The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-09
HFR LIFE FOR ANOTHER'S.
A Thrilling Experience in Running
Down a MOOnShileT.

Illicit LIS LAAAOA S~SbNNA ~ 80 80 =
mountain, but an Escape Afterwards
Effected.
From the philadelphia Times.
..Tbare is no more ticklish business un-
sor heaven than that of the internal re-
-.or,,a officers" said a gentleman who has
djstin0uished himself in that line by some
- rho most daring work and cleVerest
cantures ever accomplished by any indivi-
anal He spoke to a friend while on re-
cent visit to this city, and, being in post
s.or5ial GOOD humor, with fine cigar to
Ether soften his heart toward the
L,,n.r.v neyvs-seeker INDUCED the follow
inc reminiscence of wild days among the
r,orntains of Eastern Tennessee and West
Virginia:
..Tt was in 1873 that was sent to dis
,rict living 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
+bem and the natural roughness of the
country to make getting at them task
almost recurring the magic thread that
led one through the maze of the old story
II was also considered a very dangerous
district to undertake to patrol, for the
three last revenue officers that had had it
had lost their lives in the attempt. The
dead bodies of two of them had been
found both wearing on the breast bit of
nanar on which was scrawled: so be it
II those as NEEDLE in what don't concern
them
was heard of again, and all trace Of him
disappeared from earth. Therefore, in
going to what had gotten the name of
sHell-fre Beat l knew that | took my
life in nv hand. had my headquarters
In the little mountain town of Hen Roost
so called, l suppose, because it perched
on the side of the grim mountain in what
from below looked like precarious posi-
ton
Here I started out by getting &C
quainted with such of the people as
would allow me to approach them, for a
very vigorous prejudice against me and
ali of my calling existed even among
those not Immediately connected with
the business OF illicit distilling, as most
of the community had either relatives
and friends engaged in it or in some indi-
rect way profted 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 trading is principally conducted by
the exchange of articles homemade or
game and produce, whisky always brings
the hard coin.
Among these regular customers at the
village store was a gigantic mountaineer,
who had served three years with the
union army down in Virginia, and who
considered that the country owed him a
free permit to manufacture spirits, and
consequently took it, and prepared to de-
lend it, too. l noticed that this man
i never seemed to arrive in town during the
day, but evidently came in at night, for
it was always early in the morning that l
ran across him at the store, where he was
apparently busy in laying in a supply of
household articles, or waiting for a letter
that never seemed to come. l was con-
vinced that this fellow brought his
whisky into town by night, and that by
capturing him I would get prize.
But he was cunning enough not to let
me catch him with the goods in his
possession, and without proof [ would
only entail world of trouble on myself
and end by having to set him free. So 1
resolved to track Big Ugly as he was
called, to mis- mountain lair, and to cap
ture with him his still. One day, there
fore, l received in full view of the as
sembled population of the town, which
had gathered to see the mail distributed,
telegram from the next railroad station
where there was an operator. l held this
up conspicuOusly and read aloud my re
call to Washington, and the next day,
with many expressions of regret at having
to leave them, l set out on my journey.
Il left the train at Greenville, and a
lew days after Prof. jerks, on a botanic
ing tour, appeared on the mountains, TAX
ing care, however, not to go near the
town OF Hen ROost. In my rough ill
hitting clothes and my blue glasses, with
my moustache shaved off, | considered
myself safe from Identification with the
smart young fellow who had spent two or
three lonesome weeks in that metropolis.
got board with an old couple, who were
TOO absorbed in looking after their stony
httle farm to pay much attention to my
coming and going, and anything that |
might do they were ready to put down to
the bee IN my bonnet that they firmly
supposed had, and which took the form
oil wandering about, picking weeds and
WAdhowers. Big Ugly lived just below
mem IN rlckety cabin with his two
Gaughters, girls of II and IS, the latter as
handsome creature as l ever saw in my
NE. IAN and as active as panther, she
was grandly formed and her
Dig black eyes were full of fire and spirit.
Her sister was great contrast to her,
oeng little, fair-haired, quiet-spoken
girl with delicate face refined and
keAtIe. With these two girls often found
~ Vement to stop and speak as l came
e,
as she was called, soon began to talk an
interest IN my specimens and began to
ASK me questions about them. Luckily,
DIS was something of a botanist, l could
answer ntelligently, and over these wild
lowers and herbs we became friends.
livery now and then l would venture to
make some casual inquiry concerning her
!SSvner, out, though Lizzie never betrayed
mat she found these inquiries suspicious,
sue contrlved to give me little or no in
!orlnatlon. So, abandoning this hope,
Suough still was sufficiently fascinated
u. oy me girls beauty to often linger about
me place, resolved to lay trap for Big
i. now TO go TO work was what was puz-
Mlug me when | met with a young fellow
named Jube Cornwall This man had a
long solemn face and serious eyes, and I
soon found that had sized him up cor
LgcIly, Tor he INDUCED in hymns of the
tloonleSt nature and edited me by
Lredchlng long sermons on the sins of the
counting as he called it. l had hired
Ll.I as my assistant in gathering the
neroS after the first few days of our ac-
yuaintance, and learned that his pet
Ioooy was against the moonshiners of the
district. he would hold forth by the
I mQlf against these, alleging that the
MuisRy was to blame for all the killing
anu mischief m the section, and expressed
Tl oeSire 10 wipe the stain off even by