Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-08-18
THE "MOONSHINE" BUSINESS.
Case of RctributiOn Furnished in
Itabun County, Georgia.
(Atlanta Journal J.


retribution.
Something over a week ago the
revenue Office here heard that there
was a still tucked away i'm a rugged
part OF Rabun county. Two officers
were sent on a raid, and. early one
morning, came on the still just as
preparations were being completed
FOR run. They cut the still to
pieces and threw out the "mash" it
held.
Just after they got back to At
lanta. Il letter came from the owner
of the still saying that another still
was being run within Il mile or so Of
where his own was captured. He
gave careful description of the
place at which the still was to be
found. 1t was down by Il small
branch in Il close thiCllct or to
one side grew dead tree.
Officer J. II Griffin was sent on
the raid. lie followed the directions
that had been Given, sighted the
dead tree. and found the Still in the
thickot down by the branch. He and
the deputy with him cut up the still
and started back Their route led
them toward the place where the
first still had been found 1t was
reached by going down Il small path,
then cutting off into the woods.
Noise i'm the UndcrbruSi,.
Officer Griffin and the deputy were
following this path when they heard
some one moving along in the under
brush that fringod the side. They
dropped down in a covert that some
blackberry bushes made bv growing
in gullcy, and waited to have a
look at the fellow in the underbrush
After minute or so, the fringe Of
bushes at the side Of the road was
carefully parted and they saw an old
man with long white beard and
moustachc. He carried rifle in the
crook OF his arm and two pistols
were stuck in his belt. He was
ferce-looking old fellow as he stood
pccring this way and that, with his
gun held so that il could be used in
n flash.
He stood for minute or so re-
connoitcring, half concealed in the
bushes. Then he stepped back and
the fringe along the side Of the road
became thick curtain again. The
revenue men listened for a while to
him going easily along in the under
brush, then they followed.
Held His Rifle.
He cut off up through the woods
along a way that they had travelled
before. They kept just within sight
OF him, and were always prepared
to dodge behind a tree or bush, for
he kept turning and looking back,
with his arm crooked about his long
rifle.
He went along through the woods
for half a mile or more, and came
finally about. then ShOuldered his
gun and went away.
The officers found in the hollow
under the hill, a brand new still. 1t
was in exactly the same place where
the first still was which they de-
stroyed and they found that prepara-
tionS were being made to use the
mash that they had thrown out from
the first still
1t later tu ucd out that the old
fellow with the white beard was the
father of the men who owned the
still and that when the revenue men
trailCd him he was out scouting to
see that no OtiiCcr" were around.
The owner of the still had gone on
the presumption that revenue men
would not look twice in the same
place for still. So. instead Of
hNiI'lHS nun OUT Il ne" nlulnS place,
he went back TO the hollow under the
hill. His reasoning was sound. and,
If ii had not been for his desire to
get Il rival diStillcr in the same boat
rs himself, ii would probably steer
cd him clear OF future danger.
But his informing on his ncighbor
brought the officers down on his
father, who was out rs scout. and set
them on the lattcr's trail. The sec
0nd capture was made within four
days after the first
Owing TO the amount OF Illicit dis
tlling that is now being done, the
local force OF revenue officers needs
an increase. with conditions rs they
are at present, the officers in charge
are themselves compelled to take
part in many raids.
Last month %J stills were captur-
ed. and August viii probably show
an increase over this number. If the
present revenue force were doubled
1t would not be unnecessarily large
to cope with the situation.