The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1893-12-02
HUNTING MOONSHINERS.
BILL AND "A BRAVE LITTLE
WOMAN TO THE RESCUE.
Honest and Chock f ail of fCourage-Raid-
ing Wild-Catters In the Pea Ridge
Uountry-Characterist tics of Moonshin-
>ers-Put on Paro.e. ~"H, %.,.- -> ~.

characteristics of Moonshin-
ers-Put on Paro.e. ~-., pin -N ..,.
It was in 1889. I had been ordered
to report at Gallatin, Tenn. Upon
my arrival l was surprised to find ten
or o dozen Kentucky officials, besides
half as many from Tennessee, armed
with army breech-loading guns and
pistols, with guns, pistols and am
munition for as many more. if we
should find they were needed. I was
informed that our destination was
the Rea Ridge country, q spur of
mountain land over twenty miles in
length and from tour to ten miles
wide, commencing near the Overton
county lire in Tennessee and running
in a 'northeasterly direction to Cin-
,ton county, Kentucky.
1t was the primitive home of the
-moonshiner, the violator of the
revenue laws, and the goods he manu-
factured were noted all over Ten.
'nessee and Kentucky. There had
not been day within the memory of
the oldest citizen when -.white"
whisky could not bshad at any house
in that section of country. In the
bottoms at the foot of the ridge the
yield sef corn varied from fifty to 100
bushels per acre. and as these people
had no way of getting it to market
in the car they spiritualized it and
sold it in jugs. Small parties of
revenue officers had slipped in here
and there during the night every
year and destroyed a still, and left
before the moonshiners could gather
their sclans, says the Globe Democrat
writer. The cowardice exhibited in
these raids. the brutal outrages com
united in some instances. had alike
.emboldened and exasperated these
men, who were the descendants of
the heroes of Kings Mountain, and
many of them held deeds to land
signed by t'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.
It was about six miles from the
last place captured to the foot of the
ridge tof mountain, and when we got
near 1.-THE point Of descent we discov-
ss.reaaa small spiral oluzan-of. smoke
ascending from a ravine on the oppo-
site side from where ne stood. Spur
rier Immediately pranouneed it q
.cat,' and ;we disposed sef our force
to surprise it. We could see q cabin
in conn field hundred yards in
front 'of the mouth OF the ravine.
Descending the ridge we came ito a
beautiful stream. On the opposite
side was a bank ten feet high, being
the edge,of ia corn field of fifty acres.
Leaving all our force except five :ac-
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, we dis
mounted in the water and climbed up
tho emb nkment. Slipping along
quietly through the green corn,
which WAS ill7tassel, we came to the
inclosure .of the cabin .Springing
over the low fence we made .hreak
for the house.
Rapid eas our movements had ,been,
we were discovered within twenty
yards of the ;house by a little woman,
barefooted and bareheaded, who WAS
making soap lat one corner of the
yard. With soap paddle in hand,
she sprang over the yard fence. made
of rails. and with the fleetnaas eef g.
deer rushed up tthe ravine. by the
stable, in THE direction OF where we
had seen The smoke, shoutin or
screaming at THE top of her voice.
.'R-u-n, Bill nun! the revenuers
ARE after yer! Run, Bill, r-u-n! the
,revenuers are :after yer!''
How far AWAY Bill was we did mot
iknow. The stable was between her
and Bill, and ito capture her or to
get close enough to Bill, when he
did hear her, was the ambition OF
avery man.
When she passed the corner of the
stable lot We were from fifty to sixty
feet in the rear.
."R-u-n. Bill, r-sa-m! Tie revenuers
are ;fi1er yer!'' YVES screamed with
every move of those flying limbs.
She .wes within trenty yards of a
large ;log-house wildcat distillery,
located in a ravine at - poiHt scarce
ly wide enough for the building. We
ware within forty yards. We could
see Bill moving about with shis pad
die as if stirring his beer. Suddenly
he stopped, stopped down and looked
towards us. y.
-'R,A1n, REl. RUN! The reweAuers
are sitter yers' though faint, had at
Jast reached his ears, and. with che
agility o6 a cat he sprang out at th .
door. whisked himself around tke
house. followed by four shots from
rifles held by tired, nervous hands.
and was lost to sight IN the deep un-
dergrowth. The little woman. God
bless hel., true to her owe, had fallen
exhausted and tainted when the shost
were fred. ss. &.
Leaving q man in charge Of the
distillery. we picked her n p tenderly
and bore her to the branch near by
and restored her. Twoof us accom-
panied her back to the house. after