The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-21
WAR ON MOoNSHINERS.
EFFORTS. TO SUPPRESS ILLICIT
STILLS IN ARKANSAS.
Battles In tho VILLAS between Revenue omcers
aud MoonshinrrN-A Raid In which Five
out OF Seven Deputies Were Kiiied-The
Moonshinera Especially Active Just Now.

aud MoonshinrrS-A Raid In which Five
out OF seven Deputies Were Kiiied-The
Moonshinera Especially Active Just Now.
LITTLE Rock, Ark. Nov. COB. F. Burris,
special raiding dcpu ty under United States
Revenue Collector Rcmmel, brought TO town
this week two Dioonshincrs whom he captured
In the mountains OF northwest Arkansas. He
also found and destroyed two Illicit stills, to-
gothcr with their contents, including several
hundred gallons OF beer and whiskey. He re-
ports the moonshincrs as being unusually
active just now in nearly all the mountain
counties, and believes, from observations made
and information obtained during this and pre-
vious raids. that 1t will require almost an army
Of men to put q stop to their operations. Heis
about to start on another raid into n wild and
almost uninhabittd territory in the extreme
northern portion of tho State. Collector
Remmel expects great results from this raid,
the object of which is to capture a quartet of
notorious moonshiners and destroy their still,
the exact location of which has only recently
been revealed to the authorities here.
A singular condition OF affairs exists to-day
In this State. The manufacture OF Illicit
whiskey has assumed the nature of an industry.
In about thirty counties tho moonshiners have
n foothold, and carry on their work with bold.
ness and impunity. Operating in thinly
settled portions of the State, they can defy
the revenue agents and marshals unless n largo
force is sent against them.
Beginning with last January, both Collector
Rcmmcl and United States Marshal Cooper
have worked hard to stamp Thorn out. In this
work they have been aided by United States
District Judge John A. Williams and United
States District Attorney Jacob Trieber, and
have had likewise the cooperation and advice
of the Attorney General and Commissioner of
Internal Revenue Forman. Raid after raid
has been made. Posses have penetrated into
mountain Businesses heretofore considered inn
pcnetrablc, capturing stills and prisoners and
destroying gallons of moonshine yhiskey.
Much property, including great quantities of
grain used In its manufacture, has been given
to the flames. During July and August of the
present year the SIN okc and flames of burning
stills became an everyday sight in some of tho
counties of northern Arkansas. During the
long summer nights the clatter of the hoofs Of
the horses of the revenue men awoke the
echoes of the forest and valley, hill and plain,
as they galloped over the winding and lonely
country roads in pursuit of fleeing moonshincrs
or bent on the capture of a moonshine still, the
whereabouts OF which had just been disclosed
through the treachcry OF a member of the band,
or tho malice Of some one living in the neigh
borhood. All the counties in the northern part
Of the State infested with moonshiners were
stirred rs never before by the Federal authori-
| ties. The older inhabitants were reminded Of
war times, when in these mountain districts
the Federal and Confederate soldiers struggled
for supremacy and the territory was held first
by one side and then by the other. Nor should
it be supposed that this strife between the
Government and the moonshiners has been u
| series OF triumphs for the former. On the con-
trary, the advantage is and has been almost
equally divided since the struggle began nearly
d year ago. Blood has flowed, and while the
fatalities on the side of the moonshiners count
heavily in point of NUMBER, the revenue and
marshal's offices have suffered greatly. mas.
much as they have lost many of their best men
whom 1t will he difficult to replace. Ten weeks
ago the entire State was thrilled with the news
OF Il battle between the Government forces and
the moonshiners in these mountain regions,
posse of the best officers in the Government ser
vice. The story OF the fight forms one of the
darkest pages in the history of this warfare.
For months past the revenue officials here
had been advised that one J. Alva Church was
running u still on the foothills OF the mountains
in Pope county. The exact location of this
moonsninc manufactory was difficult to deter.
time without number. The officers had almost
despaircd of discovering, it,. Rumors of the
the general belief liking its capacity at 800 sal'
Ions of whiskey a day. Unexpectedly the Rev
enue Dfpa6rtnI, oante Ta t p dean nh ISs'e the moon Ss a
sinners having been betrayed by a friend.
Preparations were at once made to capture the
for this purpose. These men were tried officers
who had proved their courage in many cncoun-
up of Ben F. Taylor. Joseph Dodson and Depu-
ties Lawrence, Schoolcratt, Rcntroe and Curly:
M an9 I." on t Mes oth hsaa Side Iro of Boston sna mine inoantain IS,
100 miles north of this place. Leaving the vii
lagc one afternoon.th 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.
widest and most picturesque portions of the
State. Their way wound up the mountain,
ZigZag fashion, for a distance of nearly three
miles, then crossed a level and almost unin-
habitod plateau, then made n descent down a
wooded slope, probably two miles in length,
At the foot OF this slope there is a long stretch
of valley, dotted here and there with farms
and houses. and crossed and rccrosscd by the
waters of Illinois bayou. IT, was a long and
wearisome ride in the starlight. The guide
who pilotcd them to the still rode a little in ad-
Ing a revolver as if fearing that the moonsRincrs
might have got wind of his treachcry and would
attempt TO- punish him before ore ne could carry ms
men rode along without uttcring other than a
monosyllable or an ejaculation. By q O'Clock
tho base OF the mountains and had halted in
the vicinity, of the moonshlne still which they
had started out to capture. Here the guide
bade the officers ,~good.by, and, having fulfilled
his contract TO lead them to the spot, disap'
The members of the posse, alightsd and tied
their horses TO- %saplings, while Capt. Taylor
reconnoitrcd. The still was located OH IA bench
of the mountain 800 or 400 yards from its
base. The site was well adapted to the pur'
pose for which IL had been selected. 1t com
inanded n good, view of the approach below
as well as the descent above and IL could not
be surrounded. There were no buildings, all
the operations being carried on in the open, and
tho spreading branches of u tall oak tree giving
tho only shelter or protection in way OF Gov
cring. There were the furnace and apparatus,
and ten mash tubs and piles Of corn. all
mcthodically. arranged, and an old-fashioncd
iron mill used by the Tennessee farmers to grind
corn as far back rs the thirties occupied II prom
inent place in the stills belongings. A rude
fence composed Of black jack sa9iings in
almost impenetrable thickct, u dense under
growth or jungle, where the moonshincrs slept
Capt. Taylor served in the Federal army dur
ing the war of the rebellion. He won distinc
tion and promotion for bravery, passing from
the ranks through the various grades up u
commander. of 9 company, He took in II.
strength OF the position held by the moon
sinners. he resolved to attack ,SS it, hoping il
lecond place to ovcrawe them by force of mum
beers. Before the full plan of attack. was ar
u.--nl I,,. lad Irnl..p aud tho uin nluT