The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-08

with that OF the mill mousse anu wac P"N
up against the hill aud was simply an
ordinary chimney. From where the top
of the ground struck the chimney 10 lhe
foundation of the millhouse was hlteeli
feet. The dam was built IN the usual
wav to a rise of fifteen feet, ana theh
TO preyent logs from catching on the
dam a pIank bed six feet wide was pullt
to aid the logs over the dam.
AWAITED EVENTS.
About sundown of the second day Miss
Mines was seen coming out of the mill
acofp As soon as it was dark the Of
fcers effected an entrance and awaited
events In about two hours Miss Mines
and a man by the name of Tilly came
into the mill. The officers did not dis
turb them. but watched to see where
they went. They went down to the
foundation of the mill and walked along
beside the foreboy and through the water
as it poured over the dam and then I'M
der the dam, and then disappeared and
did not return. The officers remained in
the mill until nearly daylight and then
returned to the woods. Early in the
morning Mines and Tilly came out and
went off. AS soon as it was dark the
officers went into the mill and went
under the dam AS soon as they got
under the dam they noticed in the hill
something that looked like a door, but
It was securely locked and the officers
could not get it open. mere was de-
feat; what now to do? The officers as
yet had no tangible evidence of a "block-
ade still" They went back into the
mill and wet some flour into paste and
took an impression of the keyhole and
then returned to the city of Raleigh
Immediately they had key made from
the impression, and, taking T. f. Brock
well, a locksmith, with them they re-
turned to the scene of their search.
They found the river full of ducks and
the water covered with corn bran. From
this sign the officers knew that the still
must be running in full blast. They
watched all day from the hill and saw
the black heavy smoke pouring out of
the chimney. About night Mines and
Tilly came out and went off. The Of
ficers and Mr.. Brockwell tried the key
Mr.. Brockwell had made. 1t did not fit,
but after considerable labor with Brock
wells tools, the key did its work and
showed an entrance Under the ground.
ENTERED A TUNNEL.
All entered and closed and locked the
door and took the key out tunnel
about six feet long was found, which
led into room twenty-five feet long and
twelve feet wide. The excavation had
been made and the dirt thrown into the
river, and with plank from the saw
mill the opening had been walled UP as
it had been made.
In the large room was complete
whiskey distillery The water for the
still was taken from the dam, and was
run back into the river below the dam
and the Stops from the still were turned
Off in the same way. An additional
chimney had been built to the other end
and covered up with earth, into this was
run the furnace that ran the still. About
the middle of the room was a tunnel up
through the ground into the heavy cane
alongside the dam, which served as
ventilator, in addition to the door under
the dam, which was always left open at
night when the still was running.
The officers were heavily armed and
they hid themselves the best they could
behind the still house paraphernalia to
await the return of the moonshiners.
They knew that desperate by the name
of Chas. Pearce, who had been convicted
and put in the pententiary for four
| years, and who had escaped, was in the
neighborhood, and they expected he was
interested in the still, and that he might
return with Mines and Tilley. In about
two hours the officers heard the door
open and in walked Mines. The officers
did not show themselves, and Mines
/ threw off her rubber cloths, which she
! wore to protect her from the water
| pouring over the dam. She then COM
menced to kindle up the fire under the
| furnace when the officers exposed them
! selves.
HULDAH'S FIRST REMARK.
Mines looked at them in utter con-
| sternation and as soon as her power Of
! speech returned she said:
We'll, WELL well / have been run
ming this still for ten years and / never
| expected you to find it," Huldah said the
| distillery was the handiwork of man
who had been dead several years She
/ was asked what became of the whiskey
| they made. She got up, took a keg,
| pulled it to the door, put it in the river,
| turned it loose, saying: you will find
| that keg in a few minutes at landing
place about four hundred yards down the
river, where it is taken out" Hare
winked at Perkins and Huldah caught the
| wink and said: 81 see you have been
TO the landing" The officers waited I'M
til nearly daylight in the distillery, but
no one came and they left and brought
Huldah to Jail. So much for Huldahs
blockade distillery."
AS they rode to Raleigh Huldah asked
the officers if they knew how Charley
escaped from the penitentiary, and then
she told this story:
"You remember that Charley Pearce,
soon after he was put in the penitentiary.
was made a trusty and was put to mind
ing the drove of cows beyond the prison
walls at Raleigh Charley was not being
punished much, but he pinned for the
dark corner and his blockade still. He
sent me word to come and see him and
to bring citizens suit of clothes. /
went and he told me what day to return,
and that he wanted me to put on his
striped suit of clothes and mind the
cows in them all day while he made
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