The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-02-23
@00NSH0MMG NOW AL0ST ART
ILLICIT DISABLING WAS ALWAYS FASCINATING But NEVER A
PAYING BUSINESS
Est. Louis Globe pem.)

PAYING
est. Louis Globe Dem.)
Moonshining Is a lost art. a sus-
pended industry, in Arkansas and this
is a condition that has been brought
about during the last fifteen years. Of
fetal reports Of the revenue depart
ment show that the revenue laws With
respect to the clandestinc manufacture
Of intoxicants arc more strictly en-
forced in Arkansas than in n other
southern state. Georgia last year re-
ported over 500 Illicit distilleries cap
tured and destroyed. while Arkansas
did not report n While for the pre-
ccding year only one was found in this
state.
The d%ecadence of this once flourish
ing industry is due largely to the on
slaught against 1t by the federal Of
ficials and in part to the changed in
dustrial conditions of the country. The
men who succeeded fifteen years ago
In operating. unmolested, a still for the
m~anufactule of white mule" can now
make more money at almost n legi-
innate business. Viewed from a bust
ness standpoint. the illicit distillcry
was never a paying bushes, vet the
business was fascinating it had the
charm of adventure and the uncer-
tainty of the gamblers chance.
The active fight against the bust
ness began in 1897 under the admins
tration of United States Marshal II. NJ.
Cooper and for ten years it was prose-
cuted vigorously by a force of daring
deputies and field officers, among
whom Captain w: G.. Burns. an old
Indian fighter; John L. Burris, John
Saulpaugh. Captain w. A. Morton were
most prominent. They brought about
cooperation between the United States
marshals and the United States reve-
nuc departments and kept up a relent-
less warfare which finally put every
still out of business and drove the
distillers into honest If not gainful pur-
suits. The counties of Pope. Gle
burne. Van Buren,. Pike, Montgomery
and Howard We're all mountainous
tiers Of the industry, where in OBJ
scure ravines. remote from public
highways they %prospered immune
from prying eyes. Accidental discov.
cry by hunters or cattlemen must al
ways be guarded against and scntries
posted in the neighborhood. armed
with Mausers. always warned the
stranger. who dared for any reason to
penetrate the Businesses that they had
gone far enough" Now all that is
changed. If there is an illicit distil-
lery even in the most remote corner
of the mountains. the smoke of its
fire never reaches the alert eye OF the
g official and no more menacing
sentries stand by lonely roadsides to
turn back the intruding drummer"
making his solitary way to some coun-
try store.
For several years following 1897
there were numerous killings, both Of
officers and m%oonshiners and proba-
bly, as many as 100 violators of the
law were sent to the prisons at Fort
have since served their terms and are
making good citizens. Hundreds Of
stills were captured and destroyed and
beer "middiings." mash and moonshine
whiskey often swelled the tide of many
a mountain creek.
But not all the men who were cap
tured-and the lei were usually cap
tured with the still-werc sent to the
~penitentiary. When whole commu-
mites We're apprehended in the max
ing of the contraband and brought
before the court they we're given an.
other chance to make good and 80 far
as known only four ever violated the
pledge given the court. At one time
thirty-eight were brought in from
Cleburne county. at another time sew
enteen from Montgomery and still an
other time. ten from Howard county
and all Of them were released on pro-
baton. sentence being suspended dur
ing good behavior. which included
al laws. When the Montgomery coun-
ty delegation returned home they sign
ed A proclamation which was posted
on the court house door to the eff
feet that any one who should violate
the pledge should be reported at once
to the revenue oficials-and not one
ever was reported.
The financial panic Of 1S93-97 gave
a considerable impetus to the business
and when the gloom Of unsettled bust
ness settled over the country. the plea
Of hard times was made by many a
CO ptured moonshiner in justification Of
his offense. A noted m%oonshiner who
had been in the business for many
years and evaded capture. though his
still was twice destroyed. was caught
at last. tried and convicted in the al.
tumn Of 1897 and to receive SEN
tence. The court asked why he did
not procure the necessary license II
he was determined to make the liquor
attitude Of all who were guilty of a
similar offcnse:
You Ne. jedge." said he, times
is mighty hard these days and the only
way ! Z could raise money enough to pay
for the license was to make white
mule. I'm way back thar in the hills
forty-six miles from market; cotton
amt wuth five cents a pound and we
CANT sell corn and hawg meat for
nothing. but white mule IL ready sale
at the same old price It used to be, an
I reckon II them marshals and reve-
moo men had a let me run my wild
cat q few weeks longer I'd a had mon
ey to have paid for the license.
Many of the moonshiners believed
that they had an %inalienable right
to make such disposition Of their
crops as might be the most profitable,
and were in other respects law abiding
citizens. They regarded the tax un-
necessary unjust and arbitrary and
consequently the successful evader
Of the law was entitled to praise rather
than censure. The special tax was
o patd by their fathers before the
Mar. thsX. would say and ..thex would