The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-04-13
A FAMILY OF MOONSHINERS.
Father, Sons, Daughters aud Their
Husbands Make 10000 Gallons

husD"uus MoAo oO,VOV oohonos
Harrison Gibson and his three sons,
Jack, Browniow and Hanney, probably
four Of tie most notorious II CONSUMERS
in kentucky, are serving sentences in
the county jail. Confined In the same
section of cells are Joe Stsmper and will
liam Madden, sons-in.law Of Gibson.
Fleming Gibson, a fourth son, was re-
GENTLY released from Jail after serving a
sentence for violating the internal reve
nue. laws and Henry Gibson, another
member Of the notorious family, was ar
rested not long ago IN Jackson county
for moonshininR, but was released.
Harrison Gibson estimates that he and
his five sons have made no less than 60 :
coo gallons Of whisky on whioh not a
cent Of revenue was ever: paid to the
governments. He further computes that
be and his family have realized between
$40. COO and $50 600 from tie distilIatIon
OF the whisky.
The seat Of operations OF the Gibson
family is in Jackson and Clay counties.
Harrison Gibson says hs has teon arrest
cd so many times for moonshining that
he ,ouId not say exactly how many times
he has blen tried tefore the FeceraI CON-
missioners and In the United States
courts. Jack. Brownlow and Hsnney
Gibson have served six terms each, while
"Flirnsy" and Henry have escaped be-
ing arrested msre than two or three
times.
Joe Stamper and william Madden.
who married two of Gibson's daughters,
arc hoth expert moonshiners, and are re-
garded as dangerous men. Their wives
are also skilled in tn, art of making
"doublin. ana disposing of the whisky
and help to battle the Federal authorities.
When seen In bis cell at the jail yester-
day afternoon. Harrison Gibson said:
"Yaas I think I am the real king of
tho kentucky sinners. 1 am nigh on to
60 years OILS, and have been making the
stuff ever sincs was a boy 13 years old.
have made enough of 1t tn float the
battleship that blowed up. hev had
let's Of scraps with the Inarshals, but
kin say one thing, lev get my first
TINA to shout one OF EN-. ! hev shot at
EN-, unOuGD, Uub eOlno WaV VOtneI tne
bullets never hit right.
"Now, brought them boys up, )" con.
tinued the old man. Ito make whisky.
When Jack was but years old l took
him to the still with me. Within three
days that boy understood the tiz thor
oughly md could make 'doublins' to
fare-you-w we'll When he was II yfars cid
he wss az good a'shinsr as his "a, and
the mar shals arrested him and took HIM
to jail. made the other boys learn, too.
Brown low, Hanpey, Fiinney and Henry
wuz right up to stuff before they we're IS
years cid, and could turn out gallons of
the stuff without me even goin' around
to see how thsy wuz Rettin' along. ally
gals took their medicine. too. i made
'em all learn. What's the use OF havin'
children, anyway, IL yez tan't use 'em? !?
Ny old wcman understands 'shinin just
M we'll as 1. All my sons are raj ,in'
children, and I'm going to see that they
follow the husiress Of their arsndpap or
krow the reason why. We'll all te out
again soon, snd we'll make enough corn
juice 10 hocd KENTUCKY. II we don't
make it thty'tl arrest us anyhow. -
l. on uisville Courier-J ournal.