East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1918-06-17
Two Prisoners Taken by
Taylor and Posse in RO-
mantle Roundup Saturday
REAL OLD SOUTHERN
STILL IN OPERATION
Gun Plays Feature Capture
After Surprise
Attack.


tilla county. and Captain H. e. VIII
liams OF the Oregon State Military
police. leading n posse of three auto
loads OF deputized citizens. unearth-
ed the largest moonshine still, IL not
the only real southern moonshiners,
ever found in the state Saturday night
capturing three men and 25 gallons
OF corn whisky. One OF the fellows,
known by the name OF Ben farrell.
escaped, and the party spent the en-
tire night beating through the thick
brush and timber in search for him.
The other two, Billy Clark and Sam
A. Holden, were brought to Pendleton
and lodged in the county jail. arriving
here at noon yesterday.
The party led by the Officers left
here Saturday afternoon for the scene
of the still on the headwaters of Lit
tie Butter creek. about SO miles
southwest of Pendleton, arriving at
their destination about O'Clock. The
place was surrounded and Sheriff
Taylor and Captain Williams. with
a couple OF their deputies, walked
up onto the moonshIners, and effected
a capture without a struggle. One of
the men. farrell. was sleeping with
gun within easy reach. and one of the
others was also armed. A fire was
burning under the still. Everything
about the camp was typical of the
mOonshiners, pictured I'm the movies
with scenes laid In Tennessee moun- |
tains or other southern states.
The still was located on steep hill |
side In the midst OF a ciump of very |
thick timber and underbrush. cover I
ing two or three acres. The spot is 4
inaccessible to automobiles. complete
~ hidden away In the mountains, and I
to reach II the posse had to leave their
cars and walk several miles.
There was no trail to follow and
every effort had been made by the
moonshiners to hide all trace of their
presence or business In the noun
tains. No cabins or sheds had been
built, everything was in -the-open but
most cleverly concealed in the tim ,
ber and brush. The still, It is said ,
was capable of turning out 25 gall
Ions OF whisky a day and was being 1
worked to fun capacity when the Of
ficers made their presence known. A &
fire was burning In the furnace over I
which the kettle of brew was boiling +
and the steam passing through the 5
worm" to be condensed and run out q
into buckets. There were ten large I
watts filled with the liquor in every v
stage OF making. from 10 per cent '
alcohol. tasting something like beer. "a
to the finished product up to 100 per I
cent. This last with n little age r
makes I4O proof whisky, 1t is said. s
Most OF the stuff found was corn IN
whisky and there was about 800
pounds of yellow cornmeal in the
camp that had not been used. n
For long time officers in PEN C.
1leton have been finding samples of IL
liquor that had every appearance OF u
being "moonshine" and II was that a
hat first turned them to the hunt for e
/ still. Large purchases of corn b.
neal was another thing that attract o
ID their attention. One of these was p
made at walla Walla and traced. But b,
{ was in following the trail of what T
has been the 2-gallon-a-day product OF
Il this stlll that finally disclosed the to
ource.
Members OF the posse were left n
the still yesterday. and to-
lay Sheriff Taylor sent out a large
motor truck and has gone out him
elf to bring 10 PendletOn everything
hat was found in the moonshiners st
amp. m
Ben farrell. the man who made his tu
scape Is n Southerner, about 40 ju
ears old, weighs goo pounds. siN te
get tall and dark complicated. His qu
vo center upper teeth are missing. ca
he officers are close on his trail and TT
Npect to capture him any time. He
omes from North Carolina, It is said. in
nd is the postmaster OF n small town DO
I that state. ar
Billy Clark. one Of the men held in
Ie county Jail is said TO have a more 81
less Interesting criminal record al
ady. He is understood to have been
the hands OF Grant county officers
Iarged with various offenses. once
ing Indicted on a horse stealing
arge.
Sam A. Holden, the other man in
@ Jail is a stranger in this section.
wing been here but a short time. He
mes from South Carolina and is
ken to be one OF the prime movers
the moonshine game.
The men will probably be tried in ha
q federal court at Portland and we
cir preliminary hearing held in PEN it
ston before United States Commis- ma
,ner $. 4. Newberry.
- moi