The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-24
THREE D|ST|lLER|ES
CAPTURED IN RAIDS
Csarksviile Bootieggers Disappear In
Ciouds OF Gaeolene Smoke Whs'p
They Hear News.
QUIET STRANGERS FOOL. THIN
Carry on Negotiations for Purchase of
MIL While They Gather Evidence
Against Meckienburg County Moon
sinners.

Moonahining is unpopular in Meek
lsnburg county. There are no boot
leggsrs in Clarkgviile- Warrants have
been placed in the hands of officers,
awaiting the return OF several dispen-
sers OF Illicit booze. who departed
with great abwuptness last week.
Thereby hangs tale.
A little more than a week ago two
quiet strangers arrived IN Clarksville
on business Tho crowd that hangs
around the Clarksville pool hall had
long been convinced that no stranger
could stay In town as much as three
hours without the gang knowing all
about him Accordingly. the pool
han crowd presently felt assured that
these strangers were uillers looking
for a business location and that they
had come TO Ciarksyille TO negotiate
for tina purchase of a mill which was
for sale some six miles out OF town.
The qufet strangers proved TO be
good fellows. They introduced them
selves TO an enterprisinE real estate
agent, who took them out TO the mill
property and introduced them to the
owner. While negotiations were in
progress the strangers made the pool
hall their place OF resort. They met
They bought liquor from each. not
wishing TO be partial in the distrtou-
ton OF their patronage. The negotia-
tons for the mill went merrily on.
Then late one night the strangers,
whose identity was konwn TO only one
man In the entire town. Mayor J. P.
Taylor. raided a moonshine still not
far from Clarksviile. In Mecklenburg
count. 1t was big one of seventy
gallons capacity and we'll equipped.
Tho proprietors were not there. Ear
iier in the day they had engaged in a
nght. in which one was somewhat
damaged, and before they could be To-
Gated they had escaped. A few hours
later another still in the same neigh
borhood, operated by a negro. was
captured and the negro arrested.
The self-styled miilers then went
over to La Crosse and near that town
captured yet another still, this being
an old-fashioned mountain moonshine
OUTFIT of seventy -five-gaiion capacity.
Returning to Clarksville. the quiet
strangers started on a systematic raid
of all the bootiegging places which
they had located during their days OF
looking for a flour mill. After the
first raid they found no more bootleg
gers. All had departed IN dense
clouds OF gasolene smoke,
Determined efforts on the part OF
some OF the friends of the suddenly
departed gentry were made TO stop
the operations of the quiet strangers.
These efforts were checked by prompt
and vigorous action on the part OF
Mayor Taylor.
Warrants were issued for all the
fugttives and placed in the hands OF
Trustworthy offcers for immediate
service.
Then the quiet strangers returned
to Richmond and reported to Commis-
sioner Of Prohibition Peters, who had
sent them on the assignment They
were Inspectors r. FL. staley and
Beattis. Commissioner Peters yester-
day received many congratulatory
messages from eitizens of Ciarksville
on the success with which the raids
were carried out.
The flour mill is still FOR sale.