The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-04-25
THE CITY MOONSIIINER.
Gives Moro Trouble Than the Mountain
DiStiller.
NcU l0rL; TrTLun, -.

thing Of the kind was going on. In
fact it was next to impossible to run
down den of this character. BY the
mcrcst chance one Of our men saw an
Italian carrying sack on his shoulder
and thought the contents looked like u
jug. He followed him to saloon but
did not go inside. When the Italian
came out the officer tracked him
down to the houscboat. Although
he had no positive evidence that
the Italian was engaged in making
wildcat whiskey, he reported the
matter to headquarters, and raid was
made.
"The arrest might have been made
without any disturbance if the Italians
had not been drunk and quarrel;ng
among themselves. There were only
three Of US, while there were eight Of
the distillers. When we got on board
the boat the alarm was given, and We
had t. break in the door. On getting
inside we found more knives flashing
than would be displayed at the de-
nouement Of Corsican vendetta, and
we had to use our pistols. AS re-
suit we were pretty badly slashcd up
and three Italians were killed. That
was fully fifteen years ago, and it
taught the illicit distillers such a les
son that they have come to the con-
clusion that it is better to throw up
their hands than TO add more crimes
to the list in an effort to get away. At
present the officers have Jersey City
pretty we'll in hand, and the business
is not very profitable.
DIspOsING OF THE PRODUCT.
There is no doubt that there would
be money in illicit distilling if it were
possible to dispose of the product.
That is where the men get caught most
of the time, as it is not possible for US
to locate every plant merely by the
scent of the fermcnting mash. A
great many cute tricks are planned,
and some of them work for awhile, but
they don't last. I have seen men
walking along the street With an inno-
cent-looking joint of stovepipe in their
hands. Now, there is nothing sus-
picious about joint of stovepipe,
even if it is not more than three feet
long. But it does not weigh much,
and when man carries it as though
he were Juggling bag Of shot, man
In my business begins to wonder what
is inside Of it. We cont bother the
fellow until we are pretty certain,
aud il 10 about even chances that
we find long, slim demijohn inside
the pipe.
"Saloon-koepors are pretty shy Of
handling moonshine, and they won't
enter into negotiations unless they
arc certain Of the men with whom they
are dealing. The surest graft that has
ever been worked was ono that had
long run in New York City about FIVE
years ago. The driver Of brewery
wagon was the man who attempted the
distribution. He called at the saloon
where the whiskey was distilled, and
carried the moonshine out in beer
kegs and loaded them on hiu wagon, as
if he were only taking away empty
casks. He would take them around
to the places and leave them. The
saloon n-keepers who were handling the
stuff always put beer in the kegs after
they had emrtisd out the whiskey,
and in this way deadened the fumes of
the stronger liquor. One Of our men
who was inspector at the brewery had
o pretty keen nose, and he suspected
that something was wrong. He start
ed little Investigation himself and
his inquiries resulted in our mailing all
Of the men who had been mixed up in
the deal.
WHISKEY WITHOUT u STILL.
81 do not pretend TO say that the
revenue officers can stop the manufac-
ture or sale Of whiskey on which the
government tax has not been paid.
All Of tho whiskey that goes down the
throat of the topper is not the product
Of the still. In most oil saloons that
cater to high.olass trade the red IL
quor is largely adulterated. There
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