Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-17

WA tlll make a volume more
sensational than the
blood and thunder
stories Of the wild and woolly west Since
the suppression Of the Ku Klux Khan their
duties have been confined almost wholly to
breaking up Illicit distilling-a hopeless task,
so long the gorges and caves of the Allie
ghanies afford a hiding place for the moon
sinners still. The moonshiner regards the
enforcement of the internal revenue laws as
an unjustifable and monstrous infringe
ment on his personal liberty, and. therefore,
the deputy marshal is his personal enemy.
In consequence Of this feeling, the history Of
the execution Of these laws has been writ
ten in blood.
After the Ku KIux.
Among the first officers to acquire noto-
riety were Ed. Ray and Noah Rice. Their
names were usually mentioned in connec-
ton from the fact that they generally went
on raids together, and were the joint par
Elephants in series of tragedies which
made their names terrible In the mountains.
Their first battle was with an enemy more
formidable than moonshiners; it was with
one of the most desperate bands Of the Ku
Klux Khan. Ray and Rice were then young
men, and had just been appointed deputy
marshals. They had warrants for the
arrest OF q uumDer Oh tne most Qaueer-
Gus members Of the Khan. 1t had become
known that they meant to make the ar
rests during the sitting of the French Broad
Baptist Association at Big Ivy Church.
Everybody goes to the associations. and the
crime has been a desperate one that will
keep a man away. Ray and Rice knew their
game would be there. and the game
knew that Ray and Rice would be there.
and the people generally knew there
was going to be first-class row;
consequently, the association was un-
usually well attended. On Saturday the
news was brought that the revenues" were
coming. There were about twenty of the
Khan together. and well armed. when Ray
and Rice came in sight. The Eu Klux had
thoughtfully drawn OFF from the church, in
order to lessen the danger to the spectators
when the fight should begin. Ray and Rice
came up under cover OF an orchard.
A Lively Fight.
When they were within about twenty yards
of the Ku Klux. they ordered the leader of the
The Ku Klux leader advised them that he
would see them in a warmer climate be-
fore he would surrender to a couple of
, Kinks pups" Col George Kirk in addi-
ton to having made a somewhat unsavory
record as q Union partisan during the civil
war. had just rendered himself particularly
obnoxious as commander Of the militia
which had been called out by Gov. Holden
to suppress the ku Klux Khan, and which
Is now remembered in the state as the
'Kirk-Holden war;" The KU klux sympa-
| thizers had given the militiamen and the
deputy marshals who worked with them
the name Of Kinks pups" Ray and Rice
drew their revolverS and started iowa ri the
outlaws. That was the signal for the ku
Klux to open fire, which they did with re-
volvers, shotguns ana squirrel rifles. Ray
jumped behind a large apple tree and be-
gan to return the fire. Rice, with the dar-
ing for which he subsequently became not
ed, stood out in open view and Joined in
the battle with deadly effect. For some
reason the ku klux had q most bitter
hatred for Ray. and it was toward him tina
most Of their shots We're directed One after
another of the Khan fell until there were
four Of them dead or dying. while many
more were wounded. One man was SO deter
mined to kill Ray that he loaded his rifle
ana moved round to one side where he
could get fair shot. He was in the act
Of drawing a careful bead on Rays head
when Rice saw him and killed him on a
| snap shot. As he fell his rife was discharg-
ed, and the bullet cut a lock of hair from
Rays head.
The Khan Routed.
Both Of the officers were wounded, but
continued the fight with such telling effect
that the Khan was soon in full retreat and
they in pursuit. A few prisoners were cap
tured and when the officers returned to
their Held Of combat they found a number
Of people counting the bullet marks on the
tree behind which Ray had stood. 1 have
been told by people who were present that
more than fifteen shots had struck the tree
On the following day warrants Were out
! for the arrest of both Ray and Rice on a
charge OF murder. Rice went to Asheville
and surrendered before the warrants could be
] n he fad ~
| thus escape. The warrant was In the hands
| OF number of men who would never allow
Ray to get to Asheville alive should they
get possession OF his person. They sur
rounded Ray at mill and ordered him Il
surrender. He went into the garrett wher.
he could not be taken at a disadvantage
and defed them. He was well armed and
! they knew his ability to kill He told them
that he would surrender TO Mrs Beaver. bu,
that he would kill the first man who at.
tempted to take him. Mrs. Deaver was 9
! friend TO Ray and a very estimable old lady
SO. finally, the warrant was turned over to
her and she and Ray mounted horses and
rode rapidly to Asheville, where Ray and
discharged.
Dig Fight With Moonshiners.
After many minor adventures in which
Ray was shot a number of times and IN
which he shot a number of men, he ano
three other officers, who subsequently be-
came noted, were in a big fight with moon
sinners in Ashe county. These officers wer,
Weightsell Anderson, Robert O. Patterson
and Jeter c. Pritchard. There were, in fact
two fights on that occasion. All four of tn,
officers came on a gang OF moonshiners anC
after hand-to-hand fight. in which a mum
Der of the moonshiners were knocked down
some prisoners were taken and Pritchar(
was left on guard while the others went I,
a house nearby to arrest two brothers wht
had been making whisky in defiance of tn,
law. They were there with some friends
and another fight ensued in which there wa,
some promiscuous knocking down and 4,
which Anderson was dangerously hurt by ;
stone thrown by a woman. While Anderso,
was lying unconscious. Ray and Patterso,
had succeeded in beating down all opposi
ton and forced their way into the house
where they caught one of the brothers an,
got the. other cornered in the loft Raw go
in parley with the brother i'm the loft an,
climbed up to where he was. the while talk
ing to him of the foolishness of resistln,
the law further and asking him to sur
render and save trouble. Patterson wa
guarding the prisoner on the floor below
when the father rushed in with an uplifteC
AK and rushed toward Patterson, regardless
of the revolver in his hand Patterson
warned him to stop, or he would kill him
but, impelled by blind and senseless fur,
he rushed to his doom. When he was al