The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-24
a ELECTROMAGNETIC STILL.
The Hidden Plant of a North Carolina
Moonshiner Discovered.
WON the Na,r York Tine.

From the NeD York Times.
NEW LIGHT, N. c., Dec. 13.-The iu-
genious contrivances Of the moonshiners of
the southern states to outwIt the revenue
officials are many and of the most unique
kind. The latest was unesrthed near this
place last week.
The officers knew that blockade Houor
was being manufactured In this township,
but no one had ever seen the still. Sufficient
evidence had been gathered to show that
"Dick" Ray and his son "Nickn and Juuius
E. Catlett had been retailing liquor without
license, but the whereabouts of the still
could not be discovered. On the night of
Dec. z Deputy Collector P. T. Massey,
Deputy Msrshals j. B. Holland and
John R. UpehursU, and F. NJ. Sonrell and
Lem" Massey, left Raleigh on a raid
| through this township. They concluded to
give the night to the house of 'eDick" Raw
which Is on a bluff about fifty yards from
| the Neuse river. 1t IL a large log house
about forty feet square. with porch run.
ming through the middle, and chimney at
| both ends.
About daybreak the two RAYS and Catlett
were observed in the yard cutting and car
rying wood into the house, but there was
| no sign Of still anywhere and neither of
| the men left the premises. Search was made
| up and down the ravines and branches, but
no sign OF q SLlll could De found.
The following night the officers again sur
rounded the house and Upehurst was on the
| opposite bank Of the river. About sunrise
| he noticed in the river what appeared to
! him as a vapor arising from the water
| This was very unusual, and he called the at
tention of the party and they made an ex-
animation They found pipe running into
the river from the hill and in the direction
of Rays house. By digging few feet into
| the hill thaU eyOf n tha nj oh
aud found that ii was running slops made
| at a whisky STILL
This discovery added mystery to the
| situation, as there was no sligo whatever of
a still at Rays house. The officers then
decide to search the house. They were met
at the door by the three men and the
women of the family. Assent to the search
was readily given. Every nook and corner
was pried into and not a drop of liquor
could be found nor any sign of still The
| officers retired for consultation and decided
that they would remove the passage floor
and see what was under the house.
When the floor was taken up everythine
under 1t presented the appearance Of dry
| ground where the chickens had roasted and
wallowed in the dust. Holland craw,ad
| around and finally thought the earth gave
way under him. and he removed the iirk
add found plank about four inches under
ground. As soon as this was discovered
mick" Kay and Catlett took to the woods.
The latter was caught but Nick" made
good his escape. His father had been para
lyzed and he did not make any attempt TO
get away. The planks were removed. a
cellar nearly as large as the house was
found, and In 1t was a complete distillery.
The smoke was conveyed to one of the
chimneys the slops and water were
carried 10 the river through the
pipe. and the water for the worm
was brought down into the cellar by a pine
from the well which was artistically hidden.
The elder Ray went to the river and exam
ined the pipe and declared that the dry
weather had reduced the water in the river
80 low there was not enough TO keep the
vapor from the still from rising to the sur
face.
Ii was asoertained that the still had been
there for nearly eight years. The capacity
was twelve gallons per day and it had been
running constantly since Il was put up.
There are several registered distileries near
Rays, and it is the opinion OF the revenue
officers that the product OF Rays dIstiIlery
was sold to these for small sum, the mate-
rial being furnished by the government dis
tilleries, as they are called.