Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-02-10
STORY OF PITCHED
/ BATTLES TOLD IN
! u. S. COURT HERE

Details of sensational raid On a
giant distillery in the North Georgia
mountains which developed into n
pitched battle between federal
agents and moonshiners and resulted
in the death of one moonshiner and
serious injury of another. were
barred in United States court Tuesday
when Frank Holloway, aged 60, OF
I.umpkin county. was tried on n
charge of Illicit distilling and re-
sisting arrest by prohibition Of
fcers.
Holloway, CARRIED in typical noun
-ain fashion and nursing a broken
leg which was, rid!led with. bullets
Of the officers who made the raid,
was convicted by the jury on three
counts. Judge Sheppard fined him
500 and sentenced him to serve
thirty days in the Lumpkin county
Jail.
In the pistol fight which followed
the appearance Of his raiding agents,
Willis Jones, of Dahlonega, was shot
to death and Holloways injuries
were serious enoughto confine him to
his home for several weeks.
The. officers said the moonshiners
stood their ground firmly and defend
ed their distillery even at the risks of
their lives.
We'll be damned if we will run"
officers said Jones and Holloway
shouted as. they drew guns and open
ed fire ON the ''revenooers."
The distillery was located in a
dense wood several miles from the
town limits of Dahlonega. There
were % fermenters in use, and 1000
gallons of mash were on hand, the
agents testified. A large number of
hogs: were kept in, a wire Enclosure
near the still and fed on unused
mash, they stated,
Heavily armed patrols guarded all
approaches to the big still, the
agents said. Guards passed by them
on their way to the still, fired sig
nal shots, and caused the moonshin-
ers to be ready for battle on their
arrival, they declared. .... ~.
. Holloway admitted he was assisting
nthe operation of the still, but de-
MED that he was part owner. He
worked for Willie Jones, the dead
moonshiner, for SO a day, he as
serted. st had resigned and was
working my last day. when the agents
came" he told the jury.
Federal Officers J. o. Lay, S. M.
Taylor and J. w. Holmes engineered
the raid, and. were accompanied by
H. Rothstein and Neil Campbell,
taxicab drivers of Gainesville.
More than fifty shots were fired
at the officers by Holloway and Jones
in the pitched battle. They took po-
sition behind barrels near the still
and returned a barrage of forty bull
let's. Three. aof these were stopped
by aoIl oNaxs figfat lss at.d another
Nj On s. iii Il he fipssf {. f4e shed
II. give pp'' as he fell. He died ten
minutes later n
Lon Grindle and Will Grindle,
brothers., both of Lumplzin county,
later were arrested in the neighbor-
hood of the still and held as guards.
They were acquitted Tuesday of
charges of aiding and abetting the
Holloway denied to the, jury that
he fired on the officers. He declared
the entire barage was fired by Jones.
He. characterized Jones as a very
dangerous man." The still belonged
solely to Jones, he declared.
Sentiment in the neighborhood aft
er the rail and battle in which Jones
lost his life defending his still caused
the federal officers to Withdraw and
go to Gainesville, they declared.
t'The jury took very little stock in
your statement that you were only
workman at the still" Judge Shep-
pard remarked to Holloway when
the jury's verdict was brought in. ::
when you mountain people distill
LIQUOR, you do not commit a moral
crime. but it's against the law and
you must be punished. In view of
you rage and your crippled condi,,
ton, I will let you pay, $10O and
serve thirty days." said the court,
Counsel for the moonshiner said he
would not appeal from the sentence