The New York herald., 1922-06-19
CASUALTIES REPORTED
Campaign Starts on Ken
Virginia Border
and Extends Widely.
OFFENSIVE NOT UNIFIED
Real Brunt of Movement Is
Borne by Sheriffs and
Deputies.

Special Dispatch to THE New York HERALD
BRISTOL, Va. June 1s.-All up and
down through this section of the
Appalachian Mountains are signs of
big drive recently launched by the
forces representing prohibition en-
forcement in concerted effort to rout
hundreds OF moonshiners from their
mountain lairs and to smash stills and
destroy moonshine. The situation has
assumed some aspects OF war, and
there is much fighting. Hundreds of
prisoners have been taken and score
of different fronts" figure in the
operations. 1t is one of the largest
undertakings aside from a real war
ever launched in this part Of the
country
State prohibition directors are in
one sense acting as field marshals of
the attacking forces, although sew
eral agencies coming under other
jurisdiction are taking an active part
in the big campaign. The real brunt
of the movement is being borne by the
sheriffs and their deputies number
ing several thousand men in the
"moonshine belt
The moonshiners. usually on the de-
fensive. have In some communities been
bewildered by the onslaught which came
from every quarter without warming. For
the first time since the advent of pro-
hibition they have been stood but are
far from being whipped.
Beginning of the Drive.
Tracing the drive on the map in con-
nection with each successive develop
ment 1t would appear that 1t was started
In the Cumberland mountains along the
Virginia border. 1t was here
that the moonshiners first got uneasy
over the indications that something big
was on. Later intense activity all along
the front became apparent to those in
close touch with the situation. 1t has
the appearance OF movement MADE py
common consent, but without unified
organization. For some reason or other
! everybody got busy.
/, In some quarters 1t is believed that
. the series Of articles carried several
weeks ago by THE NEW YORK HERALD
were largely responsible for the present
, operations. 1t has been suggested that
real conditions were not realized until
! set forth by the articles and that each
, individual sheriff and revenue officer
, began TO see the possibilities and scope
Of the rnoonshine industry as they actu-
, ally existed. Heretofore moonshining
had been considered by the different
officials as a subject of purely local
nature.
This is the time of year when every
, Industrious rnoonshiner expects to make
slxilling." The mash ferments easier
and quicker and the foliage offers pro-
2 lection. but officers and moonshiners
agree In the opinion that production has
not increa sed as much as was expected
Series of Flying Raids.
The big campaign began with a series
q of flying raids by tried raiders along
: the Kentucky-virginia border. Several
, of these raids took the officers into ter
ritory heretofore looked upon as ground
r meant only for moonshiners TO tread
: It was reported that there were one OF
n two sections In the Cumberlands which
had never been invaded by the revenue
: -officers. and at one time it was reported
G that a company of Federal troops would
be sent there to clean out the moon
,s shine nests The raiders this time STOP
ned at nothing and hundreds OF SUNS
y were seized. Most of the moonshiners
e az usual, managed to avoid capture. bu
O not all OF them. The jails in two oi
:, three counties are crowded with pris
oners brought In after these raids.
T Gradually the movement began TO ex-
z pand southwark until 1t embraced
n practically every range except parts OF
! the Holston in east Tennessee. IL
4 touched the North Carolina border and
the capture of stills continued. They
a were literally brought in by the nun
s. dreds. Several battles were staged In
I. which men were slain and a review OF
> these encounters will show that the
o rnoonshiners were the heaviest losers In
" the game OF hot lead. The raiders
d went at the business of a big drive as
y II they were shooting mad" and the
moonshiner who showed an inclination
e to fiaht II out invariably had his de-
: sire gratified.
h polI OF stills in the mountain fast
i nesses probably would show that there
/, are fewer OF them than six months ago
L but SO vast arc the mountains and SC
e numerous are stills that this cannot be
5. accepted TO mean that the moonshinina
d industry is paralyzed or even annoyed
s 10 any great extent Many moon.
: sinners are waiting for the thing &c
blow over before they resume the
n manufacture Of liquor on an extensive
q scale.
) Several Thousand In Operation.
s II can be safely said that several
. thousand stills are In operation at this
y very moment and that the output OF
fiery corn whisky this year viii
,. amount to q tremendous total Unless
the raiding officers relax their efforts
% tho output will not exceed that of last
y year, however.
- In the course of the present raid
- several super-stils have been seized and
Z. destroyed. Knoxville papers carried
y an article Of the seizure OF the daddy
" Of all stills" in central Tennessee sew
eral days ago. A dozen men were re-
duircd TO work this big machine "Bil
2 Bertha" another monster, was seized
= in the Cumberands in a section wher'
y the moonshiners had operated withou
y, molestation for several years.
Several of the most notorious moon
:. sinners of the South have been sent I,
= the penitentiary and their fate mas hac
"a dlscouraging influence on their breth
~ rem who were left behind to maintain
the family reputation as makers o.
= good liquor. Guy Merron and Johr