Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1922-02-08

ILLICIT STILLERS ARE
GETTING IN HARD LINES
Two Large Stills Destroyed and Over
1000 Gallons of Still Beer Des-
troyed; Arrests Made.

Saturday afternoon about two
o'clock Marshal Lyles. Henry Turner
and Clarence Turner deStoyed larg,
still near the home OF Hardin Smith
few miles south of Crossville anc
poured out about ESQ gallons of beer
When the raiders came within {
short distance of the still sight {
dog belonging to Hardin Smith bark
ed and caused two men who were a.
the still to appear on the scene with
shot guns. One of the men was Les.
ter Smith, son of Hardin Smith, and
the other was Elijah Agee, generally
called Plute Agee. The officers order.
ed them to put down their guns and
surrender but they broke and ran. AS
they ran one of the men fired upon
them and Agee dropped hi sgun and
fell, but quickly arose, picked up his
gun and continued his flight Smith
and Agee both got away, but war
rants are in the hands of the officers
and they will likely be arrested in a
short time.
The still had been put into a dug
out on the side of hill near a steep
bluff and the dugout covered with
tar paper. Every indication pointed to
it having been used for some time.
The dog stood to his guns" and they
were not able to enter the dugout un-
til they took long pole and punched
the dog out and ran him away. The
dog swan the creek or got wet in
crossing the creek and was at the
home of Hardin Smith when tn eof-
hcers went there with search war
rant a short time later.
The officers destroyed the four Co.
gallon barrels and the mash or beer
that was in them and brought the still
to town. 1t was a large one, would
have held, probably, 30 to 40 gallons
and was made of sheet iron and not
of copper as is usually the case. The
officers found ID places where stills
had been in operation, before locat-
ing the one they raided
Sheriff Walker and Men.
Sunday Sheriff G. w. Walker,
Marshal V. c. Lyles, Henry Turner,
Clarence Turner, Irwin Turner and
James Adams, destroyed large still
and over 1000 gallons of beer near
Toilets Chapel. about four or five
miles north of Crossville. They also
arrested several men found near the
still sight
Sheriff Walker and possy first went
20 the homes of Will and Arthur Sher
ill. When Will Sheriff. saw the Of
icers he ran behind his barn and
threw away a fruit jar containing
some whiskey. The officers got the i
ar, but it was practically empty.
Sheriff Walker arrested both men.
Shortly before reaching the Sheriff.
lome the officers met some boys and
he sheriff at once arrested them and
'laced them in charge of James Adams !
md Irwin Turner, so they would have
10 chance to give warning to the
noonshintrs. About mic beyond
Tolletts Chapel, near the home Of
Viii Rector they found a wellbeaten
ath which lead them to a large still
nder 4 bluff. Here they found some
900 or more gallons of beer or mash
1most ready for being made into
ihiskey. 1t was III large boxes. which
hey destroyed by burning. They did
OF find the still or worm as the moon
hiners had not yet begun cooking
he mash. Walter Taylor was also
rrested near the still sight. The Of
GERS searched the Rector home and
arm. but found nothing. After
earching the Will Rector home and
hen on their way back to destroy
lie still beer they met Arthur Rector
nd Maynard Barnwell with a lard
IN half full of still beer that the
ficers had seen at the still a short
me before. The men were arrested
he still sight had the appearance of S
aving been in operation for some
me. /
The men came to town Monday and {
the grand jury is in session. their
ses will have a hearing. f