Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-12-30
RAIDS ON STILLS.
EFFORTS TO SUPPRESS MooNsHlN-
ERS IN ARKANSAS MOUNTAINS.


ERS IN ARKANSAS MOUNTAINS.
Officers and Moonshiners--Five Out of
Seven Deputies We're Killed In One
Raid-Enorts to Suppress Them.
B. f. Burris, special raiding deputy
under United States Revenue Collector
Remmel, brought to Little Rock recent
ly two moonshiners whom he captured
in the mountains of northwest Arkansas
He also found and destroyed two illicit
stills, together with their contents, in
cluding several hundred gallons Of beer
and whisky.
A singular condition of affairs exists
today in this state. The manufacture Of
illicit whisky has assumed the nature Of
an industry. In about 30 counties the
moonshiners have foothold and carry
on their work with boldness and inn
punity. Operating in thinly settled por-
tions Of the state, they can defy the rev.
enue agents and marshals unless large
force is sent against them. Raid after
raid has been made. Posses have pene-
trated into mountain fastnesses hereto
fore considered impenetrable, capturing
stills and prisoners and destroying gal
Ions Of moonshine whisky.
A few weeks ago the entire state was
thrilled with the news Of battle be-
tween the government forces and the
moonshiners in these mountain regions
and the defeat and almost annihilation
Of posse Of the best officers in the gov
ernment service. The story of the fight
forms one of the darkest pages in the
history Of this warfare.
For months past the revenue officials
of Little Rock had been advised that
one J. Alva Church was running still
on the foothills of the mountains in
Pope county. The exact location Of this
moonshine manufactory was difficult to
determine. The officers had almost de-
SPARED Of discovering it. Unexpectedly
the revenue department was put in pos
session Of a clew which located it def
nitely, the moonshiners having been be-
trayed by friend. Preparations were
at once made to capture the still and it's
operators. Six men were detailed for
this purpose. These men were tried
officers who had proved their courage in
many encounters with illicit distillers.
The party was made up Of Ben F. Tay
lor, Joseph Dodson and Deputies Law
renee, Schooloraft, Renfroe and Curly.
The start was made from the little
town Of Marshal, on the other side of
Boston mountains, 1850 miles north of
Little Rock. Leaving the village one
afternoon. the deputies rode southwark,
resting their horses at sunset for an hour
or two and then pressing forward All
night long the little company continued
in the saddle. The route travelled leads
through one Of the widest and most pic
turesque portions Of the state. 1t was
long and wearisome ride in the starlight.
The guide who piloted them to the still
rode little in advance, glancing from
right to left, one hand grasping re-
volver as if fearing that the moonshiners
might have got wind Of his treaohery
and would attempt to punish him be-
fore he could carry his purpose into ex-
ecution. For hours the seven men rode
along without uttering other than
monosyllable or an ejaculation. By 6
o'clock in the morning the cavalcade
had wound round the base Of the noun
tains and had halted in the vicinity of
tho moonshine still which they had
started out to capture Here the guide
bade the officers goodby and, having full
filled his contract to lead them to the
spot, disappeared, seeming to lose him
self in the woods.
The members of the posse alighted
and tied their horses to saplings, while
Captain Taylor reconnoitered. The still
was located OH bench Of the mountain
800 or 400 yards from its base. The site
was well adapted to the purpose for
which it had been selected. 1t COM
manded good view of the approach be-
low as we'll as the descent above and it
could not be surrounded. There were no
buildings, all the operations being car
ried on in the open and the spreading
branches Of a tall oak tree giving the
only shelter or protection in way Of COW
ering. There were the furnace and ap-
paratus and ten mash tubs and piles Of
corn, all methodically arranged, and an
old fashioned iron mill used by the
Tennessee farmers to grind corn as far
back as the thirtit, occupied promi-
nent place in the stills belongings. A
rude fence composed Of black jack sap
lings inclosed the still. LII the back
ground was an almost impenetrable
thicket, dense underground or jungle,
where the moonshiners slept.
Captain Taylor took in the situation
at a glance. Notwithstanding the
strength Of the position held by the
moonshiners he resolved to attack it,
hoping in the first place to surprise
them and in the second place to overawe
them by force Of numbers. Before the
full plan Of attack was arranged day
had broken, and the original plan to
fall ON the moonshiners just at the first
approach Of dawn had, Of course, TO be
abandoned.
When Captain Taylor commanded
his men to fall In and then ordered
them to advance, the little band climb
ed slowly up the steep slope in the di-
rection Of the still. Every man carried
his winchester cooked and ready for use
On and on they marched, stepping