The morning call., 1891-09-11
CAPTURING A STILL.
A PeriIOus Ride Through Dark
Mountains at Night.
Led by Tennessee Maid, United States
Officers Break Up One Of the Largest
Moonshine Distilleries in the State.

A buXom girl in the Tennessee mountains
piloted party Of moonshine raiders to an
Illicit still down there last Wednesday, for
which she will be rewarded by the Govern
ment. Her name is withheld by the officers,
but they speak loudly in praise Of her cour-
age and endurance
Away over in johnson County, In what is
known as the Iron Mountains, near the
North Carolina line, John and Bob Stewart
have for years operated an illicit diStillery
and have defied the law. The country is
rough and wild, and difficult of access.
Gallon after gallon of whisky was made
and sold, and though the revenue officers
worked hard to find it, they could not locate
the still. The people of the country adjoin-
ing seemed to be in sympathy with the dis
tlllers of the mountain dew, and the OIL
Gals could not find the path to the road,
much less secure the services of guide.
This state of affairs worried General Dep
uty Collector Spears for some time, but he
was determined to destroy what was noted
as being one of the largest and most sue
cessful moOnshine diStiIlerleS in the State
of Tennessee. AT last he found one who
would carry him TO the still. 1t was hazel
eyed girl, with face as brown as berry.
Her hair was unkempt, and flew behind her
in the wind, and her costume was not ex-
actly la mode. her makeup was rustic
and picturesque, and that means she was a
typical mountaneer. Her arms were sun
burned and so were her feet, for, like Maud
Muller, she was unencumbered by shoes or
stockings. Nevertheless she suited Deputy
Spears purpose. for she knew where the
Stewards still was located, and she had con-
sented to guide the raiders TO the spot.
When all was rea dy she met them many
miles from the STILL that she might not be
known. She was afraid of assassination in
case it was ascertained that she had been
the informer. For this reason, also, the
raj d was made under cover of darkness.
I he start was made from a railroad station
a hundred miles from the still. The girl
met the officers at the station, and the party
scattered until nightfall Horses had been
secured, and after the sun had gone down
| they were brought to remote corner OF
| the town, according to a previous arrange
| ment 1t had been agreed upon at the meet
ing at the station that all should meet where
| the horses were waiting at dusk. Twilight
| was just turning into darkness when Deputy
| Spears and his posse made their way by
| differ ent roads to the rendezvous. The girl
| was there in waiting There " as no side
| saddle for her, but she needed none. These
| are unknown TO the natives of the Tennes-
| see mountains, but all the females are eX-
| pert horsewOmen. Sprlngng lightly into
the saddle the girl led the way. the horses
| making their way over the deserted road in
a swinging galOp. Before daylight began
| to break the party had covered tifty-fve
| miles or thereabouts and were in the noun
| tains. A stop was made for breakfast at
house where the girl was acquainted and
where she knew no questions would De
| asked as to who the riders were. The day
| was spent in sleeping and laying low, so
| that paSsers-by might not suspect anything.
| Travel in the mountains ceases early, and
| the second night the party was enabled to
| get an early start. Before the sun had fairly
| hidden himself behind mountain in the
| west the party were in the saddle, making
their way along road that was passable
| enough in good weather. Consequently
they made good time, and darkness found
| them well on their way. BY midnight the
| road had grown narrower and rougher. 1t
| was up and down, and very crooked. A few
moments later the girl led the way from the
| road 10 a smaller and much wilder one. The
| horses we're slowed down to a trot, and the
road was at places almost impossible.
| After they had gone about forty miles the
| Ioad-if it still could be called q road
ended abruptly at deserted cabin.
| I'VE must dismount here" said the girl.
| sit is eight miles to the still, and there is no
| road on which the horses can travel.
| Every one dismounted and the horses
| were led into the brush. One man was left
to guard them, and the barefooted girl led
| the way up the mountain for the others. 1t
| was then nearly o'clock. The way was
hard one and progress was slow. Some
! times there was path and sometimes there
| wasn't. But the girl knew where she was
| going, and kept up the spirits of the raiders
| by encouraging remarks from time to time
| 1t was almost at the mountain top. in the
toughest kind of country where the still
| was located. 1t was reached little before
4 o'clock, just as the gray tinges of dawn
began to appear in the east. Then, less
| than quarter of mile away, curling,
| blue smoke was seen.
There is the STILL" said the girl, her
index finger pointing to the smoke. Il will
wait here. | must not be seen for fear of
| the consequences"
Leaving the girl near a large tree. the
party started on. The still was surrounded
and one of the Stewards, who was at work.
was captured. The still was a large one,
with capacity of eighty-five gallons and
| was in full operation 1t was located In
little ravne, just at the base OF ledge of
rocks, from which poured a large stream of
water. The raiders made short work of
destroying the still, worm, mash tubs, beer
| and meal and returned to where the girl
| was in hiding. AT the end of the road she
| left them and the prisoner was brought
back on the horse she had ridden.-Courier-
| ,JOurnul.