The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-28
OLD MOONSHINER
HELD FOR TRIAL
COMMISSIONER HEARD CASE
AGAINST HENRY COLLINS, COLOR
ED, YESTERDAY MORNING.

| Old Man Arrested On Edge OF
swamp On OhOopee River-His
Wife Became An Unconscious In
formant - Volunteer Informant
would Not Lead officers Unless
Given Ten DOlIars-OId Man Was
In Bed When Officers Arrived.
An old gray-haired. negro, Henry
Collins, faced United States Commits
sioner W. r. Hewlett yesterday morn
ing on a charge OF Illicit distilling OF
liquor.
The evidence against the old man
was overwhelming and the commits
sioner held him for the federal grand
jury. Bond in the sum of 500 was
furnished and the accused returned to
his home, about ten miles beyond Col
Inns.
The arrest was made by Deputy
United States Marshal J. Ben Wilson,
and Deputy Internal Revenue Collector
Theo. Basch, on evidence furnished by
white man. who. from his actions
later, informed on the old man in the
hope of being paid for his services.
Marshal Wilson, in company with
Deputy Collector Basch, left Savan-'
nah on Monday morning. returning late
the same night.
AT Collins they were driven to the
home of the man who had promised TO
guide them to the distillery. and here
the first of their troubles began. The
real motive that actuated the in
formant cropped out when he refused
to lead them until they had placed IN
his hand $40. the price he charged
for selling the secret of the old man.
Arguments were in vain and promises
of payment afterwards failed to bulge
him, and the officers went alone. The
talk of the informant had given them
some slight clues as to the where
abouts of Collins home, and they be-
gan driving in this direction, following
as closely as possible the Ohoopee
river.
On Edge of Big swamp.
AS they drove along the winding
country road, heavily fringed with
bushes, they passed party after party
and the officers were thus directed to-
ward the Collins home. Finally they
met an old negro woman. When asked
if she knew where Henry Collins lived
she answered promptly:
"'Spec's 1 does. Ise Henry's 'oom-
an" Then she gave minute directions
for the finding of the home. The Off
GERS offered to give the old woman a
ride, but she declined, stating that she
had some business farther down the
road and was used to walking.
on the edge of a great stretch of
swamp land, surrounded by small
garden, they found the Collins home.
Tho and nUnrWthinpy
about the property pointed to the fact
that it was the home of a carpenter.
Without ceremony the officers en-
tered and found the old man, who is
past the 60-year mark, lying on a small
couch and claiming he had a chill. His
eyes never left the officers, and when
Deputy Marshal Wilson stepped out in
the rear, the old fellow grinned at the
other officers and seemed to know just
what was wanted of him.
Wife Arrived On Scene.
Just outside the rear door of the
little rough built cottage was the
still, made of two gallon lard cans
and long copper coil. Besides it stood
a small jug of 'moonshine."
When the marshal returned to the
house and announced that Collins
would have to get up and come to Sa-
vannah the old man, though badly
frightened, managed to grin and then
said, as he prepared to leave:
''Kindo' knowed what wuz gwine
t. happen when 1 seed yo' all prod
jickin' roun' dis yere old place"
AS he spoke the wife arrived on the
scene, filled with interest in the two
visitors she had met on the road.
When she learned what had happened
there was a loud howl and much weep
ing, but all to no avail.
stands Well With NeighbOrs.
The old man stands in high repute
among his neighbors. He had no diff
ficulty in borrowing sufficient money
from a white farmer living nearby to
purchase a ticket home from Savan
nah and the. same gentlemen informed
the officers that he would go on the old
mans bond for any amount. The old
woman was then taken to place
where she would be safe during the
night and the officers and their pris-
oner left for Savannah.
Before the commissioners Collins
stated he was making the liquor only
for his own use and that it took him
an entire night to manufacture one
gallon Excuses were unavaiiing,.
however, and, as stated, he was found
over for trial. Bond was promptly
furnished and the negro returned to
his little home. Collins is a carpenter
and basket maker and has always liv-