The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-10
SMUGGLER JOCK.

10 HSHO lUclF OdCUISS y CT SSdlH, 50 We Ol
the hills and dales live, methinks, more in
the past than we do in the workaday pres
ent of this swirling world. The very
thought of the wild northern moors and
glens aWakens pleasant memories. To see
/ them but once would be to love them for
! life. To have been born amid their beau
ties-what more could man desire than
this? Every acre of their picturesque desc
lation is rich in stories of the past; and
every ruinous peelhouse recalls the Dor
der foray and the fierce mosstrooper of
other days. Through the rayines cattle
| lifters have journeyed far and wide in pur-
suit of their nefarious trade; while, high
up the rocky hillsides, silkies, COLLINS,
broken men, outlaws and smugglers have
| disputed for supremacy.
| The glens which stretch between the
| North and the South Tyne, lying, as they
| did, outside the direct track of civilization,
were, fifty years ago and upward, much
| affected by defrauders of the revenue and
others who had but scant respect for ma
tional laws and customs. In one of the
most secluded of these stood q small house
which bore a somewhat dubious reputa-
ton. Few even of the hardy residents in
| the district cared to approach it after
nightfall. The characters of its inmates
were too well known. The very appear
| ance of the house was against it. 1t was
apparently entirely cut off from the out
side world. No amount of search availed
| to discover any direct entrance to its in
terror.
The massive, dingy walls were wholly in
nocent of doorways, but abutting upon
one corner Of the building there stood a
dilapidated cowhouse. 1t was through
this forbidding entrance that the house
must be reached, if it were reached at all.
Here, after probably falling over spite
fully disposed long horned COW, the ex-
plorer would be sharply brought up by a
hidden of broken crockery, bottles and
sharp fragments of tin and iron, the accu-
mutation of many years. Only after a safe
and fortunate steerage between this Scylla
and Charybdis of bovine malice and cottar
rubbish could the den of the occupant of
the house be reached.
This was a single large room, in which
all the Lares and Penates were exposed to
view at glance. The floor was composed
of clay, the tenacious clay of the fens; not
smooth and attractive, if homely, but
rough cast and angular as a newly macad-
amized road. The apartment boosted only
of single window, set high in the wall.
This was often stopped with tailless coat,
whisp of hay and sacks half filled with
rubbish. Above stretched a number of
roughly hewn beams, or rafters, bristling
with sticks, faggots and brushwood, upon
which were stored the winters supply of
peats and turfs, with, perhaps, something
more. The only means of access to this
apartment, If such it might be called, was
by a ladder, or stee.
In the bustling times of the Napoleonic
wars this grewsome castle of desolation
was the home of noted smuggler named
Jock Stockoe, who was welcomed, or feared
and hated, according to the characters and
caIlings of those who happened to have
dealings with him. Jock was well fitted
for his risky life, for he was man of her
culean proportions and was possessed of
immense strength and resolution of iron.
He conducted large and widely extended
trade in brandy, hollands, laces, teas and
a thousand and one excisable commodities
upon which he should have paid duty, but
did not do so.
AS imitation is the sincerest form of
f1attery, Jock had many flatterers, but he
had 10 real rivals. His emissaries, with
their hardy, heavily laden shelties, pene-
trated to the remotest boundaries of North
umbria and even to Durham, Cumber
land, Westmoreland and even Scotland it
self. There was not a laird's dwelling or
even lonely country farmhouse where
Jock was not known and into which his
run goods" were not freely admitted
The morality of the time and county was
such that the smuggler was rather regard
ed as benefactor than a criminal. AT the
same time, his reputation for daring hardi-
hood was so great that the most resolute
gauger, thirsting for promotion, feared to
explore the recesses of Jocks humble
home.
1t so happened that the principal excise
man for the district died, and shortly af
terward stranger was appointed to the
post. This caused some disappointment
among the members of the staff, who had
locked for promotion all round; but the
ways Of governments are inscrul bile. The
newcomer was not there long before he
heard of Jock Stockoe, and he resolved TO
bring that worthy to book. Like wise
man, ne awaited his opportunity, well
knowing that many bird has been lost
by premature springing OF the trap. He
had not long to wait.
Tidings reached him in some inexplica-
bic manner that a valuable cargo of spirits
had been run and was hidden away upon
Stockoe's premises. Without moments
unnecessary delay the supervisor applied
to the nearest resident magistrate for
search warrant.
Let sleeping dogs lie, mon," said that
worthy, when he was rully apprised OF his
visitors errand. What has the honest
fellow done TO you that you should want
TO harry him thust"
DUTY demands it," replied the Eauger,
ponpo1sly. His most gracious majesty
mas been robbed too long. and too bare
facediy. under the very noses Of his faith
ful subjects. II Is time that these fsithiess
loous learned that the law is stronger than
they"
But who do you think. mon, viii have
the impuderce tn serve this'" querisd the
worthy official, VII even then had some Of
Jocks brandy IN his cellars, while his lady
openly pzrtook Of the sznugglsr's tea
That Will /. your worship" answered
the exciseman-
BE l. 50 | suppose yen know that
jock has sworn 20 brain the first revenue
officer who dAres 70 -. fOct within his
doo-ss''
iii even take nv chance Of il. Search
his house this very day viii
Wei, my good friend. sighed the mag
istr2-e. IL you viii not 0e advised, yo1
must even gan your ogn gate "A wll4tBi
noe VIII hss BIS Bays h2s fer roar osa