stylish carriage Of the deputy appeared
as if during the night it had been struck
by cyclone. Its cushioned seats were
disemboweled, the curtains and canopy
slit in ribbons, and the wood work ch, :.
ped to pieces with the ax. The depr
returned to the capital city,
wiser men.
A more iiendish revenge, uuu
calculated 20 harrow and pern....
embitter the official temper, was infli, u
gentleman now high up i'll the postal
service. They were sixteen in number,
well mounted, on spirited and handsome
chargers, which tho collector had hired
from livery stable i'll CHATTANOOGA.
They were out for several days, and while
In The presence of the encriy their CAM,
| was projected by Gordon of pickets
After inficting great damage on the
moonshine industry, they returned, and
at the end Of long days march, campcd
within few miles Of the city. That
night all vigilance was relaxed, and the
| pickets slept. But, when the rcveille
aroused them, to their horror and amaze
ment, the gallant horses, which had
| borne them so proudly, were i'll the con-
| dition of Tom O'Sh1nter's mare. The
tail of every horse had been either
| shaved to the hide, or else "ncked" in
| such fantastic and barbarous fashion that
no decorous deputy could bestride him
without incurring the jeers and ridicule
| of the populace. Tho party remained
in camp all day, and their triumphant
entrance into the city was postponed
until the shades of night would conceal
from the ribald youth the melancholy
and unusual appearance Of the cavalcade.
When the astonished gaze OF the livery
man fell oil tho steeds, it is said that il.
very loud voice he made sundry BIAS
| phemous remarks, which are unfit for
these pages, and pointing to one of the
fiery, untamed steeds, who was rather
more dilapidated than the others, he in
quired, with many expletives "Who in
the - do yon suppose would hire IL
horse with n tail like tha,?"
The labor and the fatigue of the
officers in the apprehension of the offend
ers and destruction of the "plant" are
arduous and severe. A deputy collector
who locates" the distillery, cuts down
the stands, spills the beer, chops up tho
still and seizes the illicit product, or the
deputy marshal who arrests the offender,
must be skilled in the science of wood.
craft. He must ride like cowboy, and
on foot be rs much at home among the
rocks and scaurs Of the Blue Ridge as
the McGregor on his native heath. He
must be discreet and courageous, and it
is most unfortunately true that at times
quick eye, and steady hand with revol-
YER and carbine, are sudden and impera-
tive requisites. Ordinarily, the captures
are made without serious risks, but, not
withstanding, the careless temper of tho
moonshiners there have been in the past
the most tragic conflicts. In these en-.
counters, there is nothing hatteriug to
our country save the determination of
the officers to do their duty, and the
courage of officer and outlaw but in the
supreme emergency the ludicrous phase
of the moonshiner is generally conspicu.
ous.
"We set out" narratcs revenue Off
Ger, ito take the distillery of Nh.
We knew there would be desperate
fight: The distillery was located in a
hollow, surrounded by dense forests.
When the party got within a hundred
yards Of the house Nh, who was
inside. called out with an oath, Come
no farther. I'll kill the last one of YOU
The posse pressed on without reply.
When they arrived in thirty yards, Mn
thrust his pun thronph I,nrt. oIa o,d