Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-18
A BATTLE AT MIDNIGHT.
HALL COUNTY MOONSHINERS
FIGHT THE RAIDERS.

Two of the Former LOse Their Lives
The Wagons and Mules of the Govern
ment Forces Badly Used Up-ThrilIing
Rides and Runs on Both Sides
ATLANTA, Dec, H.-A desperate fight oc-
CURED last night, between 20 and II O'Clock,
in DUNCAN settlement. eight miles from
Gainesville, between Deputy Collectors j. B.
CASTOR, NJ. Van Estes and Revenue Agent
LOpland and gang of moonshiners headed
by big" Anderson Grant, Prater and Slit
tle'' Anderson Grant, three notorious moon
sinners. Two weeks ago Prater came to
Gainesville and told CASTOR that he could
show him where Big Anderson Grants still
was located and insisted on CASTOR going with
him that night. CASTOR refused to go. Prater
went to his cousin, Af. Prater and told him
the same story. The two got buggy and
went to the still. ALI. Prater reported to Gas
ton what he had found.
GASTON's RAID.
CASTOR thought that it was trap to catch
him and went about the matter cautiously, as
he knew that Alf's cousin was a mOonshiner
and he did not like the double game he was
playing. Nothing more was heard of Prater
and last night, with Agent LOpland and
Deputy Collector Estes and Estes 17-year-
son, Minor, CASTOR went to seize the still,
pilOted by ALT. Prater, who has always been
found as true as steel ON such exp editions.
Before reaching Grants still the teams were
stopped on the side of the road and Minor
went to seize the still. ..
THE FIRST SHOTS.
They had not proceeded more than a mile
before they heard firing in the direction
where they had left the teams. Knowing that
something was going wrong, the party hur-
ried back. They found the teams perfect
wreck and young Estes missing. The har-
nesses were cut from the mules, and the mules
themselves were badly cut and shot. Gaston's
morse, a very line one, was gone. The party
did not think of the loss of the horse and
mules, but feared that young Estes had been
Killed by the mOonshners. While viewing
the wreck small boy came up and said that
he saw the men take Minor out and tie him
and whip him with lines. Being large and
strong for his age young Estes managed to
get loose ana ran of in the direction of
Gainesville, followed by vOlley of shots.
A CLOSE SHAVE FOR PRATER.
When Estes heard the boys story he put
All Prater on mule, and told him to GO to
the first house and see if his son had passed
Prater had only gone about 200 yards, when
he was met by Volley of shots from guns
rifles and pistols. Fortunately none of them
struck him, but his mule was torn to pieces.
Pratcr made good time back to where he
mad left Estes and his party. Things were
getIlng TOO warm, and knowing that the
| moonshiners had had sufficient time to gather
large crowd, Prater was sent to Gainesville
after the Sheriff and posse.
AID FROM GAINESVILLE.
The Sheriff could not be found, but James
others volunteered their services, and after
arming themselves, went at a fine tilt to the
scene OF conflict. While the recruits were
going to the rescue, the small boy who was at
the team said that 'Bg'' Anderson Grant
rode Gast0ns horse Off, and that a man
named Prater and Little" Anderson Grant
were with him. The revenue men knew that
big" Anderson Grant was terrible and
desperate man, and that at that moment he
was securing the country GasCOn's horse
Tor guns, pistols and mOOnshiners to help him
IN his midnight slaughter. They knew, too,
that he could gather large crowd
PITCHED BATTLE.
As soon as the posse arrived
CASTOR Prater and the others.
started down the road. They heard the
moOnshlners coming, and before either party
knew the close proximity in which they were
to each other they were face to face. Big
Anderson Grant, who was only few feet
from John Martin, began firing at him, but
failed to hit him. Grant then took the butt
end of his gun and Knocked Martin senseless,
breaking the gun. From this time the fight
became general and shot after shot was ex-
changed. Three or four of the mOonshiners
deserted andran away. "Big" Anderson Grant
was shot dead, and also the moOnshiner Prater
who had set the trap for CASTOR. When the
other moonshiners saw their leaders fall dead
they fled as fast as possible. The revenue
men returned to Gainesville as soon as posi-
BILE, where theV found Young Estes pretty
badly used uO. Martins juries are very
painful, but 1t is not thought that they will
prove serious. 1t is believed that the moon
sinners killed GastOn's horse.
A Murderous Revenue Raid.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-THE Commissioner
of Internal Revenue to-day received a tele-
gram from Agent Lapland, at Atlanta, Ca,
as follows: "A raiding party near Gaines
opposing party were killed. We had one
horse killed. None of our men were hurt