The morning times., 1896-07-26

under nearly whole city block. A
light III an untenanted house aroused their
suspicion Brea king in at midnight. the
InoOnslIiners' busiest hour they found them
selves in total darkness, Cropping back to
rear stsirway, they descended to the base
nent. There loose board showed n
light below. With desperation they tore
up the board and spraBg down into the
Cellar, at risk OF their lives. At the first
note Of wa rning the hands ofthe moonshiners
stole toward their pistols on tie wall. One
man was on guard at the window, a mere
slit. looking upward to the street. An
other was watching the kettle; others
were pouring out the stuff into jugs. All
were captured except the man at the win-
dow, who was shot down for supposed
treachery.
AN EXCITING MOMENT.
Two weeks ago loose board i'll rear
fence fascinated the eyes of a revenue
officer. He crept in. guided by Pc
culiar alcoholic smell, which haunted the
neIgbborhood. Nothing could be seen but
dark yard. On, on, lie stole, Climbing
softly, step by step, up a Icar fire escape,
lie reached the roof. There, pouring fourth
from the chimney was the unnnsta ka bic
fuine. But where did it come from? The
house was dark. By day he watched.
The upper fiat was untenanted. but there
were mysterious packages carted up to 1t.
One night two bands OF police climbed
up to it, one on the fire escape, another
by the stairs. They broke in the door
aud found ten men around a great copper
vat boiling the fluid to make WHISKY
The men fought game and three escaped
The making of whisky is so easy and
the process SO cheap that ii is q tempta.
tiou to low-ciass criminals to try il. IL
peeds only barrel OF moiasses, q big
kettle, some pipe aud plenty OF running
water. The big kettle ID filled with mo-
lasses and water. This Is set over a fur
mace to fernent. Over the top ofthe kettle
is a tight cap fitted with a pipe. This
pipe runs through barrel OF cold water.
As the molasses and water ferment they
send up fumes through this little pipe. The
Tunes, on being cooled, make a liquid
which is whisky. II is sharp as acid and
biting to infinity, but it ia sses for whisky
with worn-out tlirolts.
The most encorragementis is given moon
sinners" by private customers. In this
city, In every city, are hundreds of people
who buy their whisky Cheap" They
Know IL must be the moonshine product.
But they wink at the price. For cents
they can get pint bottle OF the stuff. ard
for 10 cents nearly half {, gallon. 1t is
so cheap to make that the noonshiners can
oSH ~ iof anything.
In certain mountainous parts of this
country the original moonsiiiners dwell
They have had for generations no other
way OF making a living, and in justice to
them, 1t can be said that they regard
tneir trade as legitimate one, and re-
sent the Interference OF the government
These mountain Inoonstiners make high
er test whisky thar can the to wn ones for
they have followed the business longer.
Their work is done under heavy guard.
aud they allow nothing to interfere with
them.
The city moonshiner is, at best, only a
maker OF whisky for few months. In that |
time he is sure 10 be appreheDded. He is.
as rule, a foreigner, often Pole, or Il |
native of some one of the Industrious cold
countries. In this country he cannot make
living without n. knowledge of the Ian
guage, and when told OF the easy making
of whisky and its big profits, he is ready |
to embark into it. His informers seldom |
inform him OF the gravity of the offense.
and the courts are often lenient to this |
class of mooDshiners.
THE SECRET SPY.
The day of arrest comes TO the city |
moons hiner sooner or later on account |
OF the cver-ready clue to his occupation.
the odor from the burning fluid. This !
cannot be disguised. Tie few town moon
sinners WHO have followed their occupa- /
ton for years without being actually de- |
tected have done 1t by locating in the |
most crowded, iilsmclling tenements and |
moving away at the end OF a few months. |
After certain time the very building |
becomes SO saturated with alcoholic smells |
that even the passerby can detectit.
The burning OF molasses is another clue