The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-09-17
MO0NSHINERS
IN JAIL AFTER
LIVELY BATTLE
Ten Members Of Two Notorious
Virginia Families Taken
into Custody.

DANYILLE, Va, Sept l6.-After a
man hunt lasting nearly two weeks
ten members Of the Smith and Carter
families OF Shutdown Settlement, in
Stokes county. have been landed in
the Jail Of Stuart country to await
trial here next November for partici-
pating in fight with revenue agents
and with violating the federal liquor
laws.
Early in the week the revenue man,
with bearded chins and the mud OF
the Blue Ridge mountains still cling
ing to theri clothes, passed through
here on their several ways home, elat-
cd over the success of their danger
GUS undertaking although Deputy Col
lector Il, II. Mays was wounded In a
hight between raiding party and the
Smith clan on the evening OF August
"a.
Two Men Wounded.
The scene OF the battle was at
Fletcher Smiths house, which is one
OF dozen or more forming Smith
town Settlement, almost upon the di-
viding line between Stokes county,
y. c., ard Patrick county, Va. The
raiding party OF three men had trailed
a wagonload Of moonshine whiskey
from Penn's store on the Virginia side
to Fletcher Smiths house. and 1t was
when Mays had raped at the door
and asked Fletcher to appear that he
was shot through the stomach by Jim
Smith. The house was fall of Smiths
and a few members of the Carter
family and while the raiders were re-
treating TO cover a moonshiner in the
woods another moonshiner in the wood
near the house, fired another shot into
Mays as he lay on the ground. The
federal officers fired several shots into
the house from what scant cover they
had found. One OF the besieged party
was drawing bead upon Deputy Col
lector Ross when Mays. who still lay
bleeding on the ground. with his re-
rolyer, shot the moonshiner in the
shoulder.
While the raiders were conveying
their wounded companion to the hos
pital at Stuart the Smiths and Carriers
fled. Thomas G. Burch, the marshal
of the district, wired for officers from
adjoining counties and the following
day the officers and citizens OF Stuart
took up the chase through the rugged
slopes of the Blue Ridge mountains.
Despite the size of Inc posse, which
worked in groups, the odds were heavy
against them, for they were in the
enemy country and there were many
who secretly assisted the fugitiyes in
the Businesses of the mountains, car
rying food TO them by night. The
Smiths, five in all, were captured
singly by following those who carried
food to them. Another group was
rounded up hiding in tobacco barn
covered up with the leaf. Finally ten
of the mountaineers were made pris-
oners.
Dangerous Ground.
Smlthtown Settlement Tor years has
been dangerous ground for the reve-
nue. man, In the early days when Uncle
Sam sought to put down illicit sitting
the little township staged similar
flights TO that recorded. Far from the
railway and in Il mountainous coun-
try, the stalwart hillsmen still hold
1t TO be their .inalienable right to make
moonshine whiskey, and 1t goes on
virtually all the time. At one time
the government threatened to contis-
cate the holdings OF the Smiths, but
this was in5the days when stranger
was regarded as an enemy and he was
shot on the slightest suspicious move
on his part. Ten years ago a revenue
man was killed near Shutdown.
Fletcher Smith. the recognized leader
OF the clan, was sent TO federal pris-
on for eight years for his part in it.
Despite the severity of Mays's
wounds he is conyalescing. Jim Smith,
the man shot by Mays is in a serious
condition, his wound having become
infected during his sojourn in the
woods, when he was afraid to summon
aid