The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1884-01-11
M%ooNsHINERs IN JAZZ.
What They Had to Say for Them.
selves--Pathetically Humorous
Pleas of the Prisoners
Cincinnati Enquirer.

lShiSihhhh EnquIoF.l
These moonshiners have been accumulati1R
in the Covington jail for three months, a
small per cent Of the number too lazy To
work having given themselves up SO as to
secure free bu nd and lodging for the winter.
They will come out in the spring with the
birds and flowers, and, fattened to plumpness
by good government feed and want of exsr-
else, they will resume manufacturing the oil
of joy, and again forget to pay the revenue
tax. They were brought into court in squads
Of ten TO receive sentence az their names
were called, Moro or less attention had been
paid 10 toilets, and soap had been used with
an unstinted hand. Jeans in gray or butter
nut was the prevailing attire, with hats more
Or lea5 dilapidatei, and collarless cotton
shirts, One lantern-jawei young man
with an eye for tho startling in contrasts,
hal II full shock OF hair, bright blue Jeans
coat, yellow shirt AMI white canvas base tall
shoes. Ages varied as much as did personal
appearance, the years running from 10 to Is.
Each man before receiving sentsnce was
asked II he hmd anything to say, and there
were but few that dill not avail themselves OF
the opportunity. William futile, aged, gray
and bent, said with a quivering voice: Il
know, jedge, | dun dun 1t. | never was in
JUL befo,. I'm an ole man. AN will leave a
helpless family. l dun don't know nuthin'
bout law" Apart from his closing state
ment there was a sincerity in what he said,
and u pathos In its delivery that created a
just sympathy. He was given the lightest
sentence imposed by law, thirty days impris-
Onment and a fine of 500 II he hasn't tho
money he will have TO work 1t out at the rate
IF 20 cents Il day.
One Of the prisoners was Il man who had
been oger-shrewd in his attempted evasion Of
the law. Being Il SELF r and not u manu-
t~acturer, he would set a bottle or dsmiiohn OF
the fluid on the mantel and walk out Of tue
room. Returning he would hnd the liquor gone
aud money in its place. Another man ap-
pealed for a light sentence. saying he was
"htiiled, which meant subject to fits. David
:. Williams, dismissed before court was over
was asked, "Did you come voluntarily to the
deputy MARSHALL He replied with great
candor, NO, sir; 1 was sent for" He had
undergone a hard experience. Not very
guilty ia the first place, the arresting officer
felt warranted in merely telling hun to come
10 town on a certain date. In the interval
his wife deserted home and went to live with
an adjacent moonshiner, whose still within a
lew days thereafter was seized and DESTROYED.
As one means Of revenge the moonshiner be-
gan burning fences. and was one day threat
ening a sister Of the prisoner, when the latter
came up, and making the charge of COW
ardi"e, was promptly shot In the side. Hit
ihii me up Tor seven weeks, Jedge, an that's
why 1 didn't keep my ointment with the
revenue officer. The ball was 80. '"' The
prisoner was still wearing the same clothes in
which no was shot, the holes made by the
bullet through coat, vest and trousers waist
band being still unmeuded.
One poor wretch made an appeal for elem.
ency ON account Of his children, one u girl OF
IL aud the other a boy Of : The man was a
widower, and before leaving home he had in.
duced some woman to go and live at the
house to look after the little ones. He said.
appealingly, she promised to stay only till
Christmas, an then she'd 60 home A Gu.
r1Osity in the batch was a moonshiner dude.
somewhat effeminate in appearance, his
short, curly black hair was neatly parted in
the centre. from either side of which, resting
ON his forehead, WINS Il dainty little spiral
lock. Next came Charles Sturgis, sallow
and sickly-looking, with boils breaking out
all over him, the result of too much pork
and other greasy diet James Nolan, with a
grave countenance told his honor that during
the preyalace OF smallpox in the mountain.
some one said whisky wa good for the dis,
ease, and as Il protection To himself and foI
the convenience OF friends who feared con.
tagion he kept liquor in the house for con.
sumption and sale. Jesse Brown followed No
Ian and was sentenced to sixty days impris-
onment and 500 fine, the convicting evidence
having been given by his brothers, George
and William.