Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-10-03
AFTER The MooNsHINERs.

AFTER THE MOONSHlNERS.
A party of officers, including Con-
stables Jenkins of Rock Hill, Hay Of
Spartanburg, Wright of Chester, and
Deputy Sheriff Quinn Of York, accom-
panied by Mr.. Haywood Moore of Rock
Hill, went into the battle-ground section
of the county last Friday night In
search Of moonshine distillers. and al
though they made no arrests they
were successful in destroying quite a
quantity Of beer and capturing some
80 or 40 gallons Of whisky.
The raid was the result Of informa-
ton that had been coming to Consta-
BILE Jenkins during several weeks. He
had pointers as to several stills that
were in operation in the vicinity, and
his information included exact loca-
tions so far as this information could
be impaired by means Of description.
He also had the names Of the parties
who were alleged to be operating the
stills, and quite a number Of other In
portant details that were calculated to
be of service in raid.
The party left Yorkville Friday night
and so timed its movements as to get
in the vicinity. of the stills at an early
hour Saturday morning; but with the
first signs of life in the neighborhood
there was evidence of a general alarm.
A man they met approaching on mule
back, turned back at the first sight OF
them and foiled all efforts at pursuit.
He lost himself in by-paths through
:he woods and was seen no more. 1t
was impossible even to follow his
trail.
Several hours afterward the officers
met two men on mules which, 1t was
evident from the gears they wore, had
been used in drawing wagon. The
men had no information to give out.
The officers proceeded in the general
direction from which the mule riders
had come, and at length stumbled upon
the site of quite an extensive distiiiery
plant. There were twelve large mash
boxes all Of them containing mash In
different stages of development, the
whole, together with the beer ready for
use amounted to more than one thou
sand gallons.
But the still was gone. The infor-
nation was that 1t was big fellow
with capacity Of eighty or eighty y-fiVe
gallons. There were evidences that II
had been moved within q few hours
before; but the trail could be followed
only a short distance through the
woods to a fence. Beyond the fence
there were no further indications as
to which way the big copper kettle had
been carried.
There are numerous old gold work.
ings in the vicinity. In fact the woods
are full Of holes, some going down to
depth Of fifty or seventy-five feet
perhaps more. The mouths of several
of these old mines were examined,
and In the case of one there were lad
ders to the bottom. Deputy Sherin
Quinn and Constable Hay undertook
to go TO the bottom Of this shaft but
after getting down 25 or 80 feet they
decided that the air was too foul to
warrant further risk.
Searching about through the woods
the officers came upon a five gallon
keg, covered with brush on the side
of the road. It had been full Of whisky
oh
Near by was a trench that had been
made by gold miners In connection
with their workings. and there were
evidences that there had been some
body in 1t recently. The officers inVes-
tigated further and proceeding along
the trench for a few yards came upon
small barrel Of whisky. 1t also had
been partly covered with brush and
leaves. The contents included some
thirty gallons or more.
Constable Jenkins had provided HIM
self with several search warrants, and
one of them had been procured with
reference to the home Of Alec Boheler
who had been especially reported In
connection with the moonshining. Bo-
heller was not at home but his wife was
and she made strenuous objection to
the entrance of the officers into her
home. They paid no attention, how
ever, and found along with a number
of measuring pots, tunnels, etc., jug
containing three gallons Of whisky
The whisky was also seized.
According to the officers who were
connected with the raid there Is con-
siderable amount Of whisky being made
in the neighborhood, and the distillers
have preponderating influence over
the people of the neighborhood. The
people are not inclined to give out any
more information than they can posi-
bly, help, fearing injury to their prop
erty OF personal violence at the hands
Of the moonshiners.