Rowdies in Camp.
Sam Wiles and Zibe Turner attended to the still while the day began to
wane, and shadows cast by the tall hills were lengthening over the
plain.
When darkness finally came Wiles continued to replenish the fire and
supply the necessary water from a running stream. His boon companion
threw himself down on some cedar boughs within the cave's mouth and was
soon asleep. His watch would come later on.
While this precious pair of "wildcatters" are thus employed, a good
opportunity is given us to describe their retreat.
Their rendezvous was called Wind Cave, and was discovered a few years
before by a young brother of Sam Wiles. The boy, Ephraim Wiles, one day
was hunting stray cattle on some hills skirting the Cumberlands River,
when he came to the top of a hill which was nearly bare of timber and
whose southern side was a sheer perpendicular of rock for several feet
down. The boy stood looking over this precipice, lost his footing, and
fell down the cliff. He was unhurt, for about fifteen feet below was a
level place a few feet across covered with leaves and moss and upon
this he landed. When he had recovered from his surprise, he looked
about him and saw that the hillside below him was very steep, with
trees and bushes growing thickly in the soil. Then he turned his eyes
toward the rock, and beheld an aperture of considerable size partly
covered by bushes and decayed vegetation. With a boy's curiosity and
daring he crawled into the opening, and found himself in a cave of
moderate dimensions. Finding in it nothing but broken rocks and white
walls and a small stream of water flowing along, he soon crept out, and
knowing no way of escape save down the hill side, slipped over the
edge, and by holding on to bushes and shrubs and checking himself
against trunks of trees he finally reached the bottom, and, returning
home, told of his discovery to the family.
From this time the cave became the resort of Sam Wiles and his
moonshiners, and here they carried on their illicit distilling with
little fear of detection. They explored its interior thoroughly, and
discovered that the cave went north for a considerable distance, when
it turned to the east, its dimensions becoming narrower as they
proceeded. At last they came to a second entrance which opened upon the
hill's side about midway between top and bottom. This aperture was
partially close by fallen logs and decayed leaves and mold. The two
openings made the cave a sort of tunnel, and because there was always a
current of air passing through the passages they named it "Wind Cave."
The narrow entrance was used for receiving sacks of corn, barrels, and
other necessaries of their unlawful work, and also for removing the
whisky after it had been made. The men kept this hole well secured by
covering it with brush. As the other part of the cave was much larger,
it was there that the still was set up, and there the outlaws usually
remained.
Behold them this Saturday evening brewing mischief as well as
distilling whisky. They were a reckless, religion-hating crowd. They
were mostly young men, though some had passed middle life. Nearly all
were shabbily dressed, and of large and bony frame. The faces of most
were heavy and dull showing marks of dissipation. Others, especially
the very young men, were really fine specimens of Kentucky physical
manhood. They had rosy cheeks, bright eyes, and a ready smile and
laugh. Surely they were worthy of a better cause.
In a way they were as jolly and hearty, as full of fun and jokes, as
the ministers themselves. Their conversation was coarse and marred the
King's English; it was boisterous and narrow, but it fitted their
characters.
They were seated on logs or on the moss-covered ground in or near the
cave's mouth. Each one was smoking a corncob pipe or rolling a quid of
tobacco under his tongues.
These men had no compunctions of conscience either as to the
lawlessness of their business, or to their desire and will to disturb
the peace of the camp meeting. Sam Wiles speaks: "Fellers, tomorrer is
Sunday, and we'uns must spile their meetin' on de camp ground. You'ns
must arm yo'selves with any weapons you'ns can git--dirks, knives,
clubs, and horsewhips. You'ns, Long Tom and Bert Banks, will walk right
into de crowd while de preacher is spoutin' and start to break up de
meetin'. De rest of you'ns must be ready to help."
"Right you air," said Bert Danks, captain of the Honey Crick band.
"Long Tom and I will go, and I 'low all we'uns can make a rip-roarin'
time, for we'll frighten de people, and be too much for de preachers
and magistrates. I'll bring a passel of my bully byes with me, and
they'll make things lively at de camp."
Long Tom remained silent, but a close observer might have seen a look
on his face telling that his part of the program was not exactly
agreeable, but he was not a man to shirk a hard task.
"Won't I laugh to hear de women scream and to see 'em run over benches
like scart sheep," said Monster Turner. "You'ns will have to be right
smart to keep up with me on de camp ground, for I'm goin' to have my
fightin' clothes on from hat to boots. Confound 'em, dose pesky
preachers won't fight, and we'll be too many for de officers. Dat's my
holt."
These words wrought the men up to a higher pitch of excitement, and
Wiles their leader, wishing still further to work on their feelings,
said to Lem Curtis, a blue eyed youth of eighteen:
"Lem, you air de best singer in de bunch, and I want you to lead us in
our favorite song. No revenues air near tonight, and we'uns air safe
from danger if we'uns do not sing too loud."
Thus appealed to, Lem Curtis started a well known refrain, the rest
joining in heartily.
After all had paid their respects to the brown jug Sam Wiles dismissed
the meeting with these words: "We'uns shall meet near de edge of de
camp on de east at seven o'clock tomorrer mornin', an' all you fellers
be shore to be in time."
Sunday morning dawned beautiful and bright. The numbers on the camp
ground were constantly being increased by persons coming on horseback,
in buggies, wagons, and every known vehicles. Jasper Very was the
preacher at ten o'clock. Everything proceeded in a becoming manner
until he was half through his discourse, when up stalked near to the
stand Bert Danks and Long Tom with hats on and loaded whips in their
hands. They remained standing, and began talking in an audible voice
with some women of their acquaintance. Naturally many eyes were turned
to this scene, and the attention given to the speaker was lost.
Jasper Very stopped in his sermon and, turning to the rowdies, said:
"Young men, this is a religious meeting, held by Christian people, and
protected by the laws of Kentucky. You will therefore get down off
those benches, cease from talking, and be quiet and orderly."
Instead of complying with this request, both of the rowdies cursed the
preacher, and said: "You'ns mind yer own bizness. We'uns will not get
down from dese seats."
Jasper knew that trouble was present, and being sure that it was vain
to continue preaching, he cried out: "I call for the magistrates on
this ground to come forward and take these men into custody." There
were several officers at hand; but they, being afraid, declared they
could not arrest them.
Jasper spoke to them: "Command me to take them, and I will do it at the
risk of my life." Saying this, he advanced toward them. "Stand off,"
shouted both of the rowdies; but the preacher walked forward, when Bert
Danks struck at him with his loaded whip, but that moment Jasper seized
him and jerked him off the bench. A regular scuffle ensued, and the
congregation was in great commotion. The magistrates, having found
their courage, commanded all friends of order to aid in suppressing the
riot. By this time Jasper Very had thrown Bert Danks down and, despite
his utmost efforts to arise, held him fast. About the same instant two
lusty farmers who were standing by the preacher took hold of Long Tom
and bore him to the ground.
Then the mob headed by Sam Wiles and Monster Turner with loud outcries
rushed to the rescue of the prisoners. They knocked down seven
magistrates and several preachers and many others. At this point Jasper
Very gave his prisoner to others, and threw himself in front of the
order-loving people. At once Sam Wiles confronted him. His eyes were
blazing with bitter hate. His rage was so great that it weakened his
judgment, and he struck out again and again at Very to fell him. The
last time he struck at him the momentum threw the side of his face
toward the preacher. It was too great a temptation to resist and Jasper
hit him a sudden and powerful blow in the ear which dropped him to the
earth.
Meantime the fight was waxing fierce in another direction. Zibe Turner
led a part of the mob to the right of the fighting, and attempted a
flank movement. He seemed like a personification of Satan. His black
eyes glared with a terrible fury, and with his long arms outstretched
he rushed on the fray. His voice of command seemed a mixture of beast
and human. Women shrieked and fled before him, and he had the
satisfaction of seeing them indeed fall over the rough benches. With
oaths and shouts his men followed, and many camp meeting folks were
knocked down and bruised.
If it had not been for John Larkin, "the square man," the mob might
have won. In the midst of all the excitement and noise he remained calm
and wise. He had helped in resisting the attack in front, when,
glancing to the right, he saw the monster dwarf approaching, knocking
the people about with his long and powerful arms. Larkin put himself in
his way, and as he got nearer said:
"Are you monkey, man, or devil, or the three combined? Whoever you are,
you must reckon with me."
"I'm de man who can whip ary sneakin' braggin' preacher on dis ground.
Dat's my holt," replied Turner.
With this he threw himself upon Larkin, and they were clasped in a
close embrace. The monster dwarf gripped the preacher's body in his
terrible arms with a strength like that of a grizzly bear, and it
seemed to Larkin as though his ribs would crack and his breath leave
him. But while the dwarf's arms were abnormally strong, his legs were
weak, whereas Larkin's limbs were as sturdy as an oak tree. Besides, in
his school days he had learned several wrestling tricks, and now he
used one to throw Turner to the ground. There they continued to
struggle for some time, the friends of each trying to help him. But by
this time the mob in the other quarter had been subdued; and Jasper
Very coming to the rescue of his colleague, the monster dwarf was
conquered and several of his aids subdued and captured.
All the prisoners were sent to the county seat, and placed in jail,
there to await their trial before the criminal court over which Judge
LeMonde presided.