The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-04-03
A STUDY IN STILL LIFE.
the DoINcS OF ONE GLASS OF LAW.
DEFYlNc CITIZENS.


More than two hundred moonshin-
ers have established fortified camp
IN Franklin county, Virginia, and
openly defy the authorities of the
United States. They have over one
hundred illicit stills in operation and
are producing thousands of barrels
OF whiskey on whichno duty to Uncle
Sam is paid.
The manufacture of illicit whiskey
tenslvely throughout the South for
good many years, but the contraband
STILLS have been conducted on Il small
scale i'll the hidden recesses of the
mountains. It has always been a
comparatively easy matter for the
revenue officers to capture and break
up these stills whenever they could
locate them. The camp in Franklin
county is on exception, however.
Several attempts have been made
within the last two years by the rev
enue officers to capture this moon
shine stronghold, but without success.
On each occasion the officers have
been driven off. Success has made
the gang bold. They have gathered
recruits from the criminal class all
over the country, and it is believed
tnatlt twouldrequirea u force Of two hun
dred mon to dislodge and break up
their stills. The gang is composed
OF ex-convicts, despcradocs, and the
most daring and desperate of cut
throats ever collected together They
are menace to the community and
have committed numerous outrages
IN addition to the running of illicit
stills.
The place selected for their opera
tlons is well suited for their purpose.
franklin county is on the border be-
tween Virginia and North Carolina.
1t Is sparsely settled and mountain-
GUS. Encircling one of the lesser
mountains near the North Carolina
line are two streams boasting of the
poetlcal names of "Shooting Creek"
and "Runnit Bag The waters of
these two creeks supply one hundred
odd Illicit stills of the gang. From
the top OF the mountain one can com
mand view of the surrounding coun-
try In every direction. Guards are
stationed all around the camp, and it
IS impossible for any one to approach
within half n mile of the place with
out being seen. The moment IN
alarm is given the outlaws repair to
the top Of the mountain and prepare
Tor fight. They arc well eouipped
1or defensive operations. They are
armed with the latest improved brcech
loading rifles, shot guns and revolvers.
ihey have built small fort and arc
IN q position to stand long siege.
II Is stated OH good authority that
tney have recently mounted two or
three cannon in the fort. Every per
son s travelling through that part of
the State, no matter what his busi-
ness may be, is escorted by an armed
guard across this district. He is mot
ut the border and is not nc,'r 'r,,.I ,,..Qn9t' g !
70 go anywhere alone UP; !, i; i, Il Imltteo
the moonshiners' terr;t,, ,'tll ne 6nI leaves
ttention is shown Je%;, o,,o' ,.ory' ims Mt,
sa:e"A, ,..Ehf3e q member of the gang.
The World correspondent is creii
bly, informed that two-thirds of the
regular distillcrs in Virginia and
North Carolina are seriously cmbor-
rassed in their business by reason of
the production Of so much illicit
whiakey. Their sales have fallen off
more than fifty per cent. and they
are calling loudly on the government
'or protection. AS the government
othcers are we'll aware of the existence |
II the moonshiners' stronghold in
county the question might |
% break it up?"
The revenue force isn't sufficient to
the law, and red tape and
scarcity OF money prevent any deci-
I'VE action by the department at
Although there is pre-
'umably large surplus in the treas-
ry, the appropriation for the revenue
service has nearly run out for the
iscal year ending June 80, and there
8 no money available to emnlov q
arge enough force to break up the
franklin county camp. The revenue
'fflcers know by experience that # is
practically useless to send a posse of
fifteen or twenty men out there. ns
hey could accomplish nothing but
heir own destruction.
''If the commissioner had INV fundo
eft ut his disposal" said a revcm,o
NoA w Ahc w OTlu COlToSDOnQont, !
ne would authorize us to engage q
utficlent force to break up the camp;
ut he hasn't, and unless Congress
ONES to our rescue wo will be DOW
rless to do anything before the LIST
I July, when the appropriation for
nc next fiscal year will be available,
or the past three or four years Con.
ress has cut down our appropriation
o low that we have been compelled
reduce our force of men about one
ALI At no time since the war has
mere been SO much Illicit whiskev
lade as at the present time, and it is
'rge!y due to the crippling of the in
'r1al revenue service by Congress-.
s. long as the internal revenue laws
re- on the statute books Congress- {
lould make sufficient provisions to
1torce them. An effort is BEING c
ade Ill Washington now to induce l.
ongress to pass special appropria- a
on to meet the Franklin conntv c
1855, II the present state of affairs 9