The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-12-03

The Hold Strike Of spssial Agents Hooten
and Mason Among the Deps. Of Northwest
eFR Pennsylvania,
Special Dipaich 10 ne hltslligeHeeT,
WASHINGTON, D, O., Dec, Especial
Agent S, T, Hooteu, Of the Internal Rev
enue Service, gives most entertaining
account Of the raid recently made by
General Deputy Collector Mason and
himself into the wilds OF Northwestern
Pennsylvania in search OF illicit stills
aAd moonshiners, From his account
this region seems to be very much Of the
same character as those parts OF Wiscon'
sin In which are situated the notorious
dens that the newspapers have been ex-
posing, The country is largely given
over TO numbering interests, aud scatter
ed around through tho forests are dens
almVst exactly like those around Hurley,
Wisconsin, Mr, Mason got information
that at one OF these cabins, situated in
Forrest county, and some sixteen miles
from a line OF railroad, there was an illicit
still, owned and operated by two OF the
toughest characters, father and son, In all
that country, The county authorities
had only once attempted their ar.
rest on some minor charge, aud
had then taken six months 10 ef,
feet it. Mr.. Mason decided on a
different course, and summoning Special
Agent Hooten to his aid and accompanied
by only one United States Deputy Mar
shal instead Ot a large posse, us has been
stated, let. franklin, IN Venango county,
on November q, aud reached Byronton,
a small station ON the line OF the Pitts.
burg 4 Western Railroad, Ia Forrest
county, on the 2Sd, They were disguised
as hunters seeking some good sport and
proceeded at once to secure lodgings ut
the house Of the older or the two men
they were after, who, 1t appears, lived
In the town and disposed OF the whisky
made by his son back In the mountains.
1t so happened that the officers found
both oil their men at the house on the
night OF their arrival, together with a
choice assortment OF hard characters
from the surrounding country, lumber.
men, drivers, ETC., who had gathered, as
usual 10 make merry by means Of the
"moonshine."
This was not very pleasant situation
for Revenue officers TO find themselves
In, The very name Of revenue nau IL |
considered death warrant among
these people, and In the present In.
stance, Influenced by whisky and their
overwhelming numbers, 1t was not prob.
able that much mercy would be shown u
suspected Government spy.
suREwD NANEUvEREs.
But the officers were not there 10 back
in the presence oil a little danger,
aud went ahead with their little pro.
gramme In n mauner which is deserving
Of the greatest credit.
MIR. HoOten got the two men out OF
the main room and up stairs under thu
pretext OF wishing 10 ask them about
hunting localities, while Mfr. Mason and
the Deputy Marshal remained behind |
with the crowd. HoOten ut once put
the men under arrest, and as soon as hia
colleague came up they were hustled
out oil the house by u back door, the old |
man immediately started for franklin in
charge Of the Deputy Marshal, aud ut
dAy break the two Revenue officers took
the younger man and started for the
Illicit still in the mountains. After.a
rough trip Of sixteen miles, which re-.
quired all day to make, they arrived at
the log shanty, used as a grog.shop aud
everything else, near which the still was
known to be In operation. The man
readil y agreed to point 1t out aud as
quietly as possible tho apparatus was
taken possession. of or destroyed, and
the return trip begun. 1t need Ouly be
added that the officers good luck did
not desert them, and that they had the
satisfaction OF seeing their prisoners
promptly put on trial before a United
States Commissioner aud bound over for
tiial.
Messrs. Mason and IIooten have since
been tue recipients of many Compli.
ments upon the successful issue OF their
enterprise,