The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-03-22

share OF the proceeds when he regain
ed his liberty. at the next term q
court he would appear as witness
while one OF his fellow. .cOnspiratOrt
took his place in the prisoners dock
and the work went merrily on. II Ii
thought that this method OF swtndling
the government has now been largely
che ckcd, but many insignificant case;
still consume tho time OF the cOurt'
and increase their expenses.
In the court room the mOOnshincl
does not appear to advantage. Here
unless something Of unusual interest
| is going on, the scene Is dull enough
Tne day is warm and many Of the
spectators are doing in their seats
The lawyers, the jurors, and the wit
nesscs look not and tired. Only the
defendant in the prisoners box is
wideawake and anxious. AS the wit
nesscs take the stand one may find
some interest in noting their Deculia-
rifles Of dress and speech. Many OF
tho men wear no coats, their only gar.
ments'being shirt Of "hickory stripe
and Il pair OF hCmcspun jean trousers
cOpDeras breeches - in tho mountain
vernaCular. Some OF the Younger
ones are DarcfOoted. The women one
sees are unattractive, sallOw, wrinklcd
and bent with hard labor st the plow,
the hoe, and the loom. Even among
the girls, a. rosy, blooming face is sci
dom scon. AS a rule the witnesses arc
cool and self possessed. They muy be
ignorant, but they do not lack sense
and shrewdness.
the best way to study the moun,ainccr
is to visit him in jail, after the court
has adjourned and his friends have
gone home. He is thou much more
ready TO respond to advances from
strangers and TO answer the questions
OF the curious. Av first, however, he
Is suspicious and reticent; but once
convinced that you are actuatod mere
ly by scientific curiosity and that you
are not q secret emissary OF tue de-
spiscd revenues" he will be perfectly
willing to talk.
The Greenville jail is strongly built
The cells arc closed with steel graf
ings drawn across the doorwuys by
means Of q screw and u crank operated
from the outside. The only windows
arc narrow Sits in the wall, covered
with heavy wire netting. After 8
session Of the court the building is
crowded. Prisoners are there await.
Ing the transportation to other county
Jalis, and there are generally five or
oiI, whose sentences exceed one years
Imprisonment, and who will be sent TO
the Oqo state penitentiary ut Colum-
bus. This is Whist the mountaiueer
breads. a few months in the home
Jail, whore he can see his family and
lricnds and receive from them sup
plies OF food, clothing and tobacco, ls
matter OF small moment, but d trip
TO Ohio Is like g journey to the other
side, c,Of the world. He has known men
TO go there and die-the free spirit OF
the mountain man cannot stand long
confinement, steady work, and the
rigors of u Northern climate. Pneumo-
nia or consumption is apt to literato
him before his time expires.
Sometimes, however, it happons
that Oeath and Justice are both cheated.
One o. the most noted mOOnshinerS in
South Carolina, and one who vas i'm.
plicated in the killing OF several Off
GERS, was sent up to Columbus for life
After two or thrca years lmprison-
ment 1t was thought that he was dying
with consumption, and the president
pardOned him in order that he might
die at home. That WAS ten or twelve
years ago. But today Ma jor Redmond,
hale and sound, Is still making whis.
key In licensed distillery in Wal
halla, little mountain town in South
Carolina. a famous brand of "moun-
tain dew " Is sold under his name, and
his lithograph portrait adorns the
heads OF the barrels.
From the outside of the jail the visi-
tor can see the sad and wistful faces
OF the prisoners pressed against the
netting Of the narrow windows, and
here he will sometimes meet their
friends who have come to converse
with them. In one OF the middle cells
on the lower floor the grating has been
cut with q file, leaving an opening
large enough 10 admit a hand and
pint bottle of whiskey or other small
article, and the prisoners fud it u
great convenience. In return for the
favor Of their conversation they some
times ask the outsider" for tobacco,
whiskey or newspapers, Or request him
to write letters for them to wives,
friends. and swcothearts at home.
Hsroi it may be- remarked, is one Of
the few places where one may hear
the we 'uns" and you 'uns' so
often quoted by writer's Of alleged
Southern dialect.
The jail h8s it's traditions, and these
are knOwn to all the mountaincers. 1t
is SO strongly built that nothing short
of dynamite could effect an exit, but
yet there have been prisoners who es-
capped. The most noted of these was
Little Bill " Howard. He was 8
stppHl young fellow, Of medium size,
rough in manner, and surly in speech,
and no one supposed him capable OF
planning to escape as he did. His
story 10 only ono oxemplilcation of the
truth, which officers Of. the law fully
recognize, that the mOuntaireer is not
such fool as he looks.
Howard was, covicted Of tho murder
Of q man named Ross, who WAS sup.
posed to be an informcr, and was sen
fenced to bo hanged. He made his
escape only few weeks before The
.imc set fUr his execution. 1t is. or
was, q custom in Grecnville to permit
the wives OF prisoners TO visit them in
jail and sometimes to spend the mig ht.
On this occasion How8rds wife, a
stout young woman, vas brought by
her fatherlnlaw to spend day and
night in jail With her husband. AS he
lived thirty miles up the mountains,
the old man wished TO start home very
early In the morning. So before il
was fairly daylight tNe old iailer was
| called ND to Let ont M Howur1 IL