The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-25
CARRIES BULLETS
FROM ALLEN GUNS
"Matty" Smith Tells of Some
Hair-Raising Experiences With
Carroll County Outlaws.

New York, March 24.--No one knows
more about Carroll county, Va, and
the Allen band of mountain outlaws
than Matthew *. Smith. and certainly
no revenue officer ever had more trou-
pic WIFE the moonsh!ners OF that vicin-
ny. Ar Smith. who has been shot sin
times by the outlaws OF Southwest Nir.
slnia, and who still carries two OF the
bullets. has rece!vd urgent requests
from Leading Niyginians in the last
lew days to return and lead q posse
through the villas of tho Blue Ridge
Mountains. which he knows SO well
But his special Investigation for and
contract with tho D!stiileries Company
prevent him from dong this
Before going wiki hts present en-
ploysrs six years ago Mr. Smith was
deputy United States marshal, at
taehed rarious!y to the Richmond. Lex
inEton. Louisville and Washington
offices. For twenty-five years he was
the Nemesis of the Illicit distillers in
tho mountains where the Allen band
made their headquarters.
That bullet that you can feel there
next TO my backbone was put there by
this Floyd Allen. who cut his throa,
the ether day after being captured at
tl!llsv!lle,' said Mr.. Smith. who in the
old days was known us "AIatty" Smith.
He got me IN the road coming down
broken UP stll where he and his
companions were making moonshin6
whiskey. and had arrested Harvey
WhitesIde. ons OF the band / was
trying 10 get Whitcs!de TO Roanoke
when Floyd Allen shot at me from
ambush. l fell. and he came out o.
the mountain laurel brush, thinking
was dead When he was trying is
take the shackles of OF Whiteside l
covered him. and UP went his hands
and down went his rlio Both he and
Whiteslde marched ahead of me into
Hillsville, anu before his band could
gather 1 was driving them over tn,
mountains TO the Roanoke JAN.
1T was q forty-nve- drive. and
on the way l got weak from loss OF
blood and soon became unconscious.
Allen and Whiteside escaped. taking
the horses and leaving me for dead on
tho roadside. L was found by a coun-
try preacher, who took me to a cabin,
where 1 remained very III for seven
weeks Then It was too late to take
the bullet out
This 9th sr bullet back of the knee
joint was put there by Amos Foster,
VINO was one Of eight men several of
us coEnered In Il cave In Shorts Creek
few miles south OF Hillsvila Sidna
Allen, the leader of tha band accused
Of shooting up the courthouse In Hills
clique, and they operated then the big
gest moonshinc stl in tho Blue Ridge
we mad been after them nearly q
year, and picked off one or two OF
their number now and then, sending
them to distant 1ails where they could
not be rescued. When we got to the
cave At Shorts Creek our work was
lnapped out for us. we besieged them.
( thinking 20 starvs them out, but thcyl
mad another entrance TO the cave con-
ce&led ON this mountains!dc and
| through this they obtained all the food
they required.
Finding the secret entrance, we
! watched, and were aDle to pick them
OF one al "a time as they came out
| Amos Poster had Il mean DISPOSITION
and ne began shooting when nc saw us
one bullet went through my arm and
the other lodged there In my knee.
But after several weeks nghtlng va
got four men, and the Others Includ-
| Ing Sidna Allen. escaped Thcy had %
big still in the cave, and we coniis-
| Gated nfty-seven barrels Of moonshin.
WniSkey ana broke up tha siill.
Placed Price on III. Head
'Thc Aliens placed a price on my
ncnd-thnt Is. they agreed among them.
| selves that the MAJ, who Killed mo
! would never want ioi anything as
| long as he lived was living out
! OF iilli5v!lie one morning. witt ,-othcr
4 deputy beside me. We were NreS ~
/ from ambush, and rifle bullet want
! through my hat and dug a furrow two
/ inches long in my scalp. we nevei
, knew who fired that shot 1t waa
| some one concealed In the mountain
| laurel on the side OF the hill
! was not worry popular in thai
| neiShborhood. Thero was then a
! widespread sympathy for the Aliens.
and their Illicit distIiling was look ca
| Hpon commonly ns Legitimate Those
! VINO d!dn't sysnpath ize with them were
! afraid OF them. There is only one
| Ny TO civilize tia, -sotion. and that
| Is 70 e&!ormlnatu evory one OF Tho
snounia!n bands In tho Blue Ridge
country. ana tho AIlon band is only