Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-15
GUIDED BY A MAID,
A Posse of Revenue officers Capture
a MOOnshiner's Still.
THE GIRL LED THE RAIDERS.
A Long Night Ride Through the Wild and
Rugged Mountains.
REWARD IN STORE FOR THE HEROINE

LOUISVILLE, KY, Aug. 14.-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 Government. Her
name is withheld by the officers, but they
speak loudly in praise of her courage and
endurance.
Away over in johnson county, in what is
known as the Iron Mountains, near the
North Carolina line, John and Bob Steward
have for years operated an illicit distillery,
and have defed the law. The coun-
try is rough and wild, and diff
cult 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 adjoining
seemed to be in sympathy with the disti1-
lers of the mountain dew, and the officials
could not find the path to the road, much
less secure the services of a guide.
A RUSTIC BEAUTY GUIDE.
This state of affairs worried General
Deputy Collector Spears for some time, but
he was determined to destroy what was
noted as being one of the largest and
most successful moonshine distiller-
les in the State of Tennessee. At
last he found one who would take him to
the still. 1t was a hazel-eyed girl, with
face as brown as berry. Her hair was
unkept, and flew behind her in the wind,
and her costume was not exactly a Ia mode.
Her makeup was rustic and picturesque,
and that means she was a typical mount
aineer. Her arms were sunburned and so
were her feet, for, like Maud Muller, she
was unincumbered by shoes or stockings.
purpose, for she knew where the Stewards
still was located, and she had consented to
guide the raiders to the spot.
When all was ready 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
raid was made under cover of darkness.
STARTING ON THE TRAIL
The start was made from arailroad station
100 miles from the still. The girl met the Of
fcers at the station, and the party scattered
until nightfall Horses had been Sc
cured, and, after the sun had gone
down, they were brought to a re-
mote corner of the town, according to pre-
Vious arrangement. 1t had been agreed
upon at the meeting 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 possee made
their way by different roads to the rendez-
vous. The girl was there in waiting. There
was no side-saddle for her. but she needed
none These are unknown to the natives of
the Tennessee mountains, but all the females
are expert horsewomen. Springing lightly
into the saddle, the girl led the way, the
horses making their way over the deserted
road in a swinging gallop.
Before daylight began to break the party
had covered % miles, or thereabouts, and
were in the mountains. A stop was made
for breakfast at a house where the girl was
acquainted, and where she knew no uues-
tions would be asked as to who the riders
WERE. The day was spent in sleeping and
laying low, so that passersby might not sus-
pect anything.
AN ALL-NIGHT RIDE.
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 itself behind
a 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 we'll on
their way. BY midnight the road had
grown narrower and rougher. 1t was up
and down, and very crooked. A few mo-
ments later the girl led theway from the
road to a small and much wilder
one The horses were slowed down to a
trot, and the road was, at places, almost
impossible. After they had gone about 40
miles the road-if it could be still called
road-ended abruptly at dilapidated and
deserted cabin.
eve must dismount here said the
girl. 'It 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 a
hard one and progress slow. Sometimes
there was a 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.
CAPTURE OF TILE STILL.
1t was almost at the mountain top, in the
toughest kind of country where the still was
located. 1t was reached little before
o clock, just as the gray tinges of dawn
began to appear in the East. Then, less than
a quarter of mile away, a curling blue
smoke was seen.
'There is the still, +" said the girl, her in
dex finger pointing to the smoke. II will
wait here. L 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 a capacity of S5 gallons, and was in full
operation. 1t was located in little ra-
vine, just at the base of ledge of rocks,
from which poured large stream of water.
The raiders made short work of destroy
ng the still, worm, mash tubs, beer and
neal, and returned to where the girl was in
hiding. At the end of the road she left
hem, and the prisoner was brought back on
,he horse she had ridden.
CARRIE The facilities of THE DISPATCH