The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-11
POSSE IN BATTLE
AT HIDDEN STILL
Moonshiner Shot in Raid by
Revenue Officers Near
South Boston.
OFFICERS ESCAPE INJURY
Hold Fire Until Cornered Men
Begin Shooting at Close Range,
Then Return 1t.
OFFICERS ESCAPE INJURY

Official report Of n bloody fight be-
tween revenue officers and n party of
moonshiners early Monday morning in
wild ravine near South Boston, Va,
in the course of which one of the moon
sinners was shot and badly wounded.
was received yesterday morning by
Revenue Agent Chapman. ~ fusilade
of shots was exchanged between three
officers and the Illicit distillers An
eighty-gallon copper still. together
with large quantity Of spirits, was
raided by the agents and destroyed.
In his account of the raid, Special
Gauger Nitzer, who was in charge of
tho posse, completely eXonerates the
revenue men from any blame in con-
nection with the shooting of the moon
sinner, the officers making no pretense
of using their revolvers until the
moonshiners resisted arrest and fred
the first shots. Due to the wild nature
of the country around the hidden still
and the fact that the posse was halted
when it was thought ono OF the officers
had been dropped by a moonshiner's
bullet. the fugitives made good their
escape into the woods. The officers
believe they can swear to the identity
OF at least one of the moonshners, the
one who was shot
Revenue Agent Chapman forwarded
an Official report Of the raid to Wash
ington yesterday afternoon recon-
commended for his work and the Off
GERS be relieved of blame for the
woundinE of the illioT distiller
Special Gauger Nitzcr got off the
train in South Boston at n:30 o'clock
Monday morning, picked up two dcpu-
ties. and made or for the reported To-
cation of the Illicit distillery before
daylight had revealed his presence to
any one in the town. about 4:30 o'clock
the revenue posse arrived at the wild
ravinc in which was situated the still
and found the furnace still warm but
no attendants in sight. Hiding them
selves in the brush, the officers had to
wait only until shortly after . o'clock.
when one man made his appearance at
the still. and after working around II
for few minutes, suddenly disappear
Ell.
He returned in about an half hour
in company with n second moonshiner,
and the two set to work at once For
some reason. one of them scented dan
ger, and looking directly at the SPOT
where NitZer was concealed. stopped
working and raised up in AN attentive
attitude Afraid 20 delay longer. Nit
Zcr broke from his cover and ran to-
ward the two distillers. shouting for
them to surrender For reply both
turned and fled toward the spot occu-
pied by two members of the hidden
posse. These two officers suddenly
rose out of the bush in front of the
fleeing moonshiners. who, without
hating, opened fire directly at the
revenue men.
The fire was returned, and one OF
tho moonshiners staggered and drop
ped as If badly wounded. In the face
oil constant fire. the revenue officers
continued the pursuit until one OF their
number stumbled and fell. and think
ing the moonshners' bullets had found
n mark the agents turned aside to as
sist the officer. WhLn they discovered
that he was untouched, ii was too late
TO hope TO overtakc the fugitives
The officers returned to the still de
stroying the entire plant and splitting
500 gallons Of beer, five gallons OF corn
whiskey and ten gallons OF low wine
The still was capable of turning out
twenty gallons of proof spirits n day