The Dolores star., 1903-09-11
FOUND In A CAVE
Kentuo,y omoers Discover q Moon
sinners Ohtflt
A Crooked whisky Dlstallsry . uiIs
Under GRound-sUoeess Of
. Desperate Cnaef.
-. taktAG.

When soma weeks oeo. Deputy Col
lector j. C. Wilson. Of Harrodsburg, KY,
and Deputy Tom Austin. Of Lancaster,
quietly perfected plans to visit Rock
castle county and raid the moonshiners
still in what il known as Salt Petre
cave, they did not dream of the find
they would make. This cave is situated
on Crooked creek. in one of the widest
sections of country to be found in Ken
lucky, and has long been known as a
rendezvous Of the worst cIass OF law
breakers, and for this reason has always
been given a wide berth by government
men, none Of whom ever dared explore
it. When they began their preparations
for the raid they were warned by soms
who were familiar with the desperate
character of the outlaws to forego the
undertaking. but this they refused to
do.
One morning the posse left Livingston
station, on the Knoxville branch OF the
Louisville & Nashville railroad, and.
utter @ ride that lasted until nine that
night, arrived at the cave. Entering the
hole in the side of the mountain they
traversed q distance OF 600 feet and
came to narrow detile which they
were compelled to pass in single file,
and which led them into spacious
apartment. Al the further side OF th.
chamber wss an opening that led down
ward TO q depth OF 80 feet, the bottom
OF which they reached by means OF 3
POLE placed there for that purpose by
those who utilized the cave for their
unlawful purposes.
Reaching the tottom. the passage led
them straight forward for quarter Of
mile, where they were again com
PEELED to go down so feet on q crude lad
der: thence there WAS a gradual descent
for nearly half mile. and then the way
led upward for fully GOO feet, which was
easily ascendei by means OF steps cut
in the dirt
From the top Of these stepe straight
and level passage led them for fully 200
feet. and from there on, for about the
same distance, the way again led down
n gradual incline Then for coo or 100
Yards q level and smooth path led to
another chamber, where the officers
found a clear spring Of sparkling water,
and within few feet thereof WAS q
trough filled with water. and within q
few feet of the trough wos found a
moonshine still in d furnace Of the
finest masonry. The capacity Of this
still was 100 gallons with eight fer
menting tubs Of 500 gallons, each full Of
new mash and ready for operation, and
leaning against the wall here were
found four Winchester rifles.
The distillery apparatus was de-
'stroyed and the firearms confscated.
Proceeding 100 yards further another
still of the same capacity was found,
and near by three Winchesters, which
were also taken
Between these two stills in an out
of-the-way corner Of the chamber, was
found box containing the bones Of two
skeletons, while the bones OF another
lay by the side Of the box. The off,
GERS also found evidence that the place
is frequented by q gang Of counter
feiters. 1t is the opinion of the revenue
men that these bones are the remains
of some government officers who had
met instant death Mt the hands OF the
outlaws, or of members OF their gang
who had betrayed them, or who they
feared would give their secrets away,
and. acting on the theory that dead
men tell no tales, had murdered them,
or that they might be the bones of those
who had met death in battles with the
officers.
There were many side passages lead
ing devious ways, and the officers be-
lieve that if they had continued through
the cave they would have found another
opening that led to the outer world.
They were disposed To explore more OF
this cavern, but their guide, John Null
Inns. fearless mountaineer, warned
them that If they valued their lives
they should get out OF the vicinity. as
they had destroyed the stills, the
news Of which would 90 abroad the next
day. Capt. Wilson shys Imagination
cannot picture the wonders of the place,
and that if anyone who will visit the
cave finds it different from his descrip-
tion, they can draw on him for their
expenses.
Capt. Wilson is the man who led the
party OF revenue men in Perry county
about year ago who were compelled
to put the mountaineers' wives and chill
dren before and behind them on their
horses in order to get out of the am
buscade of moon sinners, who would not
shoot for fear of killing their own flesh
and blood.-Lo1isvil1e Post.