The Red Cloud chief., 1897-01-15

Ang tho situation. AS q rule the major
lty OF these Illicit stills are OF the most
primitive character, and generally OF
small capacity. Nearly every farm
among the mountaiS~ has a still Sc
rreted somewhere, and should the pro-
prietor be called upon to surrender his
booze and 20 to jail, the usual expla-
nation Is that the moonshine Is Tor
family use only" There are, however,
many large stills scattered all through
that rough country. and once In awhile
some Of these big fellows get caught.
The largest m%oonshine still on record
was captured about a fortnight ago by
Deputy Marshal Thaxton OF POLK
county. who. with a posse, was engaged
In making a series Of raids all through
that suspected region. In this case the
ofhcials were we'll prepared for an
emergency. but had no idea OF the
warm reception that awaited them.
Guided by an informer, they trailed
their way up the mountain side by the
light Of the moon, and a faint glimmer
In a ravine far ahead indicated the loca-
tion OF the still. As they drew nearer
the fire grew brighter, and a jolly
crowd Of men could be seen going
ebcut their work and talking among
themselves At q signal the posse.
with drawn revolvers, made a dash for
'he spot, and the Jolly crowd" jumped
for their arms. A pitched battle fol-
lowed. In which more than one
sshinar' UNA chnt Ipuyn. httt nftOr n
stubborn resistance the whole outfit
was captured, marched off to Jail and
their property confscatcd. II there IL
one thing a moonshiner hates worse
than a snake 1t is an informer. Moth
Ing Ii more d~etestable to the clan than
q spy. and no mercy IL shown should
n fall into their hands. This BROTH
erhood Of m%oonshiners Is somewhat
similar to the old kuklux arrange
ment. for they will stand by each other
to the last. The m%oonshiners really
have no grievance against the revenue
omcials, and will rarely shoot or even
in5ure them. except In self-defense,
but an informer Is their common ene-
my, and woe to n OF this class should
he ever be found out or even sus-
pected.
There are individuals in every dis
'rict looking for this sort Of job; and 1t
Is dangerous for a stranger to be seer
wandering about the mountains alone,
let his mission be ever SO innocent. A
pair OF suspicious eyes are following
every movement, perhaps a woman's
or a child's eye. and should anything
appear to these watchers to be OF a
questionable nature, a rough clap on
the back and a gruiY What's yer doing
In these parts?" may be very difficult
to explain satisfactorily. Not long ago,
near Waco. Ca, a young man OF excel
lent character was ambushed by three
desperate m~oonshiners, who spotted
him al ar informer. and 1t might have
gone hard with him had 1t not been for
his rare pluck and rapid work with his
muscle. Young Robertson is a rustic
athlete, who was written down in the
catalogue Of the moonshiners as a spy
and q plot was laid to make away with
him or the quiet. The opportunity
came n midnight a few weeks ago,
when Robertson was riding home from
a visit to q neighbor. In a very dark
part OF the woods the sinners waited
for their victim, and pretty soon he
was seen coming up the road, mounted
on a mule. As he arrived opposite the
place Of ambush. quick as a fash three
men jumped before his steed, and
ordered him to halt. The rider, good
naturally. said he had no objection