The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-01-05
GEORGIA DIAMONDS.
A Story of the l1oonshiners and Their
More Than Peculiar Ways.

GEORGIA DIAMONDS.
A Story of the Moonshiners and Their
More Than Peculiar Ways.
A Georgia mineralogist in the Je'ceters'
TVeekh: ssThe recent discovery OF small
diamonds on a farm near Atlanta, recalls
the various occurrences which have from
time to time given evidences that HAL
County contains diamond belt. You may
not have heard ono Of the most character
istic of our stories. ..
"The: small farmers who people the
broken country west Of here are densely
ignorant and intensely superstihous. The
little valleys are full of noonshine whisky
stills, and the deputy United States mar.
shals are kept busy routing them out and
arresting their owners. The first revenue
officers that raided through Northeast
Georgia Immediately after reconstruction
were Northern men. They literally fought
their way through the country, ana never
yentured on o raid without che protection
Of a squad Of soldiers from the Second
United States Infantry, which command
was at that time stationed at Ringgold bar"
racks, Atlanta.
"The marshals met with only Indifferent
success at first, for they were unfamiliar
with the country and the moonshlners had
them at q disadvantage. When they hao
formed some few acQuaintances among the
moonshiners they were able, by the promise
of liberal pay, to secure the services OF
skilled pilots, whose cupidity outweighed
their neighborly loyalty. These apostates
were bitterly hated by the illicit distlllers,
and more than one man who betrayed the
hiding place Of still was anbushed and
shot down. Others were captured, whipped
with hickory withes and so terrorized that
they were glad to ice the country.
"When General JEFF. Findlay was o
deputy marshal he employed q pilot named
Bud Davis, who was half hunter, halt
miner, confirmed ne'er-do-well, and
familiar with the intricate Topography OF
the mountains. Davis guided the revenue
officers for several months, and laughed
defantly when the threats of the men ne
had betrayed came to his ears. He always
bravery he jouraeyed back and forth be.
tween his mountain home and Gainesville
in the boldest and most open manner.
"One unlucty, day he accompanied
party of the marshal's men into Haversham
County, and, being not far from his nome,
left them to spend the night with his farni-
lowed from the rendezvous of the marshals,
for he had not gone far when he was sud
denly attacked from the rear. Before he
could defend hunself he was made Il p1ls-
oner. His face paled when he recognized his
captors, and be could not help shudderiug
when one Of the party produced rope and
proceeded to fasten it about the prisoners
neck, Z reckin I'm gwine ter de- said
Bud, 'hut ye KANT l,ev hit ter say tibet
l didn't meet death like game man He
raised his hands rs though to assist
the hangnan to ADJUST the moose,
but instead he seized buckskln
thong fastened about his neck and drew
from beneath his hunting shirt Il little
greasy bag, on which were some rude
characters that had been written in OIL ink
made from polzeberry juice. He11ourished
this in the face of his captors. 'Ye air a
set Of blamed cowards,' he cried. Stand
back or I'll lunjur ey'ry mothers sen Of
ye,' The 1nooushiners, bat q minut: DE-
fore 50 full of nlurlerous desperation,
lea],ed away from him and huddlca to-
gether. sCuss YET cuss yep snarled
Bud ana whining the little bag he adj
yanced upon them With lcui cries OF
terror they brol.a nnli ran rs from some
terrible danger. When they were out OF
hearing Bud picked up his rifle, ',uoiSled
ON his pistol belt emo chuckling grimly
continued on his way.
"He was never molested again il. Hay
ersham County, for SIle news that he was q
:kun]erer' spread like wi1dtre and finally
reached the ears OF his friends The
marshals. They questioned him about The
matter and begged for glimpse ct the
wonderful bag; but Bud guarded ii with
Jealous care, contenaing that if he showed
it to any one except to protect himself the
'lzunjer' would lose its power.
"a few weeks a1terward the marshal 8
men raided out toward Ducktown, Tenn,
and Bud Davis accompanied. The party
rode into an ambush and fierce fight en-
sued. When tho moon sinners were finally
driven away it was found that the pilot was
desperately wounded. The men gathered
around him as he lay gaspipg for breath,
and one among them, who had been really
attached to the fellow, raised his head. Bud
smiled feebly, and with trembling hands
drew the skunjer bag from his bosom.
stake hlt,' he gasped. Twill fetch ye
good lu-u-cl The balance Of tho word
died away in iaoarse gurgle, and he tell
back dead.
"The marshal who had been bequeaShed
the amulet put it in his pocket and did not
find time to examine his legacy until he
reached Atlanta. The Lag was heavy, and
he cut it open with his knife. Out fell q
half dozen bright stones. They had "a PEI
culiar CLINT, and the marshal took them to
jeweler. He pronounced them diamonds,
and they really proved to be these precious
stones. The marshal had them cut, and az
expert valued tnem at twelve hundred dol.
lars. lie intended TO donate the money
he had received for them to Buds family,
but when he went into the neighborhood
where the pilot had lived he found that they
had moved into the far Vest but exactly
to what part he was never able to learn.
"The stones were probably found in the
| neigbborhood, but the exact locality is not
known"
AN INDIAN LEGEND.
Mount Desert island the North American
Garden of Eden.
tn bN ;p1o i,;&o 4