The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-10-19
AFTER A MOONSHINER.
Revenue Officers Experience in
the Georgia Mountains.
Finding an Illicit Stin-It Took a Clever
Man to Devise 1t and Clever
Oihcer to Find and De-
stroy II.

eve were very much puzzled over ;
certain locality in the Cut Log region
of the Blue Ridge mountains" sale
Revenue Collector Chapman, as h,
leaned back in his chair and chatteC
with New York Post correspondent
1--WE knew very well that whisky was
being made in the neigh borhood, but
50 carefully concealed was the habitat
of the moonshiners that we were un.
able to obtain any clew to it. There
had been distillery in that neighbour
hood some ten or a dozen years ago,
run by noted moonshiner-old Rcub
Davis-but times had become so hot
for him that he suddenly decampcd,
giving out the report that he was going
to Texas, 1t had been so long since
his disappearance that people had al
most forgotten him.
Still we were puzzled. Our depu-
tics could find evidence unimpeachable
of the existence of contraband dis
tiilcry by hanging around the little
crossroads villages and attending the
different gatherings where 'cornjuice'
and applcjacll were plentifnl; but al
though the base of supplies could be
traced almost to the fountain head, the
exact place of deposit could never be
found. Many and many weary tramp
did we take among those ragged noun
tains and dark ravines, night and day,
in sun and rain, but still we were
bailiSi.
FINALLY we decided on making
l,.>
brigas and early one morning started
out with three of ray lleenest deputies.
determined to make 4 haul before night
or else spend the frosty night in the
woods. | sent two of the men in one
direction and set out across the Cut Log
ridge with Mcdonald. Reaching a
point near the summit, caught Whit
of the familiar flavor, and hating be-
gan ~ look around for so,ne clew as TO
its source. Perched away up on the
mountain side, overhanging a brawling
brook that came tumbling down across
the road we were travelling, spied
shabby-loolling cabin which would
have appeared uninhabited save for n
little curl of smoke ascending lazily
from the rough rock chimney. Bidding
Mcdonald remain with the horses,
climbed the mountain, and approach
ing the low doorway l accosted an old
woman who was looking after her
household work.
"E5erything was as innocent and I'M
suspicious as if there We're not drop
of contraband within forty miles of the
spot.
May get light for my pipe?'
asked.
".'Ya-as; wait mint and FL fetch
you splinter
NO, don't trouble. I'll just come in
and get it myself
" oh. the house amt ftten for yc TO
come into she replied, eying me sus-
piciously.
That's all right, ma'am. I'm used
TO that sort Of thing
"As said this stepped in, and, ad-
vancing to the fireplace, stopped as if
TO light my pipe, but at the same time
1t occurred to me that the chimney was
unusually thick in the back wall
Your old man isn't imp
Lord, hain't got no old man
You're a widow, them
"'YeS, SO fur as know. My old man
went off more'n ten years ago Said
he were a-goin' to Texts, and ! hain't
hearn word from him from that day
to this
why did he leave?'
Ion count Of the revenue men. Ye
sec, he used TO make lEtle Ticker and
they found out about it, and he had TO
skin out
"What is your name|
Davis, Sary Ann Davis. I'm hav-
in hard time of it and have had these
many years, with nobody to look after
me but myself; but thank the Lord,
I've managed to keep soul and body to-
gcther.'
"All this time she was talking in
such a meek and innocent way that my
suspicious were half disarmed; but
still was unsatistied, as that Whit of
savory steam, that thick-backed Chin
rey. and the name of the woman,
coupled wi.h Inc history Of old Reub
Davis. had aroused my suspicious
1 suppose u traveller couldn't get a
little dram he~eabouts% / remarked