Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-07-19
Moonshiners Did Much
Business in Piscataquis.
Nothing New in Recent Discov-
cries by the Officers.
Since the COS Willimantic and Vicinity
Has Been the Scene Of the Illicit
Manufacture of "Smoke"-How the
Business Started.

Monson, Ne. July 1S.-(SpeciaD-Now
that the people of the county are pretty
well wrought up over the discovering Of
"moonshin-rs" within its borders
there has been much talk and many
tales have been told Of the old times
when it is alleged those gentry used to
prosper in the vicinity of Williamantic.
1t is said that just after the Civil
War there We're violators of the law
without number cOngregated at
Willlamantic where at that time they
were pretty safe from the officers of
tn, law. 1t is understood that the set
t!ement started just before the break
ing ulIi of the war. somewhere in the
sos that Il party of three men struck
Onawa during the month of June. one
OF these men was an Italian while the
other two seemed to be Americans. At
that time il was whispered that the
II 10 W..r" escaped convictS from some
prison across the line in Canada.
They built for themselves a camp of
logs and used what boards and lumber
they could pick up from the nearby
alleged, was built with holes, or rather
loophoies with covers attached un-
doubt-tlly to be used for defending the
camp in case it WAS attacked from out
side by officers or any other hostile per
son.
This camp ard its inmates was first
seen by a party OF residents from
Elliottsville who were hunting in that
vicinity. They came upon the camp
suddenly Will" the three owners Were
| lting close to the door. They seemed
much startled ana all but on" OF the
men went inside. This man. however.
| held his ground and waited while the
peoItl. rom EIliottsvile approached.
The visitors tried to get him to tell
who he was and where he came from
Eut not word along that line would n.
say and hardly more than passed tn"
time of day.
AS soon as the F,lliottSville party
started away from the camp he too en-
I, red and ut once closed the door be
hind him. The finding Of the camp
and It's three suspicious occupants wI;
som, hing Of Il surprls'- l." the other
party. This party of E!liottsvllle was
headed by Il well known resident Of that
ll;Eution who has di' Il not a great
Whit, since. ANA who WIS noted as Il
hunter ANA traprrr. This party went
to 'h.ir homes ana told their neighbors
Of what they had seen. There WAS
then quite IL lot of ok, iteU"nt O"ca-
stoned bv the story. Some did not be-
li.vr il while others Ncte for organizing
:: posse and making the strange trio
give AN account of themselves. Moth
! ing WAS done, however, and things
, moved along in about ihe same Old
manner.
About three weeks after the first dis
ruvcry Cf the newcomers by the FL
! liuttS> lille people Il story was told 81
! strange doings at the camp of the
Strangers. 4 hunter who happened to
! come ul'on the camp during the eve
ing SAW bright lights burning ana
creeping close to the window to see
what WAS taking place saw several
things a trifle out of the ordinary. ON
the stove was something which looked
like Il boiler with a pipe attached under
which sat Il tub full Of water. Ihis
pipe seemed to enter the tub and that
was practically all that the watching
man could see. IIe-Wrnt home ANA told
the people hat he had seen and s"V-
cral nights later several of them gath
cred about the cabin i'm the woods for
the purpose of discovering. if possible,
what the strange goingS on meant.
shortly after the arrival of the party
man was seen to leave the house ana
take M a trail which lead him to the
north in the direction of the Canadian
line. Dn his lack he carried COM
mon bag which appeared to be wei
filled The men who We're watching
were determined to find out, If posi-
hln what he was carrying and follow
ing him up they called for him TO stop.
He did so and when the E;lii"ttSvilie
party had caught up they asked HIM
the meaning of the strange appliances
at the house. and of the strange actions
of the other members Of the party.
He told them that the men were en-