The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-04-18
KIAMACHI MOUNTAINS
SINNERS PARADISE
Existence of Stills is Known
to Officers But Hard
TO Locate

Special to Daily Leader.

Special to Daily Leader
Muskogee. Okla. April 49, There
are at least ten, and perhaps twelve
moonshine stills now running in the
eastern district of Oklahoma. They
have been running OF many years and
they will continue to run for many
more. was the startling statement
made by the marshal of the eastern
district today.
The raid of the still that was oper-
ating in the Black Knobs, east OF
Atoka last week. was something that
has been expected for long time
Perhaps a dozen different times have
been set to raid hat very still aud as
many times the icers have been
foiled It's existslre has long been
known, but it WIS hard to locate, and
harder still TO raid 1t when the men
who run Il could be caught red handed
There are other stills in the same To-
cation. They have been running Just
so long. and will probably continue 20
turn out corn whiskey for a good
many years to come.
There are moonshine stills running
all over that section OF country gen
orally referred to as the Kiamachi
mountains Marshal A. G.. Porter says
he has evidence that convinces him
that there are at least six stills run
ming there. perhaps more There is
another one somewhere near Berwyn
in the Chickasaw Nation The officers
have found lots Of evidence OF this
still. but have never been able to To-
cate &C. There is another in the Cher
okee nation southeast of Tahlequah,
run by two white men and two half
breed Indians, and while the officers
have a pretty definite idea where IL
Is located. they have never been able
to nRd It. Is is also believed there is
another still somewhere in the Chero-
kee nation between Muskogee and Tah-
leuuah and still another in the Con
charta mountains northwest of Alus-
kogee twenty-five miles. There arc
perhaps as many more running
which the officers have not the slight
est knowledge.
This Is the heritage that Marshal
G. Porter retiring from office this week,
leaves to his successor, Grant Victor,
The question naturally arises why
these stills have not been raided ami
destroyed. il is impossihble TO com
prehend the safeguards thrown about
a moonshine still unless one is famil-
lar with local conditions The aver
age moonshiner is smart man. His
Judgment nf human nature is unerring.
and his cunning Is almost beyond be
lief. while he has nerve that never fal-
ters In the face ef danger or expos
ure. lie is surrounded by people who
are his friends and who believe that
any man has n right to make whiskey
and sell it II he wants and the officer
who interferes does not better his com.
munity any by interfering. II Is almost
impossible TO convict moonshmer
unless he Is caught red handed al
his still And this is hard to do be
cause Il is a mighty poorly guarded
still that has not sufficient sconts out
to notify the operator that officers arc
coming, before they actually reach the
still Again there has been mighty
little inducemeut to deputy marshals
TO raid stills. II means fight IN
nearly every instance and moonshin
ers are desperate men, fearless and
unerring deputy marshal might
plan a raid and take his men ont and
remain three or four days trying tC
work i'm on the moonshiners and fail
In that case he does not get cent
for his time and trouble.
A still can be set up aud operated ID
the most unexpected places. There
is house ia Fort Smith, just acros.
the Oklahoma line, which sells a small
but compelte sdll for $40 This still
COMPLETE in every respect, can be car
ried by two men. or II can be packe,
on a mule. OF hauled III a light wagor
anywhere. n is so constructed tha
1t can be placed on a cooking stove n
Kitchen and li0uor making starte,
at once. Such still has a capacity O