The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-06
VISIT TO M%oONSHINERS.
a DRUMMER SEES AN ILLICIT STILL
IN OPERATION.
He IL Forced to Pokn UP tho stin Fire So
ms To Make Him Particeps CrIminis-No
Lives Have Been Lost in the Revenue
Onicrra, AttemptA to Find the still.

OhHNciH hNAtWHNh W u wv Stil
Did you ever visit an Illicit dlstillery. where
the operators were armed to the teeth and
where the life Of a revenue officer was held Of
no more value than that OF a squirrel ~ asked
the travelling man OF the smoking room COM
pany on the northbound train.
Nobody had, although one man admitted
making n try at IL the last time his business
took him South. Then the travelling man. who
was young and good looking and talked with
the twang peculiar to Kcntuckians. resumed:
"Ive been three years building up n trade
back In the West Virginia mountains. and on
my first trip | made an effort to get out among
tho moonshincrs, Just for the experience. /
failed dlsmally. and every effort after that was
in vain up to two weeks ago. when. through the
friendship OF n mountain storckeeper. who il
himself IN to the neck in the Illicit distilling
business, l managed TO get out among these
people for a night, and it was an experience,
although II may sound somewhat common
place in the telling.
There are parts OF West Virginia where the
people are scarcely civilized. but they wear
clothes, which was the thing that took me out
amoagthem. II generally takesme from three to
five weeks TO make my round 10 this country and
on my first trip l was regarded with suspicion
everywhere. knew that Illicit distilling was
the chief industry Of the region and / knew
that the arrival OF n stranger in any part of it
was known everywhere as fast as messengers
could carry tho news. So / went straight
about my business. sold a few bills of goods.
suggested to n storekeeper that he show mo
how whiskey was made. only to be met with
the solemn declaration that mono was made In
that vicinity. and worked out the rest of my
trip without incident.
"Eight months later / went over this Same
ground aud met with a more cordial reception.
You see the goods that ! had sold had been de-
livered promptly. and this fact had gone n long
way to convince the natives that J. was a
business man and not a revenue spy. My friend
the storekeeper. whom 1 have already men
toned. actually shook hands with me when /
l mentioned the subject OF q visit TO a still
See here, young man. he said. don't be n
poke their noses into what don't concern them
sometimes get into troubleP
but that it was only the experiences / sought.
WA | vas not a Spy. said, and could be trusted;
me mel should hoe di Savs a ot drink II E's Of 'n moon ms EFSM Mhisl
key, and that afternoon he took me out two
miles into the woods. whore. We came to a small
walked me q hgaaared yards back II the
disappeared and in It's place on the, stump was
right here l want to give you all a tip never TO |
touch moonshine whiskey unless there's plenty
Oh wafer dU nHnu. III nearly burned Une lining |
out of my stomach. it was so strong. You see.
it's the absolutelyp pure product, but it made me
a i iTbi Sel ,i : In n1a the adulte craft IN Of spirits is
curious to observe the workings of, a still, but
my friend. the. storekeeper. was obdurate and
more / left this interesting region without hav-
ing g chance to study its principal Industry.
nuai trip. resolved to see one OF these "stliis'
or bust. I reached the store Of my friend two
There was . rough looking crowd Of men around
his place, al armed with Winchester rifles. and
a shey a iGSsfq my az host @s fi Il he HADN'T IKE" changed / m y his is
mind about showing me a still. He gave me n
hard look, and 2 little later. when the rest had
Skin Td better not talk about. stills before
strangers, didn't again. but kept at him I'M
it j. don'tEnow to this day. but made my visit
ana @A thi about rs TR ! o' enphei in the evening. while I
was sorting out my samples. the storekeeper
be a hunting outft. He set his rifle in a corner
OF the room, sat down on the edge OF my bed.
the boys tonight. You needn't act any diff
fereen m, when you meet them than you do usual;
what you see is for your eyes alone. You un-
ever It s wes oq T. Of sst the bl iS ms p PbsR xd ! haze EsSs
around the side of that mountain. cutting our
way through the underbrush. for an hour. |
my'Guide,s difficulty, in finding his way to the
still; and I'm yet OF the same opinion. But we
fFisnd s saSesSesd ana that I P%T Pstiref to 20 q POINT g nt'SS 81 tRs
side Of it Then walking about q hun
put prfu his hfs' h haHds to TO I his, m9 9SGn and md gave. l9~s;
q Ions. drawn-Put call that cannot Iike9
it three, times. then picked up his gun
and walked over to me. just as he reached
% Rafd E sq IF EisSs.. 2ed sounded Pt gse@s right ts md in no %y s GSSFii
/ jumped a foot in the air; the voice startled
me SO; turned around and saw q young, fel-
his Gsit, a Pistol in his hip pocket and a u, ride ie
over his shoulder; He must have been trailing
There was, scarcely a word between my
started away up the mountain at once and l
followed. Twice we were halted by men
word from the latter and the guards ;disap--
peared in the night. leaving us 70 proceed on
S 1ndS Tay; WE M easl aS f fR%s f tbat pl f looked gReG' the the
penetrable. The young fellow found an open
Ing. however,, couldn't find it myself II. was
along a narrow path that led down the noun
tain about A sixteenth OF a mile; We came
in amazement, A little turn in the, path
brought us into an opening. In the brush and
were fully a dozen men, mosto OF them UNDERGO.
Il have heard tales OF moonshiuers in which
savages. and had expected to soc q gang OF
bearded desperadoes. / must have shown my
Smazpe99ent on my face. for one of the men
Game on us rather sudden, eh p
Hes q friend OF mine and all right. boys
said my friend, the storekeeper.
.n mds he Ssf newf r % sslId 2 man ". Who .D had not
won't object to stirring up the fire a bit. and
the man came over and. banding me a long
II took the stick andRaye the embers a good
up. AZ the light tiarsd up there was a
OF all was Zed. the storekeeper. He Just
and when turned around. a look of
burst of laughter. which SO ratified me that
threw the stick, in the fire. and stood there
wondering what was going to happen next.
Finally one OF the men stopped laughing and
at me said: Now tell, young Teller,
II looked ut him In surprise. whereupon Zed
pity on mi and, walking oyer to my side
slapped me on the back and said: He means
lust what he says. Tell! Tell what you've
seen or how you got here. You're ono of us
now
"'How the deuce-what do you mean2' l
stammoTed. very much confused.
-. We'll. you poked up the fire. didn't your
So Well. tho FIRE amt there for light, nor to