Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-06-17
FOUND IN A CAVE.
Kentucky Of1cers Discover Moon
sinners Outfit.
Crooked whisky DisfiIlery a Mile
Under Ground-Success of
q Desperate Under
taking.

When, some weeks ago, Deputy Col
lector j. c. Wilson, of Harrodsburg, KY,
and Deputy Tom Austin, Of Lancaster,
quietly perfected plans to visit Rock
castle county and raid the moonshiners
still in what is known as Salt Petre
cave, they did not dream of the find
they would make. This cave is situated
on Crooked creek, in one of the widest
sections of country to be found in Ken
lucky, and has long been known as a
rendezvous of the worst class of law
breakers, and for this reason hasalways
been given wide berth by government
men, none of whom ever dared explore
it. When they began their preparations
for the raid they were warned by some
who were familiar with the desperate
character of the outlaws to forego the
undertaking, but this they refused to
do.
One morning the posse left. Livingston
station, on the Knoxville branch of the
Louisville & Nashville railroad, and,
after ride that lasted until nine that
night, arrived at the cave. Entering the
hole in the side of the mountain, they
traversed a distance of 600 feet and
came TO a narrow def1le which they
were compelled to pass in single file,
and which led them into a spacious
apartment. At the further side of the
chamber was an opening that led down
ward to depth of 80 feet, the bottom
of which they reached by means of a
role placed there for that purpose by
those who utilized the cave for their
unlawful purposes.
Reaching the bottom, the passage led
them straight forward for quarter of
mile, where they were again COM
PEELED to go down 30 feet on a crude lad
der; thence there was gradual descent
for nearly half mile. and then the way
led upward for fully 600 feet, which was
easily ascended by means of steps cut
in the dirt.
From the top of these steps astraight
and level passage led them for fully 200
feet, and from there on, for about the
same distance, the way again led down
gradual incline. Then for 600 or 700
yards a level and smooth path led to
another chamber, where the officers
found clear spring of.sparkling water,
and within a few feet thereof was
trough filled with water, and within o
few feet Of the trough was found a
nloonshine still in a furnace of the
finest masonry. The capacity of this
still was 100 gallons, with eight fer
menting tubs of 800 gallons, each full of
new mash and ready for operation, and
leaning against the wall here were
found four Winchester rifles.
The distillery apparatus was de-
stroyed and the firearms confiscated.
Proceeding 100 yards further another
still OF the same capacity was found.
and near by three Winchesters, which
were also taken.
Between these two stills, in an out
of-the-way corner of the chamber, was
found box containing the bones Of two
skeletons, while the bones of another
lay by the side of the box. The Off
GERS also found evidence that the place
is frequented by a gang of counter
feiters. It is the opinion of the revenue
men that these bones are the remains
of some government officers who had
outlaws, or of members of their gang
who had betrayed theNn, or who they
feared would give their secrets away,
and, acting on the theory that dead
men tell no tales, had murdered them,
or that they might be the bones Of those
who had met death In battles with the
officers.
There were many side passages lead
ing devious ways, and the officers be-
lieve that If they had continued through
the cave they would have found another
opening that led to the outer world.
Th,E were disposed to explore more of
this cavern, but their guide, John Null
Inns, a fearless mountaineer, warned
them that if they valued their lives
they should get out of the vicinity, as
they had destroyed the stills, the
news of which would go abroad the next
day. Capt. Wilson says Imagination
cannot picture the wonders of the place,
and that If anyone who will visit the
cave finds it different from his descrip-
tion, they can draw on him for their
expenses.
Capt. Wilson is the man who led the
party of revenue men in Perry county
about year ago, who were compelled
to put the mountaineers' wives and chill
dren before and behind them on their
horses in order to get out of the am
buscade of moonshiners, who would not
shoot for fear of killing their own flesh
and blood.-Louisville Post.