The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-09-09
STORY OF A MOONSHINER'S
DEVOTION AND REFORM
His Lady-Love Killed a Man Who Siaf1dered her. ana
Was Imprisoned at Raleigh. The Scene I~aid
Principally Near Tryon City.

Jealous OF any iIdA1 eiloAAA 49,
permitted to Pay her attention But as
one after another was politely refused
If began 10 be suspected that Ralph Red
mond who came now and then to sec
Miss Lou. might to the happy man.
This idea reached Johnston. He in
yestigated the rumor and satisfied him
self that II was t~ue. Johnston knew
that it Was reported that Redmond was
a moonshinor. and 4 special effort brought
forth positive Information that Ralph
had been running a moonshine distlllcry
for several years. but his plant was 50
we'll hidden in Tho Tryon mountains that
the revenue Officers had never boon atle'
10 detect hil. The necessary informa
ton was furnished Special Agent =. tt.
Nanderfcrd Of Salisbury, \. G. and this
visilant officer laid his plans 50 Well
that he caught Redmond and several 81
his helpers rcdhanded With the still run
ming at full blast. They were al tried
and sent on TO the Federal grand jury
ct AsheVillc.
At this iuncture the older Redmond
came upon the scene of action. lie knew
it would not do to permit his klnSman
and friend to be convicted and sent to
the penitentiary (they We're all linked to-
gether in the business} and he feared
that some of the others might turn trial
tors and tell the Who'll story, that would
involve 100 men and women in the VIOLA
tion CT the law. So one dark, rainy night,
when the wind was blowing a hurricane
and the water was descending in streams
and everybody in Columbus town was in
bed and asleep, Rdmond, senior, and
twenty of his best friends, all armed and
equipped for battle, entered the town,
quietly surrounded the Jail, and in a few
minutes Ralph Redmond and all his
friends were making tracks for the crags
and Businesses of the Tryon mountains.
Ralph Redmond was now a marked
man and a reward was offered for his
capture. He was no more seen in Tryon
City. Now and then, in the darkness,
he would come into the town to see Miss
Paris for a short time, and then return
to his den in the mountains. His en-
forced absence gave Johnston a clear
field. He renewed his suit, and Miss
Paris treated him as if he had not ad-
dressed her heretofore.
In the meantime. the friends Of Red
mond had not been idle. They had salts
fed themselves hat johnson had turned
informer and had furnished the Informal
ton to Vanderford on which Redmond
and his friends had been arrested and
jailed and the distillery broken up. Miss
Paris was informed Of this fact. and she
was fearfully wrought up. When John
ston made his next visit he was charged
with treachery to Redmond and was
shown the door and advised not to return
unless he was sent for.
Johnston now became desperate. His
love turned to hate and he endeavOred to
destroy the character of Miss Paris by
- 1-l - - H.
town. His declarations were soon made
knoV.l to Miss Paris and she sent him q
note asking him to call and see her. H
came promptly and she saw him on the
front porch, and after telling him of the
lies he had TOLD on her, she plunged a
p~en-knife into his bosom, and Johnston
died at her feet in a few minutes.
Miss Paris did not show any emo
ton when she saw Johnston breathe his
last. She appeared perfectly indifferent
and expressed no regret for her hasty
and fatal act. She was committed TO jail
without bail and was sent to Henderson
Vile for safe-keeping to prevent her
rescue by Ralph Redmond and his friends.
At the next term of the Superior court,
with Judge Boykin presiding, Miss Paris
was indicted for murder. She was rem
resented by the ablest lawyers who at
tended that court, and by their advice
she pleaded guilty of murder in the sec
ond degree and was sentenced to the
penitentialy at Raleigh, y. c., for fifteen
years. The acceptance Of this plea was
an act Of mercy on the part Of the prose
cutting attorney, because the State could
have easily proven reconciliation and de-
liberation to commit the murder. and if
she had gone to trial she would have
been convicted of murder in the first de-
gree, and the pardon of the governor
could only nave saved her from death By
the hangman.
She was carried to the penitenfiarv at
raleigh and there confined. With SNORT
hair and coarse striped clothes She as
sisted IN Washing, mending and making
garments for the other conYicts. and rre-
Seh1ed quite q inherent appearance 10
what she did as the belle Of Tryon CITY.
enc was exceedingly cheerful all the
Nhlle, and said she did not regret WHAT
she had done; that her reputation as .
vlrtuous and honest woman was more
than life to her, and that under tho
same circumstances she would take tba
life Of any MAJ who bv s1andar
TO destroy her good name and reputatioo
ana make her an outcast on society
IN the meantime Ralph Redmond kant
=. -. hbDt
n hldlng III the raggy cliffs of old Tryon
ana MS relatives and friends bro1e,r
MN the news Of the murder of Jobnsto,
dAu q the punishment of his sweetheart
iidd she peen confined in the Jail Of Polk
county Redmond and 100 of his friends
noula nave destroyed the jail house from
euIFel 10 foundation stone, in thor
e1forts to have liberated Miss Lou.
As soon as Miss Lou was ramorod -
tne prison near Raleigh Redmond left
houh'alhs ana went to Raleign
where he had never hoon boforo -
therefore was entirely unknown ua 49,
recofnmended to a lawyer. who Lon+ IL
aeeiel' ana through him he found wor,-
iHl5 lawyer was a friend of Miss p.r,i.
qua was engaged by the rescue circle =,
the klngs Daughters to lool af+or 49,.
interests while she was IN nn;ean
through the assistance of the avvo
tits AfI1E M