The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-03
captured By moonshiners.

It is nearly six years since I made bust
ness trip through this state, says a writer in
the st. Louis Glo6e-DemOcrat, but while
travelling through the mountains the last few
days have teen forcinly reminded OF quite
an unpleasant adventure which I efeu me the
last time was here. 1 had heard great
de a. a out rnOoDSbirters AMI abOlt their ne
cullar treatment OF strangers who happened
to fan in their way, but for very long time /
escaped contact with them. ana had got to look
upon the stories rs very largely imaginary
until ore day. or rather one night had
forcible proof that there was something
distinctly tangible ABOUT them.
1 was moving over the hills with very
hdEety driver who kept on talking about the
dangers he was undergoing, and It appeared
TO me as though he were trying very hard TO
convince me that he ought to be compensated
much more ineTally than he was likely TO be.
toId MN angrily to talk less and attend
10 his WORK, and while we we're in alteration
ne accidentally took a bride path instead of
the road at an awkward turn. and before he
discovered his mistake we were quite q long
ne had turned wrong he became nervous in
the extreme, and talked wildly abOut the risk
we were running and about what would hap
pen II we were caught. / suggested that we
TRY and ind clearing large enough to turn
around III and then proceed to return to the
regular road. He agreed to do this. but while
We were attempting to carry out the sugges-
non half dozen men suddenly emerged from
the darkness and surrounded U.s. The driver.
with more agility than bravery Jumped out
OF the buggy. and in the bad light made his
ESCAPE and although two OF the men save
chase, they failed to catch him.
Ifted not to lose my presence Of mind,
aItho Ugh was pretty sure that the men wFo
had me in their power were mOOnshinerS and
that l should ind IL difficult TO convince them
that was entirely innocent OF any intention
OF interfering with them. Addressing one of
them who appeared to be the leader [ told
him exactly how l came to be in the neigh
oorhoOd. q I'd without the least prevari sation
placed my case before him. asking him to
nave me guided back to the road whence 1
could probably lind my way TO my deStina-
tlOn. which was a small town the name of
which gave him. He told me to keep quiet
and not lie, volunteering the information that
he knew who was and had been waiting for
me all the evening. / remained seated in the
buggy while they led it quite distance but
when the road became too narrow for further
progress they made me get out and go with
them on foot. We stopped nnally at a small
cacin, very imperfectly furnished. but con
tanning no particular evIdeLc of being used
Tor improper purposes. Here | again asked
the leader to listen TO my statement and hear
my eXplan5 on, but he treated me with indif.
ference and could make no Roadway at all
Keeping careful wal CD on me. the men hud-
died up In corner, where they had hurried
consultation. which resulted infour Of them
going out and two remaining.
By this time / got worked up into a condi-
don OF considerable fear, and taking adVan-
tage of the fact that had not been 0ound in
any way, sprang through the door while the
TWO men were talking, and ran of as fast as
could travel. Three or four shots were fire
alter me, but the timber was so thick that L
ran little danger and after awhile was con
WINGED that the pursuit had been abandc n ID
was not by any means out of the woods Sitter
ally or otherwise l was entirely ignorant
OF the country and ran risk of falling into
worse hands than / got out of But / kent
steadily on, walking as rapidly as I could, and
finally was delighted to lind a cart road. Fol
Ing this for two or three hours, l arrived at
settlement where was able to get a vehicle
to drive me to the town had left the preced-
ing afternoon. [ reported the matter to the
mayor and the solitary constable, neither of
whom thought the diliculty any of their bust
ness.