Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-25
TOLD BY A MOoysHINIcR,
A Revenue Detective Who Came, but
Did Not Go Away.

neVenue detective Who Came, but
Did Not Go Away.
From the Detroit Free Press
'sit down. sah-sit down." said the GRIM
faced old man to me as We were returning
to his cabin after a visit to the Illicit still
hidden away in the deep and dark ravine.
1 sat down on a mound in little glade
in a laurel thicket, while he seated himself
on rock, and after we had filled and
lighted cur pipes. he said:
THE guv-ment's agtn US fur maxim
moonshine whisky, but yo kin see fur yo'-
self how 1t is. We kin raise con about
we're, but thar's no market fur it. II we
turn IL into whisky, We kin git some money
out o 1t, though I never knowed a moon
sinner to make over a dollar day in the
best of times. It's Jest changin' about 30
we may live. but maxim whisky Is against
the law, and the guv'ment hunts us down
as IL we was wolves. All the whisky made
fur twenty miles around this spot wouldn't
sell fur 500, and yit fifteen men hev been
sent to state prison, a dozen mo- kept In
Jail fur months and months and twenty
fam lies bin put to IT to sell off everything
to pay lawyers. 1 tell yo', it's wuss nor
wah times. with the guerriIlas ridin' about
and robbin' and KILN"
And there's no money in making rnoon
Shine whisky" I asked.
1o see, it's this way" he replied. "Yo'
neH TO pay cash fur a still We'uns is pore
iolks around yere, and five or six men must
1ine together to buy. It's also agia The law
TO sell The whisky, and we must let IL go
to traders fur what they will pay 1t must
be toted over the mountings on our backs
a.id by lie time that we've got shet OF ten
gallons and divided up the money, no man
mas nuf to buy a pound o. coffee. If the
guy ment was to let us go ahead and hev
Tree swing 1t would be clus work to make
decent lfvin."
But you were going to tell me about the
revenue Spies"
Yes, they cum sneakin' round now ami
them he slowly replied. THE last time /
saw one was about a var ago. He cum
along purtendin' to look fur iron and coal
and he stopped at Joe Rutley's fur a hull
week. He talked ia 'nuff and never once
qua ne say anything about moonshiners
put the boys suspishune him and kept their
eyes open. The stranger would be out
lookin around all day, but he wasn't arter
coal and iron. No, sab. That was all
blind He was jest tryin' to locate our
stlll and he was a brave man to cum up
yere among US when he knowed what the
penalty would be. He must hev Travelled
around heap, for it was six or seven days
Defo' he hit it right Joe Rutley foJlored
him fur two days and knowed he wasn't
arter coal and iron"
Then he knew you suspected him?" /
asked.
Reckon not. No. we never let on nv
word or look. Yo' see this we're path is the
only way to git down TO our stiIl. and In
mat bresh heap over thar we had man
on the watch. OF a Saturday when TO of
US war down thar at work and the stran-
ger out lookin fur coal and iron, sunthiu'
happened. the spy found this path wbar'
IL starts in by the rocks and knowed that
IL led to game. The sentinel heard him
cumin though he was on tip-toe and got
ready fur him. AFTER a hit the Teller show
ed up right we're in this openin', and he
looked this way and that, and had a cum
Mn smile on his face. Yo' kin see that we
had to cut sum trees and trim off sum
branches, and as the ravine is right down
mar, 1t was easy fur him to fgger it out
Dye see that mark on that chestnut
Yes. plainly"
And the scratch on that soft rock?"
YES"
wall. he put 'em both thar with his
knife SOS to make sure when he cum agin
Then he was ready to go. He hadn't fol-
Tered DOWN into the rayine but he knew
what was thar"
And SO he went away?"
yes, his soul went away"
fou-you mean-?'
But his body stayed right yerer
You don't mean that he was shot
DOWN.! l exclaimed as / rose I'D.
70 are standin right on his grayer'
said the old man he knocked the ashes
IRON his pipe and led the way along the
path. Inv