The Bessemer indicator., 1893-10-28
HUNTING MOONsHINERs.
BILL AND A BRAVE LITTLE
WOMAN TO THE RESCUE.
Honsst Aad Chock Full Of CouraEe-Rald-
lag Wild-Catters la the Pea Ridge
Country -Charactcrlsties OF Moonshin-
ers-Put on PRro o.
~u.ir 1sse ho.

~as in 1899. / had been ordered
to report at Gallatin, Tenn. Upon
my arrival l was surprised to find ten
or dozen Kentucky officials. besides
half rs many from Tennessee, armed
with army breech-loading guns and
pistols, with guns. pistols and am
for as many more. II wo
should find they wcro needed. was
informed that our destination was
the Pea Ridge country. spur OF
land over twenty miles In
length and from four to ten miles
wide. commencing near the Overton
county line in Tennessee and running
in a northeasterly direction to Clin-
ton county. Kentucky.
II was the primitive home - ono
the violator OF tho
revenue laws, and the goods he manu-.
factured were noted all over Ten
nsssee and Kentucky. There had
not been day within the memory If
the Oldest citizen when "white'
whisky could not be had at any house
in that section OF country. In tho
bottoms at the foot OF the ridge the
yield of corn varied from fifty to 100
bushels per acre, and as these people
had no way of getting it to market
in tho car they spiritualized it and
sold it in jugs Small parties OF
revenue officers had slipped in hers
and there during the night every
year and destroyed still, and left
before the moonshincrs could gather
their clans, says the Globe Democrat
writer. Tho cowardice exhibited In
these raids, the brutal ontrages COM
mitted in some instances. had aliko
emboldened and exasperated these
men, who wore the descendants of
the heroes OF Kings Mountain, and
many of them held deeds to lana
signed by "Daniel Boone, Agent"
One day, having destroyed seven
stills and captured the leaders OF the
moonshiners and being tired out we
started for Salina to dispose of the
prisoners.
1t was about six miles from the
last place captured to the foot OF the
ridge of mountain, and when VIC got
near the point OF descent We discov-
cred small spiral column OF smoke
ascending from ravine on the oppo-
site side from where We stood. Spur
rier Immediately pronounced 1t n
"cat," and we disposed of our force
to surprise 1t. We could sec cabin
in corn field a hundred yards in
front of tho mouth of the ravine.
Descending the ridge we camc to Il
beautiful stream. On the opposite
side was bank ten feet high, being
the edge OF corn field OF fifty acres
Leaving all our force except five nc
tive men, we went up the creek bed
until We came opposite the cabin and
the smoke. Hitching OUR horses to
the roots that lined the bank. VIC dis
mounted in the water and climbed up
tho embankment. Slipping along
quietly through the green corn.
which was iii tassel, we came to the
inclosure of the cabin. Springing
over the low fence we made break
for tho house
Rapid as our movements had been,
we wcro discovered within twenty
yards of the house by u little woman,
barefootcd and Eareheaded, who was
making soap at one corner of the
yard. With soap paddle in hand.
she sprang over the yard fence. made
of rails. and with the fleetness OF q
deer rushed up the ravine. by the
stable, In the direction OF where we
had seen the smoke, shouting or
screaming at the top of her voice.
"R-u-n, Bill. run! tho revenuers
are after yer! Run, Bill, ru-n! the
rcvenucrs arc after yerp
How far away Bill was We did not
know. The stable was between her
and Bill, and to capture her or to
get close enough to Bill, when he
did hear her, was the ambition OF
90 ny man.
When she passed the corner OF ilo
stable lot we wore from fifty to sixty
feet in tho rear.
Rum, Bill, RUN! The revenuers
sr, after yer!" was screamed with
every move OF those flying limbs.
She was within twenty yards of
large log-house wildcat distillery,
located in ravine at a point scarce
ly wide enough for the building. We
were within forty yards. We could
sec Bill moving about with his pad
dle US il stirring his beer. Suddenly
he stopped. stopped down and loohed
towards us.
"R-u-n, Bill, r-u-n! The revenuere
are after yern' though faint, had at
last reached his ears, and, with the
egility of a cat, he sprang out at the
DOOR, whisked himself around the
fouse, followed by four shots from
rtiIes held by tired, nervous hands,
end was lost to sight in the deep un-
{ cergrowth. The little woman, God
bless her, true to her love. had fallen
exhausted and tainted when the shost
wore fired.
Leaving man in charge OF the
distillcry, we picked her up tenderly
and bore her to the branch near by
and restored her. Two of us accom-
panied her back to the house, after
assuring her that "Bill" was not
hurt and that we had not fired to
kill We destroyed about eighty
gallons OF fine whisky, over 100 gal
Ions Of beer and barrel OF singlings.
We were detained hero much
longer than we expected, and the
main body moved on without waiting
for us. The little lady-for she was
a lady-on account OF our kindness
TO her. had been induced to prepare
for US. our horses in the mean
time being concealed. While VIC
were eating. who should stop into
tho yard but Billp He had flod up
the ravino to tho top of tho hill and
had seen the party leaving, and