The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-02-25
TIE MOONSHINERS' CHIEF,
Lewis II. Redmona again at Home among
the Mountains.
Correspondence Nc,cs and Comricf.


Correspondence NcwS and Courier
AsnEvILLE, N. c., Feb. 5.-During
those perilous, busy days for the revenue
officers in Western North Carolina, from
1868 to 1850 no name among notorious
moonslliucrs approximated in notorlety
that of Lewis Il. Redmond, the outlaw.
Countless newspaper articles, numbers of
pamphlets and novels have appeared
during the last few years, giving more or
less exaggerated and fictitious narratives
of the romantic life, the daring adventures
and the bold crimes of this famous Illicit
distiller of the mountain dew drop. He
now lives in quietude and retirement
lust across the State line, in upper South
Carolina, under the shadow Of the Blue
Ridge Mountains, having recently re-
turned from imprisonment at Albany IN.
" peniteptiary, where he had been sent
for term of four years. On the grounds
of ill.healLh he was not long since par.
doned, and is now apparently enjoying
the serenity of backwoods life on a small
farm not far from the line between the
Carolinas. Your correspondent some time
since had the opportunity ofa interview
with the well-known moonshiner (among
his friends known as "The Major,") and
from him obtained many facts in regard
to his life and number of incidents in
his career.
He was born, be says, in 1854 in Geor-
ria. n few miles from where the city of
Atlanta now stands. Early in life bis ia
ther removed to the mountains of West
ern North Carolina locating in the pic
turesque county of Transylvania. In 1875
be married Miss Adcline Ladd, of Pick
ems County, South Carolina. In 1879 he
removed to Swain County, this State,
and, having built him house of logs on
a small farm situated far up on the Ten
nessee River, he began the quiet life OF a
farmer and stockman. But in 1882 he
was arrested by party ofrevenue officers
and lodged in Jail at this place. He was
then removed to Greenville, S. G, tried
and sent to Albany. Then followed his
pardon.
But by far the most sensational
features Of this notorious moonshiner's
life he, of course, would not recount.
There seems to be no doubt Of the fact
that he was the boldest, shrewdest, most
successful operator in this strange
sequestered craft whose workshops were
rudely built in natures most charming
mountain recesses and among the remote
peaks and crags that rarely knew the
footstep of man. From information now
easily accessible, however difficult once
for the revenue officers, it appears plain
that Redmond had we'll trained band
of bold and fearless followers who cheer
fully and faithfully yielded him their
services. AS sentries they were stationed
along the routes by which the raiding
revenue officers would come, and as
workmen aud confederates they were
employed about the smoking STILL whose
fires, like those of the yestal virgins, were
never allowed to go out except in, how
ever, those unusual and rarely recurring
instances when the signals were given of
the approach of the officers of the Fed
eral law. Then the fires and the distillers
went out together, and generally neither
the one nor the other was ever seen by
these agents of the Government. The
signals used by these sentries, stationed
on the elevations, down in the settle
ments," and at points in the valleys far
below were, by day, columns of ascen.
ding smoke, by night. the mellow tones
of the huntsmau's horn. By constant
vigilance this noted moonshiner always
escaped detection and apprehension,
while he remained among bis favorte
haunts, coaxing into existence The aver
age mountaircer's favorite beverage.
But on several occasions, when on the
road 10 market with his contraband
luxury, he was overtakcn by the officers
of the law, from whom, however, he al
ways escaped. In 1879 he removed fur
ther into the mountains, locating in
Swain County, giving up his old haunts
and companions, but by no means aband-
onipg his illicit operations. 1t was at
this new home that he gained additional
notoriety for his bold, daring desperation.
He vas always on the alert, fearing ap-
prehension, and many were the unsuc'
cessful attempts made by the officers Of
the revenue departu. ,nt. On one occa-
sion when q posse of revenue officials
swooped down on the usually well bar
ricaded and defended windowless log
house of the Majors, and finding him in
convivial rather than watchful mood
threw themselves against the two doors
at the same time and bursted in. But 10
their amazement The moonshiner chief
was not to be found. Only his wife, two
children and a simple looking mountain
eer were the inmates. 1t was afterwards
discovered that the object of their search
had escaped by way of the huge chimney
of sticks and mud. In 1881, however,
the Major fell a victim to tie officers,
whom lie had so often cluded, and sur.
rendered only when shot with dozen
bullets and when his own weapons had
been literally shot out of his hands.
Then came his trial, his conviction, his
prison life at Albany for several years
and then his pardon. And now, full of
notoriety and bullets, he is quietly
passing his days in remote backwoods
section of South Carolina, and from his
cabin door re can see the peaks that.
witnessed his bodies. daring and widest
adventures, but which will never again
feel the tread nor echo the voice of this
moonshiner chief who is passing away in
his prime.