Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-03-04
RAIDING A STILL
AN INCIDENT OF OOSTEMPORASEOUS WEST
VIRGINIA LIFE
Graphically Described by Marshal 4. D. Garden
Trip to the wilds Of Randolph,
and What Game Of It

Chief Deputy United States Marshal
A. D. Garden arrived in the city yester-
day morning, and will probably leave
this afternoon, with Capt. A. P. Garden,
his brother, for Pittsburg.
Deputy Garden brought to the city
with him fragment Of q copper STILL
a piece Of a copper worn" and bot
tie Of hali-made West Virginia noun
tain dew, part Of the proceeds OF sue
cessful raid on big still in the noun
tains Of Randolph county, mention OF
which has heretofore appeared In the
REGISTER.
ut was one of the most successful
raids ever made in this State, SAID the
Marshal to REGISTER reporter. moi
shot was fred aud not a man was
hurt, and yet the people who were run
ming the still had an opportunity 10
make a good deal of trouble for US, nad
we not taken them so completely oy
surprise, and put on such bold 'front.'
We had the best Of information as 10
the location of the still, on mount
ain about eight miles from Elk
ms, and went over that way on
horseback after night. We rode 10 the
vicinity Of the still, and then left our
horses and made the rest OF the trip
cautiously on foot. When we reached
the log building in which the still was
located, we divided our force, there be-
ing six of US. and myself and other went
to the front door and demanded admls-
sion. The people inside proIanely
wanted to know what we were doing
there, and what we wanted, and threat
ened to shoot hi out Of you'ns' II we
didn't get away mighty quick. We In
formed them that we were prepared to
do a little shooting ourselves II they
didn't open the door in short order, and
as they still refused, we rade
an attempt TO kick II down,
but found that was impossible. We
them moved aside from the door, as
there was decided symptoms that some
shooting would be done from the inside,
and digging some of the mud out from
between the logs Of the house, l called
through to them to open the door with
out further DELAY, or we would let them
have IL. This produced some effect,
and In moment the door was cautiously
opened several inches. As soon as 1t
began to open my companion and my
self threw our weight against it, and as
the door flew open we presented our re-
volvers at the heads Of the men inside
and commanded hands up or they
would be shot. They complied.
and we had them handcuifed
before the other men got inside. They
had an elegant still, and had about
seven hundred gallons OF liquor and
what they call 'frstlings'-that Is,
LIQUOR which had only been through
the still once-on hand. We chopped
I'D the worm. cut a hole in the bottom
OF the still, letting the contents escape,
knocked In the heads Of the barrels,
and then broke up the still. We march
ed the prisoners outside, and then tore
down the furnace and set fire to the
building, reducing the entire out
fit TO ashes. The prisoners were placed
on horseback. behind some OF our men,
and we're taken ia that manner into
Elkins and lodged in jail. We made a
very complete job OF II, breaking up a
plant which had turned out a very large
amount OF Illicit liquor"
Marshal Garden relates some very In
teresting adventures In the interior OF
the State, in hunting criminals, aud the
details OF some OF them would make
interesting and exciting reading.