Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-11-14
Gland OF CANAAN"
In West Virginia Observation-Disclosures and
Counterfeiters Captured.


Counterfeiters Captured.
Keyssr TELEGRAM 10 PniSburg Dispatch
Deputy United States Marshal o. c.
Miller arrived here day or two ago,
having in charge moonshiner named
William Fansler. 3 He lived, with num-
Der of others of his class, about twenty
miles south Of ST. George, the county
seat of Tucker county, and about sixty
miles from the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road, and his chase and capture consti-
tutes one of the most remarkable cpl
sodes in the criminal annals OF West
Virginia. Detective Miller was com
PEELED to follow his man for several
weeks before he finally landed him in
prison, often at the risk OF his life, and
he detailed his experiences TO your cor
respondent about as follows:
Fansler is a member of one Of the
most daring and successful gangs Of
moonshiners, counterfeiters and stock
thieves that ever infested the mountains
of West Virginia. Their standing
ground was the Canaan" wilderness
and contiguous portion of adjoining
counties, and their headquarters were
established in log house, strongly for
tiled, and provided with loop-holcs for
its defence with repeating rifles and
situated in the most inaccessible portion
of the Backbone range OF mountains.
1t is surrounded for miles on every
side with laurel and timber, standing so
thick as to make an approach to 1t al
almost impossible, except by a secret
path, which for a long time was known
only to the members Of the band. Here
the gang had for several years operated
splendidly equipped diStillery, with 0
capacity of eighty-fve gallons a day,
until they were betrayed some months
ago by one Of their own number, who
led n posse of government officials to the
fort" rs it was called, at time when
all the gang were away diSposing OF
their stock of liquor at Philippi.
The detectives left not che log OF the
thief harbor resting upon another, and
DESTROYED the still. mashtubs and every
thing else of any value found about the
premises. These summary proceedings
made home anything but sweet for the
gang, and they scattered, Fanslcr being
the only one who made any attempt to
..hold the fort" and even he, taking
alarm at the activity of the officers, re-
treated to what is call his mountain
place" about fifteen miles further
south.
Here he was traced by Marshal Miller,
who spent seven days in getting to the
place from st. George. Miller was Tor
tunatc enough to find Fansler at home,
and walking suddenly in on him, told
him the best thing he could do was to
give himself up, as he had men outside
who would take him, and resistance was
useless. Fansler surrendered, and
started off quietly with his captor, but
when they had gone some distance with
out meeting any other officers, Fansler
turned upon Miller, and a fierce fight
/ onsuoI. uo was FINALLY oNcfpOWereu.
and everything went all right until the
Dry Fork of Cheat river was reached.
The two men started across the stream
in a skifi, but Fansler, watching his
chance, caught the detective by the
shoulders and threw him out OF the
boat. Fansler then jumped into the
swift current himself and tried to es-
cane, but Miller caught him by the
legs. and after narrowly escaping being
drowned. Fansler again surrendered,
and the two reached the shore. Fans
Ter made no further effort to escape, and
is now under lock and key. There are
three bench warrants against him ana
many capiascs, and he is sure OF long
term in the penitentiary.
A strange feature Of the whole matter
is that the members of this gang were
not vagabonds or criminals, in the com
mon acceptation of those terms, but all
! owned fine farms, and as an evidence'o1
this, one of the party, arrested some
time ago, was released by United States
Judge jackson on $1,000 bail on his
own recognizance. The queer and
"moonshne" departments OF the busl-
ness were managed with skill and en-
ergv. and they were assiduous and sue
cessful in their live stock operations,
frequently stealing as many as 200 sheep
or 30 or 40 cattle at once. Many are the
stories told by the people of Randol pm,
Tucker and Barbour counties OF the
wild orgies with which they celebrated
at their camp in the mountains the sue
ccssful issue OF raid of this Kind on
the barns and pastures of the farmers
of that portion of the State.
Until recently no attempt at punish
ing these outlaws ever succeeded, as
they were quick to take either legal or
illegal proceedings to protect Them