The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-19

the, agents work is doubly diff cult.
 Not long ago a veteran prohibition | field agent and a companion trailed a moonshiner to his home. The out l law carried in his arms the most valuable part of his equipment the worm of the still. The agents were so close behind that their shadows fell upon the threshold as he entered his hut.
 one of the agents stepped quickly inside, and placing a hand on the outlaws shoulder, instructed him to throw up his hands. The answer was an unexpected blow which sent the agent reeling. The moonshin CT darted for the door, gained the open, and whirled upon the agent, who, recovering, had attempted to follC W him.
 The moonshiner, who was known far and wide as bad man." brought his gun into play with quickness and skill attained by lcng practice. He was taking quick aim at the agents heart, when the second agent fired A moments de- lay in firing probably would have cost the life of a brave and loyal servant of the public. But there was not that moments delays moreover, the second agent was a crackshot himself The outlaw crumpled, his bullet unfired.
 At the crack of the pistol the out laws two brothers ran out. They were quickly disarmed. The outlaws S father swung his rifle down from its resting place on a nail in the wall, but likewise was overpowered. One of the agents held the two sons captive, the other, their father.
 N N
 How Women Were Conquered.
 Then the women appeared on the scene-three of them. They opened with fusillade of stones. Seizing whatever rude weapons were han diest-an iron bar. a bit of rough lumber, a rolling pin-they literally hurled themselves at the agents.
 The younger of the agents leveled his revolver. but he might as well have pointed his finger. The elder agent shouted.
 Hey" he yelled. Look here"
 They paused a moment and the heart of one of his captives, youth still in his teens.
 Drop 'em," the agent commanded quietly. The women hesitated.
 Better drop 'em," he said "If you hit my partner or me. I'm going to kill this boy"
 They dropped their weapons imme- diately and began to plead for the boys life. It was spared, of course. Later the agent was asked if he would have shot the boy if the women had net needed his command.
 Yes" he said. Tt was a hard choice, but those women would have killed us both if we hadn't found some way to stop them. And, of course, we couldn't shoot a woman.
 "Prohibition agents" he went on, cant bluff. The minute we do, we're gone. Years ago, when I was a revenue officer. l served notice on all the moonshiners in this district that ! would kill the first man who shot at me. One man tried it; I had to make good my word-had to do it or he would have killed me with another shot. Ever since then I have had very little trouble. The moon sinners know I mean business, so they don't try to fight when I go after 'em. That one case saved 10 lives, I reckon. of men l would have had to kill-if they hadn't got me first. It doesn't pay to bluff.
 This agent carried 45-cafTbre re- volver which he can use with deadly accuracy. Once while in the woods with a companion, he saw a squir- rel in a nearby tree.
 I'm going to shoot him." the agent announced, "in the head"
 He fired and the squirrel fell to the ground. They picked it up It was shot in the head.
 Most men in these mountains shoot that way" he calmly told his companion. Tt comes natural" Copyright, 1923, by Doubleday, Page
 & Co.)
 tT0 Be Continued Tomorrow.)