The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1893-12-01

men L related all Cne clrcum-
stances, all the time casting about for
some solution of the mystery which
became more and more convinced by
some vague intuition existed near by.
A few steps from the road that led from
the woods to the cabin there was a
thicket that INSTRUCTED the rude track.
just below where it intersected with
the road we were travelling.
"'Mack, wait here minute; there is
no harm in little investigation and I
made my way down to the thicket, in
which 1 noticed an old door shutter ly
ing negligently, half concealed by the
brambles Making my way to it, I
carefully lifted it up and to my sur
prise found the mouth of cavern.
which, though narrow, showed signs of
recent use. Calling to Mcdonald to
soon exploring the cave. A descent of
a dozen steps brought us to turn in
the cave and a rough door. l gave it
kick, but there was no response except
hollow reverberation which indicated
a considerable apartment beyond.
"'Get me rock and I'll break it in,'
I called to Mcdonald, but just then I
was startled by a shrek in the rear.
"'Don't kill him! Please don't kill
him!' and down came the old woman I
had seen at the cabin. If you won't
klrl him, I'll let you in
1--WE don't want to kill anybody I
replied. so go ahead
''She produced a rusty key, and I'M
locked the door which grated roughly
against the rock as it turned on it's rude
wooden hinges.
"'Come up, Reuben; they've found it
out she cried. But no Reuben an
swered. oh, you've scarf him clean to
death, fur he weren't we'll nohow,' and
she dived into the cave and we at her
heels. A slight glimpse of a smolder..
ing blaze guided us and we were soon
laundering among tubs and kegs, from
among which we dragged the body of a
man.
Wake up, old man, and kindle a
light said l.
Mister, I'll go, if you'll promise
not to hurt me-
No danger of that. Come on
swell, sir, he was the most forlorn
and abject specimen of a moonshiner 7
ever saw. He looked as if he had not
seen the light in ten years, and think
he hardly had. He had spent his DAYS
in the cave, since he pretended to leave
for Texas, venturing forth only at
night, and then with every possible pre-
caution.
''The cave, partly natural and partly
artificial, extended as far as the CEN
ter of the main highway. which ran
along the side of the bluff at that
point, and our men had ridden over it
unsuspectingly hundreds of times. He
brought the water through covered
pipe from a spring above the house,
and by cunningly contrived counter
pipe conveyed the smoke and steam to
and up the rear of that double Chin
ney, thus concealing every trace above.
Below he led the Stops down subter-
ranean ditch to point where the little
brook descended into wild and wood
ed glen broken by many cascades, so
that no trace of it could be discovered
in that direction. The mouth of the
cave was so carefully conceale ed that in
hauling wood a few sticks could be
thrown off, as if by accident, and car
ried down after dark, as were the raw
materials for the ,distillery, and in the
same manner the liquor could be taken
out in small kegs and carted away
''It looked almost like a shame to de-
stroy such piece of ingenuity, but of
course we did our duty, although the
old man fairly blubbered as he saw his
still broken up, his kegs removed, his
tubs OF mash overturned, and all his
ingenious safeguards exposed to the
gaze of the world He was sent up for
five years, but he did not serve out his
time. The discovery and exposure, to-
gether with the enforced habits of
prison life, proved the death of him."