The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1894-02-01
Thrilling Experience in Running
Down a Moonshiner.
Surprise tor an Internal Revenue or.
fcer About to Raid an Illicit Dis
tillery--Capture aud Escape.

WHO HAS ulSJllIgulSncU himself In lnat
line bv some of the most daring work
and cleverest captures ever accom-.
plished by auy individual. He spoke
TO friend while ON u recent visit TO
this city, and, being in post pranoial
good humor, with fine cigar to fur
ther soften his heart 10 the hungry
news-seeker, INDUCED the following
"reminiscences OF wild days among the
mountains of Eastern Tennessee and
West Virginia,
at WIS in '79 that l was sent to q
district lying between the Iron and
Stone Mountains, just on the border
of North Carolina. There were Known
to be several thriving distilleries in the
vicinity, but so hidden by the cunning
of those who ran them AMI the natu
raj roughness of the country 40 10
make getting at them a task almost
requiring the magic thread that led
one through the maze OF the old story
1t was also considered very danger
GUS district to undertake to patrol, for
the three last revenue officers that had
had it had lost their lives in the at.
tempt. The dead bodies of two of
them had been found, both wearing on
the breast bit of paper, on which wa.
scrawled: so be it to those who med
die with what don't concern them.
"The other poor fellow simply never
was heard of again, and all trace of
him disappeared from earth. There
lore, going to what had gotten the
name of 'Hell-fre Beat l knew that
took my life in my hand. | had my
headquarters in the little mountain
town of Hen Roost, so-called, | sup
pose, because it perched on the side OF
the grim mountain in what from be,
low looked like a precarious position.
Here started out by getting &C
quainted with snch of the people as
would allow me to approach them, for
very vigorous prejudice against me
and all my calling existed even among
those not Immediately connected with
the business Of illicit distilling, as the
most of the community had either
relatives or friends engaged in it or in
some indirec5 way prohted by it, then
| observed those who came to Hen
Roost to drink, spotting those who
seemed to have the most cash, for even
in the mountains, where trade is prn
cipally conducted by thu exchange ol
articles homemade or game and pr !,
duce, whisky always brings the hard
coin.
among these regular customers al
the village store was a gigantic noun
taineer, who had served three year:
in the Union army down in Virginia
and who considered that the country
owed him free permit to manufac
ture spirits, and consequently took it
and prepared to defend it, too. / no
ticed that this man never seemed tt
arrive in town during the day, but ev
identity came in at night, for it was al
was early in the morning when I raj
across him at the store, where he was
apparently busy in selecting supply
OF household articles. or waiting for
letter that never seemed to come
was convinced that this fellow brough
his whisky into town by night, ant
that by capturing him | would get
prize.
"But he was cunning enough not t,
let me catch him with the goods in hi
possession, and without proof | woul
only entail only world of touble Of
myself and end by having to set hin
free. So | resolved to track big Ugly
as he was called, to his mountain lail
and to capture with him his still. On
day, therefore, | received in full we,
OF the assembled population of th
town, which had gathered to see tn
mail distributed, q telegram from tn
next railroad station, where there wa
an operator. / held this up conspicu
ously and read aloud my recall to tn
city of Washington, and the next day
with many expressions of regret d
having to leave them, I set out on m
journey.
II left the train at Greeneville, an
a few days after Professor jerks, on
botanizing tour, appeared on th
mountains, taking care, however. M
to go near the town of Hen Roost, |
my rough, ill-itting clothes and m
blue glasses, with my moustacf
shaved off, considered myself So
from identification with the sma
young fellow who had spent two
three weeks in that lonesome metro
oils. ! got board with an old coupl
who We're too absorbed in looking q
ter their stony little farm to pay muC
attention to nv coming and goin
aud anything might do they we
ready to put down to the bee in n
bonnet that they firmly supposed
ETlS NOT what we say but wha