Found this story from my first blog defunct 10 years ago but made available by a website vault that has just about everything that’s ever been on the web just.
David was Grandpa’s shadow. He loved being with him, even if it meant working in the field all day with him. And he did – a LOT. Grandpa was an enigma: He was a grumpy, stubborn Swede who was also tender-hearted and loving.
He didn’t cuss around us kids, but he made up cuss words to get his point across that would – if translated – I’m sure make a sailor blush. Words like, “Con-sarn it!”
David says that a couple of times they went to Dallas and, as usual, when they passed the courthouse, which back then had a bench out front where the old men sat and shoot the breeze for a spell.
On this particular day in probably 1959, David (in the 3rd or 4th grade about this time) and Grandpa walked up to the bench, and Grandpa told a couple of stories about his moonshining days.
Grandpa was a moonshiner for about 17 years during Prohibition (1919-1933) and, according to Grandpa, was only arrested twice in his 17 years for – ah – being a procurer of distilled elixer. He never spent any time in jail but is certain that it was his competing moonshiners who turned him in.
Anyway, David said that Grandpa was laughing about recently having the Paulding County Deputy who’d arrested him on one of those two occasions coming up to him at the very spot where they were chatting and asking him – after all those years – if he had made bail, gone home, and moved the still. The Deputy said they had banged it up a little but had gone back the next day to finish the job. When they got there, it was gone.
Grandpa was enjoying a good laugh telling the men on the bench that he told the Deputy with a straight face that he hadn’t done it. The joke was that, after making bail, he had gone straight home, gotten his brother and moonshining partner, Henry, and, together, they moved the still and had it patched up ready for business the next morning because now, for sure, he had no choice but to continue moonshining: He had to pay his fine!
I guess that Deputy went to his grave scratching his head over whether they had mistakenly noted the location of the still or wondering if – as Grandpa alleged – one of the competitors had watched the arrest and moved in and stolen the still after they’d taken Grandpa to the jail to make bail.
The other story David remembers Grandpa sharing about those days was that he was home one day when a car pulled up with two men. The passenger got out and Grandpa met him in the yard. He asked Grandpa if he had any moonshine. Grandpa said he did and went got the visitor a quart.
When he handed the man the liquor, the driver yelled out the window to Grandpa, “Do you know who this man is?”
Grandpa responded that he didn’t.
The driver laughed and said, “This is the Sheriff of Douglas County.”
Grandpa froze, but the Sheriff paid him, said thanks, got in the car and they drove away.
Talk about a close call! But, as David said, in those days, it was really the Feds who were the hot and heavy revenuers who spent mucho tax dollars trying to stamp out illegal drinking. Spittin’ in the wind, wasn’t it?
David said that Grandpa said a couple of times, “There are a lot easier ways to make money than moonshining! It was hard work!”
My mother knew Grandpa was a moonshiner. She said they had jars of the stuff sitting around and they could drink whenever they wanted. She said she – nor her brothers and sisters – ever had much interest in it beyond an occasional swig that took their breath away. (Mother swears for her it was only one swig and never again….
A couple of unrelated – but interesting articles about moonshining in Paulding County…
The Atlanta Constitution Newspaper
Atlanta, Georgia
4 July 1901
A Whisky Jug For A Pillow
William Baker, who says he lived four miles from Dallas, in Paulding county, was tried by the recorder yesterday afternoon for being drunk and asleep on the streets. The arresting officer stated that he found the prisoner down on a sidewalk.
“And when I lifted him up,” the officer said, “I found he had a gallon jug of whisky for a pillow.”
“Judge,” stated Baker, “I got drunk when I left home, but I never touched a drop after I arrived in Atlanta,”
“Did you make the whisky you got drunk on?” the recorder asked him.
“Well, no,” was the reply, “but the boys do make a pow’ful lot of liker round about them diggings.”
The recorder told Baker he was sorry, but he would have to fine him $5.75, as a drunk on Paulding County liquor was as bad as any other sort of a drunk. Baker was away from home and had no money or friends, and he had to get to the chain gang for two weeks.
The Atlanta Constitution Newspaper
Atlanta, Georgia
29 Apr 1898
Transcribed and submitted by: S. D.
Bound Over For Moonshining.
Ned Cason and Andrew Ragin, two white men of Paulding county, were tried before U.S. Commissioner Broyles yesterday afternoon on the charge of illicit distilling. The men protested their innocence, but a number of witnesses swore differently. The still was found near their house and witnesses testified that they had seen them working in it. Judge Broyles required $200 bonds of the men, and they will appear at the next term of the U.S. court to answer the charge.
he Atlanta Constitution Newspaper
Atlanta, Georgia
4 June 1898
Bound Over For Moonshining.
William Ferguson, a white man of Paulding county, was yesterday bound over to the U.S. court on the charge of illicit distilling by Judge Walter T. Colquitt. He denied his guilt, but the commissioner considered the evidence sufficient to hold him for trial. Stephen Pace, a white man, also of Paulding county, was bound over to the U.S. court by Judge Nash R. Broyles, yesterday afternoon, on the charge of illicit distilling. He protested his innocence. Both Ferguson and Pace succeeded in giving $200 bonds for their appearance.
The Atlanta Constitution Newspaper
Atlanta, Georgia
3 May 1898
Saved From Ruthless Hands.
Thomas J. Fuller, a white man from Paulding county, was yesterday bound over to the U.S. court by Judge Nash R. Broyles on the charge of illicit distilling, and behind the story of his arrest is an incident, told by the arresting officers, which shows the love of his alleged moonshiner for the still claimed to be his. The arrest was made by Deputy Marshals Scott and Collector Pat Moore. When they neared the house of Fuller, in Paulding county, having been previously informed that there was a still on his place conducted by him, they saw some one run out of the rear door of the house and make for the woods ahead of them. This they think to have been Fuller, although they have no positive evidence that it was he. When they arrived at the stillhouse, however, they found that the still had been removed, evidently but a short time before, for the traces of it were still plainly visible. After making a thorough search for the still, which was futile, they returned to the house and arrested Fuller, who said never a word in regard to the still or concerning his arrest. The officers say the man could easily have escaped, but hat he knew his still would be destroyed, and so chose to save the still and surrender himself. He made no statement before Judge Broyles yesterday and gave bond for his appearance at the next term of the U.S. court.
