The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-04-04
GREENVILLE M00NSHINERS.
Not SO Dull as He Looks.
Axm YORK. Yimes.

'a'dt'S. toHSiu'TINg the trouble ana
risk to which he is subjected by the
opportunities Of government agents
he thinks himself fully justified in
craving from the government all the
money he can ct his hands on. Of
ten, therefore, be becomes profcs-
siol,ai witness One dollar and half
day, "ith mileage, IS no small matter
to the man who rarely sees 500
or 500 in Il gear.
1t was said a few years ago that
great abuses had arisen in the United
States courts Of the Southern noun
tain region from this source a mum
Der of men having united in a con
spiricy to dcfraud the government,
one Of the number would be reported
Tor some minor violation OF the rcye-
nue. laws, the rest summoned as wit
| ncsseS, and even when the case went
no further than the grand jury there
was money for all IF it came to trial
an acquittal was the usual result, and
the amount received by the conspira-
tors was large. But, the ways of q
jury being mysterious. in rare in
stances the defendant was convicted.
In such an event, be chccrfuly served
his two or three months in jail, re-
ceiving his share Of the proceeds when
he rcgaincd his liberty. At the next
term of court lie would appear as
witness, while one of his fcllow-con-
spirators took his place in the prison
ers dock, and the work went merrily
on. 1t is thought that this method of
swindling the government has now
been largely checked, but many insig-
niGcant eases still consume the time
OF the courts and increase their ex-
pcnses
In the court room the moonshincr
does not appear to advantage. Here,
unless something Of unusual interest
is going on, the scene is dull enough.
The day is warm and many Of the
spectators are doing in their seats.
The lawyers, the jurors, and the wit
nesses look not and tired. Only the
defendant in the prisoners box is
wide awake and anxious. AS the wit
nesses take the stand one may find
some interest in noting their peculiar
tiles Of dress and speech. Many Of
the men wear no coats, their only gar
mcnts being shirt of hickory stripe"
and a pair of homespun Jean trousers
-"copperas breeches" in the NOUN
tain vernacular. Some Of the younger
ones are barefooted. The women one
sees are unattractive, sallow, wrinkled
and bent With hard laboE At the plow,
the hoe, and the loom. Even among
the girls, rosy, blooming face is sell
dom seen. As rule the witnesses
are cool and self-possessed. They
may be ignorant, but they do not lack
sense and shrewdness.
Next to living with him in his
home, the best way to study the
mountaineer is to visit him in Jail, at
ter the court has adjourned and his
friends have gone home. He is then
much more ready to respond to ad-
vances from strangers and to answer
the questions of the curious. At first.
however. he is suspicious and reticent;
but once convinced that you are &C.
tuated merely by scientific curiosity
and that you are not secret emissary
of the despised revenues he will
be perfectly willing to talk.
The Greenville Jail is strongly built
Of hugo blocks of Kentucky limestone.
The cells are closed with steel gratings
drawn across the doorways by means
of screw and crank operated from the
outside. The only windows are mar
row Sits in the wall, covered with
heavy wire netting. Afterea session
Of the court the building is crowded.
Prisoners are there awaiting the trans
portation to other County jails, and
there are generally five or six, whose
sentences exceed one years imprison-
ment, and who will be sent TO the
Ohio State penitentiary at Columbus.
This is what the mountaineers breads.
A few months in the home Jail, where
he can see his family and friends and
receive from them supplies of food,
clothing and tobacco, is q matter Of
small moment, but trip to Ohio is
like journey to the other side Of the
world. He has known men to 90 there
and die-the free spirit of the noun
tain man cannot stand long confine-
mont, steady work. and the rignrs es
Northern climate. Pneumonia or con-
sumption is apt to liberate him before