The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-08-30
|MOONSHINERSIN
Tolls OF Law
Biggest Intensive Round Up Of
Illicit Whisky DistilIers
Completed.
FIVE OUTLAWS KILLED
Two Sheriffs Dead, ,486 Stills
Seized as Result Of Raids in
Southern Mountains.

| NuSillHStOT, Aus. oV.- Ht DlbScSt
intensive roundup of Illicit whisky
distillers ever undertaken by the gov
' ernment has just been completed In
| southern mountain districts by revenue
agents aided by local officials under
direction of Internal Revenue Commits
sioner Daniel c. Roper. The activities
of the agents resulted In the seizure
OF 4S6 stills. arrest of 200 moonshiners.
killing of five outlaws and two sheriffs
and wounding of number of other
government men and liquor makers.
This systematic campaign Of raids
has been under way eight weeks mainly
in the mountains of Tennessee. Ala
bama, Georgia, North Caro-
lima and South Carolina, all dry states.
but announcement was withheld until
today TO avoid giving advance infor-
nation to moonshiners of the activities
OF flying squadron of fourteen ex-
perienced revenue agents. This band,
working swiftly from community to
, community. cleaned out nests OF
moonshiners who had been operating
without serious difficulty for years, and
left behind them "follow-up" vigilanic
organizations of citizens and officers
to prevent outlaws from going back to
their old traffic.
Evidence of the success OF the round
up Is gathered from scores of letters
received by the revenue bureau from
citizens OF southern communities say
ing drunkenness has been eliminated
the first time in many years.
Permanent Organizations.
Permanent organizations for the
raiding of Illicit stills now have been
formed throughout the south. Terri
tory has been laid off in zones with
patrolling stations, and a competent
federal officer has been placed In
charge of east zone.
More than 10000 gallons of pale
moonshine whisky was seized and
poured down mountain streams. More
than 100000 worth OF Illicit copper
stills of all sizes, and other parapher-
MALTA, automobiles, horses, mules and
wagons belonging to distlllers was
taken. About $1,000 pounds of sugur
found on distiucry premises was con-
fiscated and the most OF 1T given to
fhe Red Cross. Recommendation for
321 prosecutions have been sent to the
department of Justice and forwarded to
United States attorneys, while most
Of the moonshiners caught at their
stills are in jail awaiting trial.
Because of the systematic plan
pursued and the extensive advance
preparations. the drive had features
moro spectacular than even.thc unusual
moonshine raids, officials declared.
Newspapers and few prominent ci.-
izens In each community operated were
informed of the plans as soon as the
band Of agents came to town. but in all
cases they maintained confidence. AL
though many newspapers knew the
raids were general rather than local,
they co co-operated with the agents by
not publishing this. and officials today
released these papers to give out what
the officials declare are sensational
stories or local developments at the +,
time Of the raids.
Experienced Agents. !
More than a score of deserters from !
the army were discovered participant |
ing In moonshine manufacture and two |
Of these were killed in Georgia by |
armed raiders. In Tuscaloosa and
Jefferson counties, Ala. the two |
sheriffs were shot, and the killing of
took place in Georgia,
Tennessee and Alabama. The raiding
squadron was composed of experienced
revenue agents trained In question OF
evidence admissible to trials. They /
we're supervised by Daniel L. Porter,
,ssistant chief of revenue agents In
,harge of the governments liquor and
narcotic drug detection service.
Sheriffs and other local officers as
sisted in the raids.
Revenue Commissioner Roper under
ook the enterprise largely to demons
rate that prohibition can really be
made effective In addition, the pur-
,ose was to dry up the sources from
which great quantities of moonshine
liquor has been furnished clandestinely
o soldiers in southern training camps.