Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1922-07-14
TRAP SET FOR
ADD HARTMAN
NIoonshiners, Who Attempted to
Take Life of County Agent,
are Disappointed and Flee
to the Mountains.

Notwithstanding tho fact that
trap had been SGT for County prohi-
bition Agent Add Harman and his
assistant Luther Gillespie, with the
assistance Of other county agents
they routed n gang of moonshiners
on Whitaker Ridge Wednesday ana
captured an outfit that has boen in
operation for sometime and destroy
cd several hundred gallons Of mash,
twenty gallons OF liquor ready for
the market and II copper still. The
operators OF tho outfit made their
getaway in the mountains. It was
believed by tho officers that there
were eight men engaged in tho opera
ton.
Rocontly information cnme to the
county agent that this outfit was in
operation, and he summoned his as
sistant, Luther Gillespie, Federal
agent A. Nj. Muttcr, State Agent II.
nj. Gravcly md county agent John
S. Thompson, of this town, and made
tho rnid. Their automobile was left
several miles from the location Of the
still, the officers travelling by foot
over two or three mountains. After
ARRIVING within II few hundred yards
OF the designated spot two lookouts
were discovered making their way to
the still to appriso tho operators Of
the approach of tho agents. Tho loole-
outs were successful, and four men
were seen to leave tho still house
and mike for the hills. Tho officers
soon reached their objective, and were
then fired upon by tho mon who hnu
cscnncd to tho mountains. 1t develop
cd that other nids to tho moonshn-
crs had been located in different
parts of tho mountains and were FIR
inE mt the Officers from different
angles. The men who escaped from
the still were given chnsc by Gravely
and llnrmn, Muttcr and Gillospie
hnvng attempted rcconnoitcr to
surround them, which proved unsuc-
ccssful. Gravcly saw ono OF tho men
raise up from n brush pilo, where he
Ind hidden, and took deliberate aim
with his pistol, but missed. Harman
locntcd n man on tho hillside, ana
with his high-powcrcd riflo made him
take to his heels, tho others joining
in the shooting. Shots continued to
come from different parts Of tho
mountains. Gravcly, short distance
from Ilnrman, heard him crying for
water, and supposed from that that
Ilarmnn had been shot and rushed to
his aid. A bullet passed In few
inches Of tho two, and they sought
cover The moonshiners wero chased
over tho mountains until all trace
was lost. Tho. officers then searched
tho still and found ono of tho mene,
coats with his name in It, and this
man is now II fugitive from justice,
and will be arrested. Tho other par
ticpnnts in the Illicit making of
whiskey are known and the officers
are determined to get the last moth
er's son of them.
State Agent Gravcly, who has been
stationed in the county for two or
three years, and who hns helped rid
the Boissevain section OF moonshin-
crs md bootlcggcrs, snid this was
the ficrccst battle he had yot been
engaged in, there having been sixty
or more shots fired by all tho parties
concerned.
The Officers concerned in this raid
are determined to rid tho Whitaker
Ridge section Of tho trouble-making
moonshiners, and they will do 1t.