The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-14
AMONG THE M%OONSHINERS.
rourD TEE DBSPERATB REGI0N
TvHERE THREE STATE MEET
Cumberland Caps Dad rEsn net what Thcy
wero Ten Yenrs AEe. ThouEh u IL Net Nest
10 venture AmonR Thsna Unlcss Yea Cas-
Provo That You Don't Knew Lyman Care.

Provo THAT You Dont KNEW Lyman GaKe.
RA,r,ou. n. c., Nov. 19.-Reccnt years have
wrought n wondrous change among tho donlzcns
Of the wiIds OF tho Cumberland Mountains.
Where murder. lawlessncss, and dense igno-
rance once reigned supreme there 10 now be-
ginning to dawn a wholesome civilization with
its accompanying respect for law and order.
Schools and churches are multiplying; the new
railroads have brought in settlers from other
marta Of tho country, whose ways and customs
arc having a salutary effect upon the habits of
the mountaineers; tho ranks OF the moonshiners
are breaking; the reckless use Of the pistol 10
waning; In brief. a now and better era Is at
hand for tho mountainous borderland Of tho
yirginias and Kentucky, an era Of civilization
and Its attendant peace.
Ono autumn day less than tan years ago q
train arrived at Middlesboro, KY, bearing in
tho baggage car tho bodies of two men who had
been killed in n shooting ARRAY near Pinevillc.
The pine boxes into which the bodies had been
thrown were landed upon the platform where, n
few short hours before. had lain tho bodies OF
three other men who had been shot In n revenue
raid a few miles away. An incident Of this kind
was not so unusual at that time and In that To-
cality as to excite much surprise or ommcnt
Some "reminiscences OF q trip made by tho
writer and a party Of friends through the Cum.
berland Mountains, before this region had been
fairly opened to civilization, will hest illustrate
the condition of affairs which then obtained
there. At that time this portion Of the country
deserved its reputation OF being the widest and
most dangerous part Of the United States east
of the Rocky Mountains. 1t may be fair to the
great West to state that in no portion of It's
mountain regions could have existed a worse
condition Of society than that OF the Cumber-
land Mountains in those days. The desperadoes
Of the region boasted that no revenue officer had
ever been among them and gone out alive. Tho
boast was more than half true. Every stranger
who showed himself there was set down as IA
revenue agent. Unloss his calling and business
there were vouched for by some wcll-known
mountsineer. his visit was n dangerous one.
and he would be q truly lucky man to regain
civilization.
The writer's party was conducted by the son
OF n man named Raines. Tho father was tho
head of the Raines gang. a band Of outlaws of
the Hatfield type. The son. brought up in an at
mosphere OF Illicit distillcrics and family fcuds,
was not less tough than his father. Although
only 10 years old. he boasted of having killed
several men.
II will make you acquainted with paw said
the youth one evening, as the party rode toward
horses tonight. But paws u mighty GURUS
man: He's all right, though. But you maunt
'spute anythink he says, nor refuse to take a
drink with him. or he'll shoot. sure"
The uneasy feeling. not unnsturally produced
by the youths description OF his father, was
acquainted with the old fellow. Ho was busy
at a suspicious looking building by q spring in
cordially invited the party TO accept the hospi-
tally OF his home for the night. ho added:
tells ms me- p POW are ali FLA lish.. to II s sou y SSsn peS nob Hili
could tell what might happen"
A knowing wink. intinl4ting that at least he
was aware of something that might happen. ac-
companied the last sentence. AS the party en-
tered the house, a long. two story log building.
stack Of rifles standing erect in the centre of
the hallway. The old man requested all to seat
themselves on 2 bench near these implements Of
whisKey. which he urged ali to drink. To this
spond. since Bill's warning was still fresh in
their minds and the crop or rifles was large.
hurt you. 'Tis as pure us water. 1t comes up
out Of the ground Jest the same AS water!
little house a'v whar You u fkrst seed m s"""0'' !" 'ne
The party evidently had the full extent Of the
old mans confidence;
two things. and .hd l wants "a s, yer her ter sort Of Tighter ten
Middlesboro,. They've got him on the pictures
down there
Bills caution against "'sputing anythink he
says was emembered.
"Topomusi Mr.. Raines. topomusi We'll.
"Oh. durn yer hide, yer knows what I means!
That great big old ~feller-as big as u couple or
more OF old SteerS-aS lives most or tho time in
the water, out in some Turin land. and comes
gered:" A.
about the topomqs. Some people call 1t the hip
popotamus. you know
"Hiptopmps be damned. It'sa topomus, and
no hip about him.
This elected a description Of the hippopota-
mus, its manners. customs, and haunts
them show folks has on their pictures-lhat big
old chap with the horn on his nose"
A ian n thn rhtnnnArrn 1I1Kr M
attempt being made to distinguish that animal
from n "saurus.'
up to their room. a long. low apartment stretch-
ing the length of the small house, and having
beds in it. 1t looked like a hospital ward.
After seeing each In q separate bed. young
Raines went away. but. only to. return in a few
minutes with an armful Of rifles from down
stairs. He placed one OF the weapons at tho
head OF each bed.
~ You can ~ never .n;s tell what's going to happen
might need these guns before = orning. / alters
takes mine right in the bed with me-" This he
didEat least upon the night in Question.
ready kindness, was never extended by a human
being to his fellows than that for which the
moonshiner. the chief of one of the worst gangs
in the Cumberland Mountains. And for it all
anybody offered to pay him. his son said, he
would have been mortully offended. This is.
arn n e nin only n Sne PROOF na OF oar the , fact t IA there there
sinners of the Cumberland region. provided it
can be proved that you are not a revenue, ohf.
on any statement they may make; provided
further that you will not refuse to drink Of their
home brew. Among moonshiners this drink is
as much n pledge OF sincerity as is the tasting
of bread and salt among Arabs. Many were the
moonshiners' dens visited on the trip in cues
tion, but nowhere was anything but the SINGER
est welcome extended. All this was undOuht-
eddy due to the presence OF young Raines, who
appeared to be on intimate terms with every.
body, Had he not boon there to vouch for the
party's complete immunity from all internal
would never have been penned.
The party rode from Middlesboro across the
mountain to the town OF Cumberland Gap. A
railroad tunnel now goes through tho noun
tain. Near the summit OF the Gap a thunder
storm compelled the travellers to take refuge
In "a miserable wayside inn. Leaving the horses
In a shed, they entered the hotel office-a bar
room. in which. with pistols on the table, sew
eral natives were playing cards. The proprietor
OF the shanty wore a vest with two. inside
pockets mt the breast. From each OF these
pockets protruded the butt OF a navy pistol.
"fon fellows can't rest here, nor have moth
ing here. said the man. but lowing AS you's
wet; come into he cookroom and my old lady
shall dry you Off some"
All went; because Raines explained that they