Evening journal., 1922-12-30
MOONSHINER
in GUN fight
Opens Fire on Dry Agents,
Who Find Stills and
Liquor at Milford
JUMPS TO SAFETY
FROM SECOND STORY


returned TO Wilmington today will
vivid account OF a lively shotgun
and revolver battle yesterday, eigh
miles west OF Milford, in which two
officers were slightly wounded and
a Negro moonshiner, who resisted
arrest, is belived also 10 have sus
tained a wound.
The fight lasted nearly an hour
and the remarkable part is that
none of the participants was slain
Twice the moonshiner. who sought
refuge on the Upper floor OF his
house, fired charges OF buckshot di-
rectly down upon the officers on the
floor below. Then, finding his quar-
ters TOO hot for him. the Negro
lesped from a second story window
and sped across a lot in the rear OF
the house 10 a woods. halting once
10 FIRE at his pursuers and escaping
amid a hail OF bullets from the raid
ing psrty.
As reward for their shotwounds
the agents captured a twenty gallon
and ten-gallon stills. four hundred
gallons of mash and several gallons
of finished liquor. The agents an
ticipste that their quarry will be
captured shortly. as he was seen to
stagger as he reached cover in the
woods behind his house
Accompanied by Constable In
gram, Milford and Constable Wiley,
Laurel. the Federal agents. Israel
Howard. Clifford Leroy and Harry
4 a. fr. ~ nj
terday for the home of Larry Smith,
near Cedar Creek Mills. They went
10y motor.
Smith occupies a house which at
one time apparently was something
OF a mansion. II is large. two stories
in height and has a number of out
buildings Of fair size. Stopping near
the place the raiders went boldly TO
the front door and knocked. a wo-
mans voice asked through the door
who was wanted.
We want Larry Smith" replied
Agent Howard, leader Of the raiders.
He amt home. he's gone away"
was the response.
Going TO rear door the agents,
who were armed with a search war
rant. managed 10 gain entrance. As
Ley pressed their way through the
rooms TO the front hall, and just as
Edwards was about to step into the
hallway, the roar OF shotgun
sounded from above their heads and
q charge OF shot rained down.
So close was the blast that several
shot gazed the head OF Edwards.
causing scalp wounds. Warned by
this greeting the raiders drew back
behind the stairway Then Agent
Leroy poked his revolver around the
eparatins wall and fired upstairs.
Another blast from the shotgun came
rsttling down.
When they first entered the house
the raiders found two women and a
man, all colored. One OF the wo-
men was said to be Smiths wife.
After a consultation as TO the
safest means OF disldoging Smith
from his position at the head OF the
stairway Agent Howard called up
to Smith demanding his surrender.
He then informed him that the raid
ers were coming up after him. but
that they We're going TO force
Smiths wife TO precede them. and
hat II he fred il would he his own
risk.
The agents then compelled the
woman TO accompany them Just
as they started up the stairway.
Agent Leroy heard a thud upon the
frozen ground behind fhe house.
and sUspecting that Smith had
loaped from = rear window. ran out
after him. As thought. Smith. still
armed with his gun. had jumped
from a window and was seen to
dodge behind one OF the outbuild-
ings.
In an effort to surround the Negro
the agents scattered. Howard FIN
ally spied him making his way
across the rear open lot to the
woods, and again called on him TO
In response the Negro
deliberately aimed and fired at
Howard. who replied with a shot
from his revolver.
The fugitive was about 40 yards
iiscant frsm Howard and the shot
rom his gun, debating. caught How
ird in the legs, inficting painful but
not serious wounds As the Negro ,
owered his weapon and ran on to- q
wards the woods, all the officers
'nened FIRE. Some were armed with |
70 and some with 30 calibre revoI- I
'ers and they let drive heavily. As
smith entered the woods he was seen
o stagger and is believed to have
'eceived a wound.
After counsel OF war II was de- !
ided that to follow Smith into the !
woods probably would prove fatal
o some member OF the raiding
'arty. as the fugitive knew the
round and the agents did not.
Moreover ammunition was running .
ow. Rather than risk the loss of !
ne OF his men and confident Smith !
ooner or later would be captured
tn out unnecessary bloodshed. o
'gent Howard decided to hold his
orces within the house. 4
A search OF the premises was made /
nd revealed one of the best eduip- p
'ed moonshinel plants vet found In 90
he state. the agents declare. one
4 the outbuildings had been con- d
erted into a still house" and the
en-gallon and twenty-gallon stills Il
ave every indication of constant b,
Sc. Another outbuilding was used il
5 a mash house" In this the u
gents found the 400 gallons of n
nash ready for distillation. The e,
-oves containers and other utensils h
hat completed the plant were wei
iade and evidently had been. care m
llly selected for the purposes in sc
snded. Ia
Further search revealed n supply A