The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-19
ILLICIT DISTILLERS.
UNCLE SAM DECIDES THAT THEY
MUST 60.
Revenue Raids in the Mountains Of
Tenncssee-Interesting Expe-
rience Of an officer.
IcoRRrspovDExoE OF THE APPEAL.I

partment official today, in recountine
The efforts OF the Government to cup
press the illicit distilling OF whisky.
The present administration has en-
tered upon vigorous policy of hunt
ing down the hidden mountain stills
and bringing 10 justice those who are
demanding the internal revenue by
avoiding the tax on whisky. The
forthcoming report Of the Com
missioner OF internal Revenue will
show that double the number OF Illicit
stills have been destroyed during the
past year as compared with the pre-
yious twelve monthe. The number
OF gallons OF distilled whisky upon
which tax was collected in 1886 was
1893, 1927 greater than in 1885, aud at
a less cost. There are eighty-tive col
lectors OF internal revenue, 963 depu' y
collectors, besides agents, marshals
and deputy marshals, whose duty 1t is
TO prevent the Illicit distilling OF
whisky, but the moonshiners are
mostly confined to a few States. The
great whisky producing States OF Ken
lucky, Illinois and Ohio sre CON-
parAtively ires from moopshiners. In
1878, when the active
RAIDINa AGAINST MooNsHINKR5
commenced, there wee 1924 stills
seized ard twenty five officers OF the
government were killed or wounded.
Since then the seizures and casualties
have decreased down to the com
mencement OF the last fiscal year.
One hundred and ninety.nine stills
were seized in 1884 in Georgia North
Carolina and Tennessee, the center Of
the moonshine territory, the noun
tains where these three States meet
being the roughett country in the
world. The moonshiners ave as poor
as church mics and live at the foot of
the mountains and in the mountains
valleys. Theee valleys are fertile and
the farms productive, corn being the
principal crop. There are no railroads
near, and the wagon roads ara rough,
often only half beaten track showing
that q road is intended. These people
have no mra-s a. liking their produce
TO the markets, Therefore they make
the most OF their crops whichever way
they can. The most abundant crop,
corn, they find the most profitable one
when converted into whisky. They
cannot afford 10 turn out the juice and
pay the Internal Revenue Collector
the tax Of 81 a gallon, 60 they sell 1t
without paying the tax, and only the
march OF vilizat'on eau effectually
stop it, Tn y were always firm be-
levers In
ALEXANDER II. STEVENS,
who once said: "It a man can take
his corn TO the mill and have it ground
into little meal without paying q
tsx, he 10 clearly emitted to tutn il
into little whiAky without paying 9
tax" This il the moonahiner's sentt
ment. They hold that they have &
national right to dittill without paying
a tax, and propose to do SO; and, il
fact, carry out their vews. Many O.
.siaeia we're loyal during the war. Be
fore the war there was no whisky tax
and why they should submit to such
lax since the war is beyond theirrea-
Honinp. They are for a'l ."rao'lcal puf'
posas headed together, ioi those who
DO not distill encourage those who DO
These denizens Of the mountains are
the most dangerous class Of law break.
ers. Those near their base have moi
the facilities for escape aud resistance
In making wa,fire upon the former
the work must be quick, decisive and
accurate and the retreat rapid. The
blow has to be struck and the retreat
ing party has to retreat with speed. Il
the officers do not get away rapidly
they are picked of by the
MOUNTAIN sHARPsHooTRRs
as they retreat. In the attack upoT
any number Of moonshiners gathered
together there must be surprise. Il
Is rushing and exciting warfare. The
government officers find the creates
difficulty taking out prisoners captured
as an attempted rescue follows nearly
every capture. Ia the mountains the
iavoTite location for crooked whisky il
near q sheet OF wafer only accessible
by IL. The still is placed under cliff
that cannot be defended from above
or approached from the sides; only ap
proachable over the water. The
strength OF such a position is evident
Other loss iavorab3 locations are
hooks in the rocks and under EN-
bankments in the deep brusb, Further
down the mountain the unfrequentod
wood near stream is the favored pot
The stills vary IN capacity from |
gallon up. The principal ally of tn,
distiller Is the miller. The corn must
be ground into meal before distills
ton, the miller knows where his
money for grinding meal comes frou
and governs himself accordingly. lie
will always give warning OF rai(
whenever II comes to his knowledge
and will do everything in his power t,
throw the officers off the scent. TIT
revenue officers are surrounded with
danger. They cannot tell when they
are to be attacked or by whom, a
revenue raid In the
MOUNTAINS OF TENNESSEE
or North Carolina will not pale by th'
scenes in the famous Rob Roy The
only definite information that is to bI
obtained Is from the women amonl
the moonshiners. they are, as q rule
opposed TO moonshining because Of It'd
dangers and effects upon the morals o
the male popu alton. They will some
times write TO the government officer
giving definite Information OF the loca
ton OF stills run by their brother
fathers and lovers. The officers Away
rely upon this information, not ever
srspecting it oil being decoy, man,
Of which they receive. When the
proceed to place indicated by
woman they invariably find still
There is one strange feature about tn
revenue raiding. Whenever a section
is raided illicit distilling breaks GU
airesh, the distilers who have not beel
captured thinking that they are a
least safe for a time.
A deputy internal revenue colleC
tor, who is here on leave Of absence
said yesterday that the poverty of th
people he was after was absolutel
painful. "On one OCCASION" he sale
''I was out with a company Of six, site
aGlls. We found out where there wa
Zone aud secured guide. We mounte
/our horses and rush followed owe
hills, through water, woods and brus
for A x miles as fast as our animal