The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-07-25
4 MOONSHINE MURDER.
APPARENT CLEARING UP OF THE AS
SASSINATION OF BEN ROSS.

SASSINH ION Of BEN HOSS.
Little Bill" Howard Makes u Confcssion-
His Cousin tho Man Who Fircd the Fatal
shot-Ross Killed for Treason to Block
aders.
(Greenville News.)
The mystery surrounded the Kill
ling of Ben Ross. in February, 1888.
has at last been cleared up by the
confession Of William L. Howard,
who was arrested last week charged
with the murder and is now in Jail
Ben Ross, the murdered man. was Il
moonshiner and was member of
mroo@nshne @ TN eossge;sssizstioHHss s6s
world. 1t is not known whether a
regular organization exists, but it is
known that it is next to impossible
TO convict anyone arrested for reve-
nue. otl,enses, and that criminal can
hide from the officers for years in the
mountain businesses. The fate of Il
traitor is death and this is SO well
known that not Il mau dares to conf
municate with revenue officer. and
if once seen talking to one he is un-
der the ban of suspicion forever.
Every stranger entering the county
is suspect and he had better quick
ly prove himself not revenue officer
or Il detective The sheriff and 9th
er county officers are received with
hospitality and the people have often
assisted Sheriff Gilreath in making
arrests for off,enses against State law.
On the most serious charges the man
wanted has been known to come to
the sheriff and surrender, and if there
were others implicated, the arrested
mar would go out and bring them i'll.
A revenue officer is most bitterly ha-
ted and the people consider that the
making and selling of whiskcy is Il
privilege that the United States gov
ernment has no right to Interfere
, with. They resort to any desperate
, measures to protect themselves.
On the day when Ben Ross was
killed he had been to the city rs Il
witness in revenue trial before
Commissioner Hawthorne. There
were number of people from the
, same section in the commissioner S
: office, Some Of them heard Ben Ross
: say that he was getting tired of the
| old ring and if things did not go bet
) ter he intended to break it up by tel
! ling the whole thing to the revenue
: officers It seems that Ross had
: been suspected, and his remarks IN
. the court room reached his secti on
! ahead of him. While sitting ih front
> night, he was Instantly Killed by
2 shot throuph window. Several az
rests were made, but it was impossi
l ble to unravel the mystery, and all
those arrests were dismissed ut the
: preliminary hearings.
Little BIZ Howard's confession
was made freely and voluntarily q
few days ago and was written down
| He was advised not to make it, but
5 said he knew what the consequences
1 would be- Howard confesses that
he was present when Ross was Kill
led and that William NJ Howard,
alias Big Bill Howard, a first
cousin, was the murderer. He says
that "Big Bill spoke to him dozen
times about killing Ross and that he
refused to have anything to do with
it. Big Bill told him that if he
did not go along with him he would
y MIL Illlll \lloNuIu. Dig Dill Dlu
doublc-barrellcd shot gun and wan
: ted him to take weapon, but he re
I fused. They went TO Ross house
= and big Bill went up on the piazza
{ while Little Bill stood near by
!, After the shooting the twomen walk
q cd about hundred yards and then
separated, big Bill going home
: and Little Bill to the house of Mr.
, Moon. AS the two men walked
away from Ross house Big Bill
I said to his companion that he thought
! he got him that time.
Deputy Marshal Fisher has been
, working up the case. Big Bill
Howard is hiding in the neighbor
, hood of his home and could not be
. found by Sheriff Gilreath on Sunday.
1t is said, however, he will surrcn
, 1cr