Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-02-01
astiseellai,soas Reaains.
A "MooNSHINER."

We A "MooNsHINER."
An Odd Character Up In the Ozark
| Mountains.
The temperance wave in the Ozark
region Of Missouri has deprived many
of the old mountaineers Of their Gus
tomary DRAM" and caused a social
drought almost equal to that OF a
long, dry summer. A large majority
of the best citizens in southern Mis-
] souri, counties favored the local op-
ton law and many voted for it in or
der that the numerous distilleries In
the hill country might be put out OK
business. When these establishments
closed it was difficult for the man who
lives far from the railroad station to
ship in a supply Of liquor.
There is one thing in particular for
which a native Of the Ozarks Is noted,
and that Is his resourcefulness. Those
who had been accustomed to going to
the distillery and buying liquor by the
Jug awoke to the realization that the
custom was at an end. Something had
to be done to relieve the situation.
At Hammond, in Ozark county, six
ty-five miles from the nearest railroad
station, lives Stoney Williams. In his
fertile brain he figured out a plan
which he believed would end the So
cial drought and at the same time rev.
olutionize the local option law that Is
in force in almost every county In the
Ozark region of MISSOURI.
The Hammond Distilling company
was organized by Williams with cap
ital stock Of $4,000 and charter OBJ
tanned from the secretary Of state. The
shares were valued at $40 each, and
only one share was sold to any per-
son. No trouble was experienced In
selling the stock and the capital would
undoubtedly have been increased If
the unexpected had not happened.
The owner of a share of stock was
privileged character" at the dis
tillery. He was permitted to bring his
corn and have 1t converted into meal
or -four as the case might be. When
the liquor was distilled 1t was taken
in charge by the government gauger
and in due time the tax was paid and
the stockholder got his whisky, less
the amount taken as toll for convert
ing the corn into spirits.
The distiller for the Hammond Dis
tilling company was Jim Lotus. Ev-
cry one in the Ozark region from Bry-
ants creek to White river knows or
has heard Of Uncle Jim. For almost
fifty years he has made whisky, and
to use his own expression there was
many a gallon that never had any
revenue paid on it."
In his younger days Jim LOTUS had
a moonshine still. 1t was a transpor-
table affair and could easily be moved
when the revenues" as Jim called
the government agents, came around.
Sometimes the Illicit still did duty In
a secluded hollow or perched on
cliff In the mountains, and when win
ter came the apparatus was moved
into one Of the numerous caves, where
no meddlesome officer could find It
The outfit consisted Of a few wooden
casks, a copper kettle and coil Of
metal tubing.
When not engaged in making corn
whisky in his early days Jim generally
could be found sitting in around the
country store, where he would tell
the biggest stories and laugh louder
at his own jokes than any one else.
AS a fiddler he had no superior, and
no country dance was a success unless
Jim LOTUS was on hand to play such
familiar strains as Turkey in the
Straw" and "Fisherman's Hornpipe.
Down across the state line in Arkan-
sas, where Jim was once playing for
a dance, a stalwart mountaineer drew
his revolver and shot rival for the
hand Of the belle Of the ballroom. A
stray bullet struck Jim LOTUS and the
fiddler received an ugly wound. He
fingered between life and death for
long time, but his nerve pulled him
through. After that incident Jim
paid no more attention to moonshin-
ing than to the strenuous occupation
Of fiddling.
Along about 1880 the government
officers became more active and inau-
gurated a campaign against the Illicit
distilleries of Missouri. Bryant Lang
ston, at that time United States mar
shall in the Ozark region, organized
a posse and made a visit to the set
tlement where moonshine stills were
known to exist. Jim Lotus heard Of
the revenues" and prepared for war.
Gathering several of his trusted friends
around him he held his mountain re-
treat for several days against the at
tack Of the government posse. In the
conflict Marshal Langston was shot
and temporarily gave up the fight.
A short time afterward secret ser
vice agent arrested Jim LOTUS and
took him to Jefferson City, where the
United States court for this district
was tn6n nelQ. JlHl was lOuHo 6ohty
Of "wildcatting," as the revenues"
termed the Illicit distilling of whisky,
and was given a sentence Of one year
in Jail. He served out his time in the
Cole county Jail at Jefferson City and
was a model prisoner. While a pris-
oner in Jail Jim composed a song, each
line of which referred to some char
acter in his home county, and the song
became the anthem of the settlement
where Jim has resided for more than
fifty years.
On his return to his mountain home
from Jefferson City Jim LOTUS was
changed man. He professed religion
and joined the Christian or Campbell
ite church, as he proudly calls it. In
a short time he was preaching at the
churches and schoolhouses Of Ozark
county, and became noted preacher
of his kind. He always carries a Tes-
lament in his pocket and is we'll versed