The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-08-31
j. 5. AGENTS RAID
1886 M0ONSH|NE
PLANTS IN HILLS
CAPTURE 200 MOONSHINERS,
KILL FIVE, SEIZE 10000
GALLONS OF DEW"
TWO SHER|FFS KILLED
More Than 100000 Worth OF Illicit
Copper Stills Are Destroyed, 2l,-
900 Pounds of Sugar Seized and
Much Other Property Taken.

Washington, Aug. 29.-The big
gest intensive roundup of illicit dis
tillers of whisky ever undertaken
by the government has just been
completed in southern mountain dis
tricts by revenue agents under di-
rection of Internal Revenue Com
missioner Daniel c. Roper. The &C
tivities of the agents resulted in the
seizure of 4S6 stills, arrest OF 200
moonshiners, killing of five outlaws
and two sheriffs and the rounding
OF number of other government
men and illicit liquor makers.
This systematic campaign has
been under way eight weeks, main
ly in mountains of Tennessee, Ala
bama, Georgia. Florida, North Car
olina and South Carolina-all dry
states-but announcement was with
held until today to avoid giving
advance information to moOnshln-
ers of activities OF flying squad
ron OF fourteen experienced revc-
nue. agents. This band, working
swiftly from community to COM
munity, cleaned out nests of moon
sinners who had been operating
without serious difficulty for years,
and left behind them follow up
vigilance organizations OF citizens
and officers to prevent outlaws from
going back to their old traffic.
Take 10000 Gallons.
More than 10000 gallons OF pale
"moonshine" whisky was heized and
poured down mountain streams.
Over 100000 worth OF illicit cop
per stills of all sizes, and other
paraphernalia, automobiles, horses,
mules and wagons belonging to the
distillers was taken by the flying
squadron. About 2l,0O0 pounds OF
sugar found on distillery premises
was confiscated and the most OF It
given to the Red Cross. Recon-
mendations for 52l 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 behind bars in southern JailS
awaiting trial.
The drive had features more spec
tacular than even the usual moon
shine raids, officials declared.
More than score OF deserters
from the army were discovered par
ticipating in moonshine manuiac-
ture in the southern mountains, and
two of these were killed in Georgia
by armed raiders. In Tuscaloosa
and Jefferson counties, Alabama,
the two Sheriffs were shot, and the
killing OF moonshiners occurred in
Georgia. Tennessee and Alabama.
Members OF the raiding squadron
were men picked from the most ex-
perienced revenue agents IN the en-
tire county. d.
Sheriffs Assist in Raids.
They we're supervised by Daniel
L. Porter, assistant chief OF revenue
agents, in charge Of the govern
ments liquor and narcotic drug de- {
lection service. Sheriffs and other
local officers assisted in the raids.
Extraordinary significance is at
tached to the concerted raids be-
cause Revenue Commissioner Roper =,
undertook the enterprise largely 10 !
that prohibition can +
really be made effective. In addi- 8
lion. the purpose Was to dry up
the sources from which great guam =,
titles OF moonshine liquor has been 4
furnished clandestinely to soldiers
n southern training camps. /
Evidence of the success OF the !,
IS gathered from sources I,
,f letters received by the revenue y
bureau from citizens Of southern
saying drunkenness
las been eliminated the first time
or many years. These letters also
Explain that reputed moonshiners n
ave ceased intimidating law abid- O.
az citizens as formerly, fearing O.
hese citizens will turn inform n
nts. d;
Permanent organizations for the nj
aiding OF Illicit stills now have been b,
ormed throughout the south. II