The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-09-07
On Raid

campmeeting near Hartwe1l. Ga, l was
requested by Deputy U. S. Marshall
Yancy Carter, to 60 with him on II raid
he intended making on the monnshinerS
Of Habersham County, and feeling i'll the
humor for a little fun and adventure. |
consented to 60. About 9 O'Clock p. IN.
we started out in a light hack with Il
spanking team of bays that carried us
over the smooth gravel roads in daShing
style. The rapid riding in the dim
starlight, on such,an errand gave it Il
spice Of romantic adventure that made
1t very enjoyable. Marshall Carter is II
bold driver and we made good time I'M
til l O'Clock when the skies were over
cast with dark clouds, and 1t begatf to
rain. 1t was so intensely dark we had
difficulty 70 keep in the country reads.
Several tinses our Jchu left the track
and had to find his way back by the
light Of matches, and then again he
would nearly tip us over in a gully or
over q stump, but no accident occurred.
and we arrived an hour before day in
n~eighborhood where a still was reported
to be. Here we concealed our team and
started out through the darkness md
rain. After scouting around until near
daybreak, we found it on q small branch
The willy moonshiners had tied up a dog
there, which began to bark when we
drew near, but we ran in and caught one
man at his work, ard arr csted his part
ner at the house near by. There were
about 100 gallons Of beer and Is Of spir-
its, which we poured out and set fire to
all the fixtures, and marched our priso-
ners off to Toccoa, three or four miles
distant, where We boarded u train on
the Air Line Railroad and took them be-
fore Judge James B. CASTOR, at Gains
vile. and they were bound over for tri-
nj. We returned that night to Toccoa.
Next morning we boarded an engine on
The Air Line and had a mild ride in the
cool fresh mountain air, for about ten
miles, when we got of and and struck
out through the country in search Of
another still. After hunting through
the rongh country for several hours. we
caught sight Of a man running through
the bushes, and gave chase, but soon
lost him in the thickcts Of underground.
Proceeding, we had travelled but a few
miles further when we were startled by
a noise that sounded like a whole COM
pany of moonshinrrs were swapping guns
and pistols Mt us. This caused our
guide, a rough backwoodsman-with
eyes and nose like a hawk. to prick up
his rars and look out for a safe line Of
retreat, bht we approached cautiously.
and found another still almost hidden
under IL steep bank. on the edge Of a
swamp thicket. The moonshiner was
sitting by his still, which was running,
engaged In making malt by the primitive
method Of breaking corn between an axe
which he held in his lap and u hammer.
It was this beating noise that had start
led us. His partner was away and he
was completely surprised, and offered
no resistance. We destroyed about the
same quantity Of beer and spirits AZ we
did at the other still, and carried our
prisoner OH to Gainesville. where we
spent the night and returned to Hart
we'll in the afternoon next day. Marshall
Garter has rendered a great service to
North East, Georgia, by destroying large
numbers of illicit stills, and breaking up
Tn. traffic in contraband whiskey. He
- II man Of great nerve and cool, un-
dauntcd courage, His GOODNESS and dar-
ing in the midst Of deadly peril would
do honor to Kit Carson or Wild Bill. He
is IL tal, very handsome. fine looking
man. weighs 1913 pounds, without an
ounce of supcrtluous flesh, and has a
fine head of curling hair falling to his
shoulders, which gives him a very strik-
ing appearance. ] was told by some of
the best citizens of HartweiI, that they
had seen the time when they would not
have stood in Carter's place for ten thou
sand dollars. The road between his
ho,me aad town has been wsylaid night
after night by parties who swore they
would kill him, but he seems to have n
charmed life, for although he has never
taken any pains to avoid those bush
whackers, he has not been molested. If
I had the snace I cOuld relate aoma nc