The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-07-27
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
HE MEETS A COUPLE OF MOON.
SINNERS ON THE RAII.
And q very Interesting and Mutual
Confab Ensues.

'sHere! Come in herel Come right along,
said the deputy marshal and four prisoners
followed him into the smoker aud cat down
where he pointed. Two Of them were white
and two co!ored There were thres officers IN
charge and the party was bound for At ,nta.
The Younger white prisoner sat just Eehlnd
me, and after glance at him and sseiag his
hand bound up In rags Venture1 to ask MIN
what was the matter with it. He sald that
piece of timber fell on it and mashed it. be
was a young man with barely any beard and
had pie asant face. He seemed grateful that
/ had inquired about his hand.
"What have eou all been doinGT' said L
ssMoonshining, they say" he said, with
weak smile The officer sitting next to him
then informed me that this gang was cspsnr q
in Polk county yesterday, not far from lay.
lorsvile, and they had the biggest still thai
had ever been found In the woods. It was 30
big that it would not 30 In at the car door AMI
had TO be hauled on fat.
"Where in the world did you get IT." sad l
to the young man.
81 didn't get it," said he, "but they say IL
,ome from Rome"
ssHe don't admit anything" said the officer.
smiling, and you musent press him loa hard:
e. has just been bound over to tho federal
court, and if he can't give bond will have to
lie-in jail till October
ssYou are not married2" ssked,
''No," said he.
sThat's good" said I. CHOW about thai
other man?"
"Hc has wife and one child" sal he.
The other white man looked about thirty,
and was we'll dressed. He was the de>iguer and
promoter. the capitalist, and dident seem 20
be much concerned. Ee bought some candies
from the newsboy and handed them 10 tie
young man and the officer and the two negroes,
and was quite chatty. The negroes Sc med un.
concerned AID enioyed the ride One sad
ttDis de fust free ride have in long time.
Hit beats q scurshion."
Alter awhile one of them dropped to sleep
But the young wbite man was evidently suffer.
ing both physically and mentally. His face had
q sad and dreamy expression.
SIS this your first expert nee in this llniT l
enquired.
Yes, sir" said he, sand it will by last. l
never thought about it much until l was into
Chow ong has that still been running there" !"
said J.
s'Aoout three months, 7,he said.
'.Wh r. do your folks livc?'
"Up in Union he said, an I could almnst
Sc, his thoughts going bafk 10 the Cd home.
folk, where few years ago he was happy and
fr:e.
Ate: awhile he was called on The other side,
and d dscnursed with the deputy more freely
about their moon. hine business. lie said II
was Incl easing in his territory-.h't fifteen or
twenty seizures had been made in Polk county
within the paet twelve month:--tbat generally
tie business fell off in the summer months, but
this wss a great fruit year and very IA r sp'rl's
coul lie made with little m al aud either ap-
pies or peaches OF blackberrcs mixed with l..
And eS:des, said he, the times are awful lard
on poor folks and young man like this one u
essily drawn in. Some muopshiners are bad
men and despc rate, but these are not But all
OF them get fCo'ed sooner or later. For ten
dollars some fellow will tell on them. rcciJn
there wele twenty or more men who knew
about this g ill and the meancs; one in the lot
is generally the one to give the officers g hiuf.
We dent know where 10 hunt for stills and we
never would ind out if somebody didt Civ US
a cue"
"Where do they get the stills and how do
they get Them to their hiding p!sces?" asked.
s.They buy them in Atlanta, OR Rome, or Chat
tanooga and haul them away in the night and
keep eff lhe public roads. Some buy the sheet
copper and riyets and make their own stills.
More than half we find have wooden bottocns
that re! fiat on the ground and the fire is BIZ 1t
around the still instead Of underneath it.
Sometimes they use big washpot o. caldron
u cd to have them under the floor Of the honse
where the smoke cou'd go up the cbin'n"y,
but that has played out. They can lille tht m
srlrn the officers cay enough on these mcun-
tains, but they can't keep the sc ret long from
hunters and tramps. or course they have to
buy these fellows with whisky, but that costs
too much, for one fly will draw ano her and II
they are not caught they lave to move. 1t ls
an all night business, moonshlne or no N on
shine, and if the poor devils would work hals a.
Lard at something else they could make good
living. The most pitif"l par, OF the business
is The suffering and trouble it brings on the
" omen and children when the hu,band or tho
father is serving term IN pr on.
"Wel. is there no remedY-Eo stopping ths
busipess2"
NO" said he. s'There are some people in
every community who had rather dodge ihs
law than obey it. They Like the ii,k and the
peril Of mCanshinin3. Regular honest w,rk is
too tame for them and, besides, they have a
,pi;e against the government that allows rich
man to run big distilery and says to POOR
man you shan't run little one. The only
remedy that see is TO stop them all, big end
little. or turn everybody loose to make it. But
the COVE nment is 'liged to have that two
hundred millions of revenue and of course the
preeent system must go on"
hudG u6Q eIS6C W w N1'A SAA0
case2" saidL
ssOh, they always have one or two black lieu
tenants to help around and buy corn, OF steaI
it. and 10 sell ibe whisky by the jugful to other
negroes. They are the best sort OF trus les and
will keep a secret better than a white maj"
Those negroes will swear that they just hap
peucd dar' and had nothing 10 do with the
still"
"Will either of these men be able to give
bond and keep out of Jail until court?" SAID l.
II wouldn't be Surprised" laid he. "they
have scre substantial friends in their nelgh-
borhood. Tht bonds are 1900 each and they
will be sent back tomorrow to get security. IL
is tonishins how many people in community
sympatliize with the moonshiner and a.e down
on the jnfoImer VII n they find him out.
That's secret that We officers have to keep IN.
violate or W. would never catch another slli.
few ytsrs ago, when / was getting the
right Of way Tor the Z ~ Tennessee ra!lroad,
was belated one moonlight night i'll Paul lug
county. and Lad to ride several miles 10 the
house Of an acqua ntance who was with me.
Dowr in an ugly ravine our road crossed sllttlo
branch, and n. ar it was covered wagon and q
yok of steers ard two rouSll-looking men sit
ting by n campfIe 'Mconshincrs SAID my
friend. There Is still up The branch abous
mic, and these fellows have started 10 mar
ket w III some ahiskcy. know them. anil they
know thai knew them and heir business. We
must sop minnie and be fir erdIy, Or they;
mas suspect tina. you are r-venu' tt!l er.
We soprrd and c!'at'el awhile, and my frLrnd
told who I was aud What | was doing. Ih'y
were ca IL 81 istiel. bur didns like the lock-
of IN. two guns l'at were leaning against
'rce. No long afterwards was driving u mT
ccunly h. NE Lear Cart rsvlle and oTer ooS a
;irel MAJ who had little black valse in his
,,sn;l. Iasked him if kc wouldn't like to ride,
,nd lie thanked NE and got in. 'How far are
S"n gong ;js va 2 7 aSkel.
so Fannin couny" he said.
'Dd YOU come on the train this evening" l
sk.d
No, SIR" said lie; Il have walked from At.
lrnta. E ,erI aving there for three monl ls :"
Moon hincr?" said |.
"That'S it, sa d lie.
o,,1 cert