The Revenue Raids---A posse of four Revenue officials left Knoxville Tuesday
night of last week and were joined by Deputy Marshall Pate of Maryville and
one other to make a raid upon the distillery of Hut Amerine, of this county.
They reached his premises about daybreak Thursday morning. The distillery,
however, was strongly guarded, and a fight ensued. J.B. Snyder, one of the
revenue men, received a shot, the ball taking effect in his left hand and
coming out near the elbow. The revenue squad seeing that the chances were
against them, retired, and Snyder went home on the Maryville train. Another
and stronger posse was sent after the moonshiners, under William and John
Cooper. The result we clip from the Chronicle. “On arriving in the vicinity of
Amerine’s distillery about daybreak Friday morning, the posse of officials
under the command of Deputy Collector W.R. Cooper divided into four squads,
and were sent around to four points commanding a view of the still house,
which was situated down in Miller’s Cove. They soon discovered that the
distillery was deserted and the still hid away, and stationed themselves
around in a reconnoitering attitude for the purpose of capturing the
violators, if possible. Deputy John Cooper, with Lea Lewis and Frank DeArmond,
had gained entrance to the yard of the distillery, while the others were at
their different stations. It was now after sunrise, about 6 o’clock, perhaps,
when from a point on the side of the hill near by John Cooper and his squad
heard three parties calling for them to throw up their hand and surrender.
They at first thought it was some of their own men, but almost immediately the
violators, who were discovered to be Hut Amerine, Ad Wilson and Fletch Emmett,
opened fire. The entire volley was evidently aimed at John Cooper, and there
are different theories advanced to explain that. Some think that Amerine and
his men thought he was a man named Davis, who resembled him somewhat, and had
been blowing on them. Another theory is that they had ascertained that he was
a Cooper, although John had never been in that locality before, and it is
known that those fellows have sworn vengeance on all the Coopers. It seems
that three shots struck John, or at least the first went through his hat. The
next struck his left arm near the wrist and ranging upwards shattered the arm
in a frightful manner. At this time he had moved from his first position and
was rather squatted behind a sapling, trying to get a bead on the fellows with
his gun. The same shot which struck his arm, he being in a reclining position,
scapped out a small gash in his left thigh. The next shot did the work,
however. That took effect in the soft part of his abdomen, just below the
ribs, and ranging down, coming out near the spinal column, almost severing it.
This was a very large sized rifle ball, and from the best information that
could be obtained, this came from Wilson’s gun. The other ball was a smaller
one, and it is supposed was fired by Amerine himself. John was heard to
exclaim “I’m shot!” and dropping his gun started to run up the hollow, but
fell exhausted after going 40 or 50 yards. His brother Will, who was only
fifteen steps off at the time discovered his situation and came to John,
giving him some water from the branch at his request. The bushwhackers after
firing took to the bushes at once, and were followed some distance by part of
the force, but their whereabouts could not be discovered. John was then cared
for and taken to the house of Mr. Webb, who is the nearest neighbor, and in a
very short distance of Amerine’s dwelling house. John told his brother that he
was shot fatally, but he was prepared, and had no fears of death.” Dr.
Blankenship, of Maryville, went over to attend to the wounded man, and arrived
at about 12 o’clock Friday. But the wound was such that the patient could not
recover, and, as the Dr. tells us, reaction did not set in. Dr. Boynton, of
Knoxville, was also summoned to his relief, but everything had been done that
could aid the wounded man, and he could do nothing further to prevent the
approach of death, which came at 11 o’clock Friday night. Another strong posse
was sent after Amerine and his followers, but we believe all have returned to
Knoxville, having despaired of finding the villains. A reward of $300 is
offered for the arrest and delivery of Hutsell Amerine, Adam Wilson and
Fletcher Emmett, the murderers of John Cooper, or $100 for either of them. The
reward is offered by Joseph A. Cooper and his two sons. We understand that an
additional reward will be offered by the Government, and probably by Gov.
Porter also. It is hoped that these rewards will have the desired effect, and
that the notorious Hut and his associates will be brought to justice. We are
sorry that some of our whisky men sympathize with the murderers, but all good
citizens of Blount unite in condemning the foul deed. The revenue law is a
law, and should be enforced, and John Cooper was engaged in a noble work in
trying to arrest the illicit distillers. But how much better it would be if
this would be succeeded by entire prohibition of the accursed stuff. Since
writing the above we learn that Gov. Porter has offered a reward of $200 for
each of the three murderers.
