United States court, and the other by seizure by yourself or one of your deputies. The latter proceeding is preferable. The persons engaged in the release of this property will not be protected by the writ from indictment and prosecution, and I desire their case brought before the grand jury at its next session. Every citizen of the United States is bound to take notice of section 934 Revised Statutes of United States, and the officer executing the State process was, I understand, informed of that section. I desire that you shall institute the most diligent search for the recovery of this property, and seize it wherever found, and employ a sufficient force to hold the property against all comers, whether with a State process or otherwise. It is the right and duty of your officers to defend with force the possession of property lawfully seized by them against any person who intends or endeavors to rescue it, with or without State process, and I desire that this shall be done in every case. Very respectfully, ISAAC J. YOUNG, Esq., GREEN B. RAUM, Commissioner、 Collector, Raleigh, N. C. UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE, COLLECTOR'S OFFICE, FOURTH DISTRICT NORTH CAROLINA, Raleigh, December 23, 1879. SIR: I received to-day a letter from Walter M. Byrd, one of my deputies, dated "Troy, December 18, 1879," in which he writes: "I arrived at A. H. Saunders & Bros.' still on the 16th. Mr. Saunders went off after a guide to take me to Enoch Callicott's blockade still in the mountains on Barnes's Creek, about six miles from Saunders's distillery. We started about daybreak, taking with us guides; found the still in full blast. George Luther and John Allen Callicott ran out of the still-honse before we could get to it. We cut down all of the stands, and cut the old still (which was a very sorry one) all to flinders'; loosed our horses, and were making preparations to mount when George Luther and John Allen Callicott fired on us from the bushes, at the distance of about 100 yards, with squirrel rifles, one ball passing through the overcoat of my guide, where the sleeve is sewed to the coat on the shoulder, cutting his dress-coat threadbare, but doing no further damage. The other missed my shoulders about one foot and wounded my mare a few inches back of the hip joint. Mr. Davis saw the men after they fired, and says that he is well acquainted with them, and knows that it was Luther and Callicott. I went in there coolly, not expecting anything but to be shot at before we could get out. We thought once of charging them with our pocket pistols, but after consulting, thought it wise to get out without losing any more time or giving them any more advantages. "I started for Ross's blockade still on yesterday evening, but my mare got so she could not travel (from the wound), and I made my way to this place, walking eleven miles through the mud, leading my mare; got here about dark. "The greater portion of the men who are running the blockade-stills in this county are desperadoes, and if the supremacy of the internal-revenue laws is maintained, it will have to be done by force of arms." Very respectfully, Hon. G. B. RAUM, Commissioner Internal Revenue, Washington, D. C. I. J. YOUNG, Collector. UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE, COLLECTOR'S OFFICE, FOURTH DISTRICT, NORTH CAROLINA, SIR: My deputy, D. S. Burns, writes me from Albemarle, N. C., December 18, as follows: "I destroyed the still I told you about, one 60-gallon, with 350 gallons beer, 6 empty stands, 20 gallons singlings; then went with the gauger to Israel Barber's to gauge some brandy. They came during the night, carried my buggy 14 miles, and completely destroyed it-loss to me of $50." Very respectfully, I. J. YOUNG, Collector. 1877. Jan. 16. FIFTH DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA. Synopsis of correspondence. Letter from Collector Winstead. Combinations to resist the revenue laws in his district. Mar. 5. Letter from Revenue Agent Wagner. Raid on illicit distilleries in the South Mountains, assisted by troops; fired at from ambush; one soldier severely wounded. May 18. Letter from Revenue Agent Wagner. Incloses statement of Deputy Collector Corsbie relative to shooting and serious wounding of James H. Gray by illicit distillers or their aiders and abettors. June 9. Letter from Revenue Agent Wagner. Operations against illicit distillers in Granville County. Two colored men driven from their homes for giving information. 1878. Jan. 21. Letter from H. L. Shore, deputy collector. Operations against illicit distillers in Randolph County. Evidence of thorough organization among the law-breakers. Aug. 23. Letter from Collector Wheeler. Information as to raid by Deputy Collector Reid on illicit distilleries in a section of country known as "Red Cross." He and his party fired at from ambush. One horse killed and one wounded. Reid's life threatened by violators of law. 1879. Mar. 24. Letter from Commissioner of Internal Revenue to Collector Wheeler. Thanks him for vigor in the enforcement of laws. Notes the increase of legal distilleries in his district, and thinks it an excellent indication. Apr. 18. Letter from Collector Wheeler. A raiding party in the county of Stokes fired upon by parties in ambush, and Deputy Collector Joyce wounded. Apr. 26. Letter from Collector Wheeler. Asks for arms for use of deputies in enforcing laws. May 1. Extract from letter of Commissioner of Internal Revenue to Secretary of the Treasury, describing extensive tobacco frauds in North Carolina. June 5. Letters from Deputy Collectors Stipe and others. Operations against an illicit distillery in the county of Stokes. Engagement with an armed force of illicit distillers. Repeated firing on the officers, some of whom are slightly wounded. Desperate character of the men operating the distillery. Sympathy of the community with the violators of law. June 20. Letter from Commissioner of Internal Revenue to Collector Wheeler, commending vigorous efforts made to suppress illicit distilling and urging continuance of the same. Dec. 23. Letter from Collector Wheeler. Seizure of illicit distilleries in various parts of the district. Officers fired upon from ambush in Guilford County. 1880. Jan. 14. Letter from Collector Wheeler, reporting improved condition of affairs in his district as to observance of the revenue laws. UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE, COLLECTOR'S OFFICE, FIFTH DISTRICT NORTH CAROLINA, Greensborough, January 16, 1877. SIR: Your letter of the 20th December, relative to the perpetration of frauds by the "illicit manufacture of spirits and tobacco," has been received. An election year for many reasons seems to be an unfortunate one for rigidly executing the laws, and in some localities in this district the blockaders have combined and offered more resistance than I could overcome with my deputies. If, however, you will furnish me with means to employ men equal to the work, and I respectfully request that you do so, and these frauds are not broken up, I will have no cause to complain, if held responsible for them. I am now doing what I can to suppress them, with the aid of Major Wagner, revenue agent. Very respectfully, Hon. GREEN B. RAUM, C. S. WINSTEAD, Collector. Commissioner Internal Revenue, Washington, D. C. UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE, SIR: I have the honor to report the completion of two raids on illicit distilleries in the South Mountains, forming the boundary between Burke, Catawba, Cleveland, and Rutherford Counties, North Carolina, made under direction of Col. Frank J. Bramhall, assisted by Lieutenant Howard and a detachment of soldiers from Company F, of the Second United States Artillery, stationed at Morganton, which resulted in the destruction and capture of eight distilleries, with contents of six copper stills, caps, and worms, over 10,000 gallons mash and beer, 102 mash tubs, and considerable corn, meal, whisky, and singlings, and the arrest of six persons charged with illicit distilling. On the morning of the 28th the party was fired on by four men concealed in dense laurel on the top of an inaccessible bluff, and one of the soldiers severely wounded, the ball lodging in his chest. The assailants then fled and escaped arrest at the time, but are now being pursued. Very respectfully, JACOB WAGNER, Revenue Agent. Commissioner Internal Revenue, Washington, D. C. Hon. GREEN B. RAUM, UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE, SIR: I have the honor to inclose a statement made to me yesterday, by one of the deputies of this district, relative to the shooting of James H. Gray, one of the raiding party on illicit distillers in the eastern portion of this county. This case again demonstrates the folly of raiding on distillers in this State without an armed force. Very respectfully, Hon. GREEN B. RAUM, Commissioner Internal Revenue, Washington, D. C. JACOB WAGNER, Revenue Agent. Statement of I. W. Corsbie, deputy collector, fifth district North Carolina, On the 16th instant I started from Greensborough, N. C., to a point on Alamance Creek, in this, Guilford County, where I had been informed that one Perry Sheppard was operating an illicit distillery. I took three men with me, all citizens of Guilford County, and reached the distillery about noon. There was no one at it when we reached it. The still, a copper boiler of about 80 gallons capacity, was set up in the furnace, with fire under it, and filled with hot water. There were 16 full tubs of mash and beer, probably 1,600 gallons, in the still-house. The beer was fit for distillation. I knew it to be an illicit distillery. I seized the distillery and contents, took an inventory of the property, and told my men to take possession of it. The men who accompanied me were and James H. Gray. After finishing the inventory and disposing of the property we all sat down near the distillery to rest. While sitting there a shot was fired from a hill just above us, and a ball struck Gray in the hip, inflicting a serious wound. We saw nobody, but simply heard the shot. There is a large settlement of brothers and relations of Sheppard's in that neighborhood. We then withdrew and brought away our wounded man. As we were coming away we passed the house of widow Sheppard, where there were five men congregated, four of whom followed us for some distance, but made no further resistance. We have every reason to believe that it was either Perry Sheppard or one of his relations who did the shooting. I. W. CORSBIE, Deputy Collector, Fifth District North Carolina. UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE, SIR: I have the honor to report that Special Deputy Collector Lamond, fourth district of North Carolina, seized two distilleries and contents, about ten days ago, in Granville County, fifteen miles from Oxford, the county seat. The parties operating the stills were apprehended in the act, but escaped. After the officers disposed of the property and went away, a mob assembled and drove two colored men, named and who were suspected of having given information, away from their homes, threatening to kill them. They are now in Raleigh, afraid to return home. Very respectfully, Hon. GREEN B. RAUM, Commissioner Internal Revenue, Washington, D. C. JACOB WAGNER, Revenue Agent. WINSTON, N. C., January 21, 1878. SIR: I have just returned from a raid in the county of Randolph, and have the honor to report that I visited eight illicit distilleries, and poured out the beer, destroyed the stands, and cut up one copper still. In consequence of the thorough organization of the illicit operators, it is impossible to prevent information from being conveyed from one to another, which enables the distillers to pull up their stills and carry them to the hills and hollows, where they cannot be found. SIR: I acknowledge the receipt of your report of the 21st, showing the number of seizures, &c., since the 15th November last. This report shows that you have put a great deal of vigor into the enforcement of the laws in your district, for which you are entitled to the thanks of this office. I note that the number of authorized distilleries has increased from 15, September 1, 1877, to 62, March 20, 1879. This is an excellent indication, and I trust that this work will go on until illicit distilleries are thoroughly rooted out in your district. Very respectfully, Commissioner Internal Revenue, Washington, D. C. : My raiding party in the county of Stokes, consisting of Deputy Collector R. T. Joyce, Special Deputy B. F. Bynum, jr., and one guide, when in the vicinity of a blockade distillery reputed to be owned by one James Smith, were fired upon by parties in ambush, wounding Deputy Collector R. T. Joyce, fortunately not seriously. I shall organize a party in a few days that will go through that county and effectually clean it up. Smith is a desperate character, having killed three men. Very respectfully, W. H. WHEELER, Collector. [Telegram.] Hon. GREEN B. RAUM, UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE, COLLECTOR'S OFFICE, FIFTH DISTRICT NORTH CAROLINA, Winston, April 26, 1879. Commissioner Internal Revenue, Washington, D. C. : I have the honor to make requisition for 8 Navy revolvers, equipments, and 100 rounds of cartridges, for the use of my deputies and raiding parties in this district, in the enforcement of the internal-revenue laws. Very respectfully, W. H. WHEELER, Collector. [Extract from a letter from the Commissioner of Internal Revenue to the Secretary of the Treasury dated May 1, 1879.] In 1877 it became apparent to this office that enormous frauds were being practiced in North Carolina in connection with the sale of manufactured tobacco. The loss to the government was estimated at from $600,000 to $1,000,000 a year. It was with a good deal of difficulty that these frauds were discovered, but, by patient and discreet work, Revenue Agents Wagner and Brooks succeeded in developing the violations of law, and there were seized during the year 1877, and early in 1878, in the fifth distriet North Carolina, sixteen large tobacco factories, the proprietors of fourteen of which pleaded guilty. One was convicted, and one libel is now pending. It is well known that North and South Carolina, and a portion of Georgia, are infested with what are known as "blockade tobacco" peddlers, who travel through sparsely settled portions of the country selling fraudulent tobacco. To protect the government and honest dealers against these violations of law requires the constant vigilance of officers in those districts. Very respectfully, GREEN B. RAUM, Commissioner. UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE, DEPUTY COLLECTOR'S OFFICE, DISTRICT NORTH CAROLINA, June 5, 1879. SIR: In compliance with your instructions, we left Winston at five o'clock on the evening of the 3d instant, and traveled the entire night through a heavy rain without food or rest, and arrived at an illicit distillery, 40 miles from Winston, on the premises of the Smiths, in the county of Stokes, at six o'clock on the morning of the 4th, and have the honor to inform you that we destroyed one copper still and cap, one worm, 100 gallons singlings, 1,500 gallons beer, 13 beer stands, 20 gallons whisky, 24 bushels malt and rye meal, and 5 kegs. Several of our party were shot, but no one seriously injured. We made a charge upon them, and drove them from the premises, whereupon they took refuge in the dense undergrowth, and continued to fire upon us. We drove them from their position and returned to the point where we were first fired upon, when we were again fired upon from a different direction, wounding one of our horses. Deputy Collector Joyce was fired upon and wounded at this distillery in April last, and compelled to retreat. The parties who have been operating this distillery are men of desperate character, and have surrounded themselves with lawless men who have no regard for any law, and who for certain considerations to be paid in whisky commit any crime at their bidding. In fact, the whole community is in sympathy with the violators of the law, and we think an officer without a strong force would imperil his life in any attempt to enforce the law in that locality. A distance of 85 miles was traveled in less than 30 hours, with only one meal and without sleep. Very respectfully, A. L. STIPE, B. T. BYNUM, JR., J. O. WORTH, Hon. W. H. WHEELER, Collector, Fifth District North Carolina. Deputy Collectors. |