The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-08-10
The Desperation of the MOOnShinerS.
LOOKS LIKE A REVIVAL OF THE
KUKLUX KHAN.


Too Energetic Work by Revenue Of
GERS Leads to the Formatio ion OF tn,
Liquor Dealers Union-The Mann
Afterwards Changed to that of tn
Regulators.
PHILADELPHIA Times
The mountainous districts of Geori,
are full OF moonshiners that is an &C
copied and probably well l.known fact
IL Is not alone peculiar to Georgia
Tennessee and the Carolinas can proba
bly, go the "Goober State" one better
In this respect. But the moonshiuers
OF Georgia have organized in secret
oath-bound organization for mutual
protection that places them head and
shoulders above all their neighboring
State contemporaries, and tho stories
that are current in the mountains about
these men Indicate that they are fully
alive to the needs of such bO.y. There
are still surviving in the mountain dis
trlcts eX-members OF the Old Kuklux,
whose experience in that secret organ
lzation has made them energetic and
skilled leaders in the present body. In
TACT, the ringleaders Of tho modern
regulators are nearly all survivors of
the Kuklux Klap.
Some ten years ago the internal rev
enue otlicers, became q little too ener-
getic in ferreting out the Illicit whis-
key stills concealed in the caves and
hollows OF the mountains, or, at least
the moOnshiners thought SO, and that
amounted to the same thing. They de-
clded to organize for self-protection,
and the Liquor Dealers Union was
formed. Originally this organization
was mild IN It's constitution and de-
claration of principles. 1t simply be-
lleved that every man was entitled to
the fruits OF his own labor, and that a
man had the right to transform the
products he raised on his lands into any
kind OF merchandsable goods. Assert
ing this right, the constitution pro-
cee&ed to condemn the power OF any
government to interfere with man In
distilling his whiskey from his own
corn or grains, and to make that con-
demnation more effective the members
took an oath to shielG ana protect each
other, and never to help the revenue
tfli :ers in their detective work.
The organization rapidly increased
In numbers, and as its power developed
It's acts became less and less responsi-
BILE. From concealing illicit stills from
revenue officers, furnishing bail for
captured moonshiners, and In with
holding all evidence possible at trials,
the members OF the organization boldly
advanced several steps further In their
criminal career. They began to re-
move people f:om the country whose
existence there was not considered
Dnn1 hn
pie who were known to be hostile to
the interests OF the union we're some
times visited in the night by masked
men, who insisted upon inllictng pun.
lshments that are not recognized by
the laws OF Georgia.
In short time the high handed pro-
cecdings OF the powerful organization
terroriZcd the country. The name was
changed from the Liquor Dealers
Union to that of the Regulators. 1t
stands by this name today. IL you 20
up among the mountains of Georgia
and ask u man who looks like typical
moonshiner anything about the Regu-
lators, he will tell you that there Is no
such thing. But he will scrutinze you
carefully, and before you get out of the
mountains you can depend upon it that
unseen eyes are watching every move
ly shadowed, but il you do nothing
further to excite suspicion everything
will be we'll But it does not pay to be
too inquisitive. Nobody will tell you
anything about the new Kuklux be-
cause everyone fears It's power. A
member would just as soon think OF
taking poison as to expose It's secrets,
and non-member knowing something
about the society would be afraid to
whisper word against it unless he
was positive that the inquirer was u
stranger and not likely to inform others
OF his sayings.
But In one way and another secrets
OF tho organization have leaked out.
The Courts for years in many counties
OF Georgia were rendered powerless by
the organization. Witnesses were
spirited away jurles were packed with
with members OF the modern Kuklux
even Judges were elected to the b. ncu
who affiliated with the unlawful body,
and men perjured themselves on the
stand TO prevent the conviction of a
Regulator for some deed performed in
the interest OF the organization.
Not all OF the members OF the Rcgu-
lators are 80 willingly; they joined out
Of self-protectiOn. There are self.re-
spectlng members to-day who deplore
the present state OF affairs, but to save
their property and even their lives
they remain active members. The
great bulk OF the membership is made
up OF rough, brutal and unprincipled
men, who have adopted this means OF
forwarding their own private ends. A
private grudge that RegulstO tor may
have against an innocent neighbor who
does not belong to the organization Is
often made the excuse for midnight
whipping, or even death.
Three years ago man named Jim
Chastain was arrested and brought into
Atlanta, and, according to his own
story, he was a member OF the Regula-
tors, which he described as an oath
bound organization in Murray County,
extending into Gilmer, Whitfield and
Gordon. AT that time Deputy Marshal
Tom Wright, who enjoyed q savorous
reputation in spite of his Office, took
the prisoner before the district at
torney, into whose ears he related the
| first actual facts that were made pub
lie about the Regulators. Chastain
said that the organization numbered
about eight hundred, and that they
worked together like one man. They