From the Logan Banner of Logan, WV, comes this story about Harts Creek moonshiners dated February 1, 1927:
Raiders Find Three Stills Along Harts
Mash In Abundance is Located But Shiners Are Wary, Alert and Fleet.
Prohibition officers, federal and state, made sweeping raids along Harts Creek last Thursday. Two moonshine stills complete and part of another, together with 900 gallons of mash and 12 gallons of moonshine were seized and destroyed. Operators of the stills escaped the dragnet.
An 80-gallon copper still was found in operation by the raiding agents at the mouth of Buck Fork of Harts Creek, along with 400 gallons of mash and eleven gallons of moonshine. No one was at the still when the officers arrived, according to the latter, but later two men approached carrying sacks of half-gallon fruit jars. At sight of the officers, they turned and fled, escaping.
A 36-gallon capacity still, 300 gallons of mash, and a small quantity of liquor were found by the officers on Smoke House Fork of Harts Creek. Three men fled from the scene on approach of the agents and made good their getaway. Forty-two empty one-half gallon fruit jars were also found there and destroyed.
In the same locality the officers found the worm and other parts of another moonshine still, together with 200 gallons of mash.
Officers participating in the raids were: Federal Agents Lilly and Bill Bird and State Agents Hugh “Ridgerunner” Butcher and Harry Butcher, of Chapmanville, Irwin Carter, and Wade Rice.
These men believe they seized the still that made the liquor that was consumed by those present when ____________________ were shot to death.
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From the Logan Banner of Logan, WV, comes this story about Crawley Creek and Harts Creek moonshiners dated April 8, 1927:
‘Shiner Totes Still and Makes Escape
An all-day raid Tuesday on Crawleys and the upper reaches of Harts Creek by five officers resulted in the capture of three stills and 22 barrels of mash.
Five shiners were seen at a distance working around a still but they were able to escape and take their still with them owing to their better knowledge of the country. A couple of shots were fired at the man who carried the still but he “carried on” with a stout heart and saved his “mint.” This was on White Oak of Harts.
This raiding party was made up of Prohibition Agent Ed Hensley, Deputy Sheriff Henderson Maynard and State Policeman Rowe, Wilson, and Russell. They went to the head of Mud Fork Tuesday morning and scouted along the ridges, reaching Henlawson late in the day where a car awaited them to bring them home.
The signal system along Crawleys and Harts works so effectively, it is said, that it is nearly impossible for the officers to catch a moonshiner at his still or get hold of any of his product, although stills and mash are often found. If the officers raid the country in daylight they are seen and warnings are sent out in various ways to all concerned. If they travel at night, they must use lanterns or flashlights which are of course detected and reported.
