Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-05-02
GEORGIA DIAMONDS.
A Story Of the Moonshincrs and Their
More Than Peculiar yvays.


More Than Peculiar WAYS.
A Georgia mincralogist in tho Jewelcra'
Weekly: "Thc recent discovery OF small
diamonds on farm near Atlanta, recalls
the various occurrences which have from
time TO time given evidences that Hall
County contains a diamond belt You NAV
not have heard one of the most character.
istic of our storics.
The small farmers who people the
broken country west OF here arc dcnselv
ignorant and intensely suporsttluus. The
little valleys arc full Of mooushinc whisky
stills, and the deputy United Statcs mar
shals are kept busy routing them out and
arrcstng their owners The first revenue
officers that raided through Northeast
Georgia Immediately after reconstruction
were Northern men. They literally fought
their way through the country, and never
ventured on raid without the protection
of a squad OF soldiers from the Second
United States Infantry, which command
was at that time stationed at Ringgold bar
racks, Atlanta.
The marshals met with only Indifferent
success at first, for they were unfamiliar
with the country and the mooushincrs had
them at disadvantage. When they had
formed some few acpuan,anccs among the
of liberal pay, to secure the services of
skilled pilots, whose cupidity outweighed
their neghborly loyalty. These apostates
were bitterly hated by the illicit dstillers,
and more than one man who betrayed the
hiding place OF q still was a,nbushcd and
shot down. Others were captured, whipped
with hickory withes and so terrorized that
they were glad to fee the country.
"When General JEFF, Findlay was .
deputy marshal he employed pilot named
Bud Davis, who was half hunter, half
miner, a confirmed ne'cr-do-wcll, and
familiar with the intricate topography of
the mountains. Davis guided the revenue
officers for several months, and laughed
defiantly when the threats of the men he
had betrayed came 10 his ears. He always
went armed, and as he was not lacking in
bravery he journcyed back and forth be-
tween his mountain home and Gainesville
in the boldest and most open manner.
"One unlucly day he accompanied a
party Of the rnarshal's men INTO Haycrsham
County, and, being not far from his home,
left them to spend the night with his fami-
ly. He must have been watched and fol-
lowed from the rendezvous of the marshals,
for he had not gene far when he was sud
denly attacked from the rear. Before he
could defend himself he was made a prs
oner. His face paled when he recognized his
captors, and he could not help shuddering
when one of the party produced a rope and
proceeded to fastcn it about the prisoners
neck. i reckin I'm gwine ter die said
Bud, but ye kaiut lcv hit ter say thet
l didn't meet death like q game man, He
raised his hands as though to assist
the hangman to adjust the moose,
but instead he seized buckskin
thong fastened about his neck and drew
from beneath hIs hunting shirt little
greasy bag, on which were some rude
characters that had been written in an ink
made from pokeberry juice. He flourished
this in the face OF his captors. We air 4
set of blamed cowards,' he cried. Stand
back or I'll kunjur cv'ry mothers son of
ye.' The moonshiners, but q minute be-
fore so full OF murderous desperation,
leaped away from him aad huddlcd to-
gether. 'Cuss ye! cuss YEP snarled
| Bud, and whirllng the little bag he ad-
vanced upon them. With loud cries of
terror they broke and ran as from some
terrible danger. When they were out of
hearing Bud picked up his rife, buckled
on his pistol belt and chuckling grimly
continued on his way.
"Hc was never molested again in Hay
ersham County, for the news that he was a
'kunJerer' spread like wildiire and finally
reached the cars Of his friends the
marshals. They questioned HIM about the
matter and begged for glimpse of the
wonderful bag; but Bud guarded it with
jealous care, contending that if he showed
it TO any one except to protect himself the
'kunjer' would lose its power.
"a few weeks aftcrward the marshars
men raided out toward DucktOwu, Tenn,
and Bud Davis accompanied. The party
rode into an ambush and fierce fight en-
sued. When the noonGhiners were finally
driven away it was found that the pilot WAS
desperately wounded. The men gathered
around him as he lay gasping Tor breath,
and one among them, who had been really
attached to the fellow, raised his head. Bud
smiled feebly, and with trembling hands
drew the lsunjer bag from his bosom.
Take ht,' he gaspcd. Twill fetch "
| good l-u-u-cn The balance OF the word
died away in hoarse gurgle, and he tel
| back dead.
Tho marshal who had been begucathed
| the amulet pat it in his pocket and dld not
| find time 10 examine his legacy until he
reached Atlanta The lag was heavy. aud
he cut 1t open with his knife. Out fell a
half dozen bright stones. They had i pc
culiar CLINT, and the marshal tool; them 20
icweter lie pronounced them diamonds.
and they really proved to bc these precious
stones. The marshal had them cut, AMI an
expert valued them III twelve hundred dol
lars. He in;cALe'l to donate the money
| he had received flr them to Bud s family.
but when Gc wcut into the neigbb0rh0Cd
whore the pi!o: bad lived he found that they
! had moved 9in the far West but exactly
" what part he was never able 10 learn.
Tho stones wrr2 probably found in the
neighborhood, but the exact locality is not
known"