The Dawson journal., 1884-12-25
A MIDNIGHT BATTLE.
Moonshiners and Revenue Men at
War-Most Thrilling Event on
Record.
Atlanta, Ga, Constitution.


o'clock Wild and broken section
OF Hall county, on the Testate
rlVer' and known as the Bark Greek
settlement, was the scene
OF the most thrilling
battle that has occurred
ed In Georgia since Lee surrender
ed. For a skirmish in times of
peace it stands unexcelled in inter
est, and results were as fatal as
the recital must be exciting. Fo1
nearly twenty-four hours the ex-
citement lasted, and two dead and
several wounded was the summing
up when the tragedy was over.
The Bark Creek settlement is
about twelve miles northward of
Gainesville. Once barroom was
there and one or two stores, but
the barroom exists no longer. The
law ground for the district is Bark
Camp, and there the temple of
justice rears it's humble walls.
One of the most noted citizens of
this settlement was Anderson
Grant, a giant in size and strength,
and desperate and fearless in
whatever chosed to do.
Grant owned an illicit distillery,
which was hidden away in one of
the gulches of the Bark Camp dis
trict. In the locality lived young
man, named Prater, a cousin of
Alf Prater the
MOUNTAIN WONDER" PEDESTRIAN,
who, in last June, ran six hours in
walking match here without stop
ing. Alf Parter is a revenue
scout. His cousin led him through
the by path of the Bark Camp
country, and pointed out the illicit
distillery of Anderson Grant.
1t was arranged that there
should be a raid on the distillery.
The matter was placed in the
hands of the officials here, and as
a result, on Tuesday morning
about ten o'clock the following
party left Gainesville, heading for
Bark Camp:
Deputy Marshall J. B. CASTOR,
Special Revenue Agent Lof-
land,
Deputy Collector NJ. Van Estes,
Minor Estes, (son of NJ. Van
Estes
Alf Prater, the guide.
The party had a wagon drawn
by two mules and a buggy drawn
by white horse owned by Depu-
ty Marshal CASTOR.
INTO THE VALLEY OF DEATH.
1t appears that as they rode out
of Gainesville they rode to-
wards the Valley of Death, for
Prater had set a trap for the en-
tire party.
About one o'clock the party of
officers reached the neighborhood
of the distillery and turned from
the mountain road into the woods
a few feet where the teams were
left in chage of Minor Estes, a
boy Of seventeen but a powerful
fellow for his years. The distill-
cry was about a mile away through
the woods and the officers had
nearly reached it when they heard
rapid firing Of pistols and guns
in the direction of the wagon.
Deputy Collector Van Estes be-
came very much alarmed and ex-
claimed:
"They have murdered my sonF'
The party ran hurriedly back
to the wagons and found that
young Estes had disappeared, and
Deputy Marshal Gaston's horse
had been cut from the harness and
was gone. The breast yoke and
the belly band were cut in two and
the lines had been cut SO as to
leave enough to the used in riding
house back. Guns were bolng fir-
ed in several directions and the
officers became alarmed for ther
own safety.
HORNS BEGAN 10 BLOW.
And the noises usual when the
moonshiners get alarmed were
heard. One of the mules was
hnrriedIy unhitched from the wag-
ON and Alf Prater, the guide,
mounted the animal and dashed
off down the road with the inten-
ton Of inquiring at one OF the
farm houses if the boy had been
seem. He had not gone more than