Show True rue Detective Story by V Vance nce Wynn I id I V d Public Ledger The Man Who Hit the Bulls Bull's Eye flourished lon long before the prohibition amendment amendment amendment amend amend- ment was made to the Constitution of or the United States Twenty years a ago o It was carried on In the mountains of West VIrginia Virginia Virginia Vir VIr- ginia on a scale U that at made the government government government gov gov- authorities gasp for Cor breath The general Impression of ot the is that of a poor white whiteman whiteman whiteman man who Is willing to take bl big chances In order to make a little illegal Illegal il illegal Il- Il legal money This Is true of or some sections but at nt the time mentioned there were bold and unscrupulous distillers who carried It on as a n business In inn Ina n na a n big way and who made fortunes by the operation I I Wayne Gooch was one of ot these I men I He lie was called the King of the and there Is s no reason reason reason rea rea- son to doubt that ho he was as entitled to the distinction The lIlI scandals grew to such proportions proportions proportions pro pro- portions that the commissioner o or of internal revenue re at Washington determIned determined de de- it would have o to be stopped at all hazards The man he assigned to the Job was a fearless agent named Tom Kennell Kennedy lIe He had several advantages One was that he knew the mountains of West Nest Virginia Another was that he was a crack shot These things were Important because because be be- cause the placed paced small smal value on human life Most l of them boasted that the they would not be taken alive alln and b b. by bythe the same token they would kill anyone anyone anyone any any- one who attempted to Interfere with their business Kennedy determined to confront the lion in his den He lIe made up his mind to go to the Gooch stamping grounds Inthe n the guise gulso of a government go forester Merely to be known as ns a person who was connected wI with th the government gov gOY government In any capacity was taking a big chance chal but Kennedy was a n aman aman man who had been taking chances all his life and one additional chance meant little to him He lie land had two capable assistants with him and he went direct to the cabin where the king of the made his He lIe Introduced himself by his real name and he wanted to know what the authorities could do to help the cultivation of trees In that part of the country Gooch who was a abig abig abig big bluff fellow received him cordially cordIally cordially cor cor- enough even en though he kept his weather eye eje on this curious stranger lIe He said the soil soli In that part of West 11 est Virginia was not particularly adapted to forestry but he cheerfully cheerfully cheer cheer- fully tully escorted Kennedy Kenned about the country It was just what the revenue agent wanted He lIe kept his e eyes es and his ears eais open OIen and at the end of or 2 21 I hours was forced to confess confess' that there was not even een the sign of a n still In oper operation During that time the king entertained entertained entertained en en- the agent In a ro royal rojal nl fash tash ion One Ono day they had a shooting match with a b big target set up near the cabin Kennedy participated participated and to the great grent delight and admiration of or the king the visitor hit the bulls bull's eye eve nine times out of ten Gooch said that was was' the best record record rec rec- ord ever made in that locality He parted with his guest with apparent reluctance Kennedy had bad played placed his cards so sowell sowell sowell well that he was was' not even Ten suspected suspect suspect- ed cd by the king of the They parted one night with expressIons expressions expressions ex ex- of mutual esteem Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy Ken Ken- nedy had no misconception of his man I He V klc that if It his tru true character character charac charac- ter had become becom known he would have been shot like a dog This thought keyed him up to the game ame he was about to play pIny He left the cabin and the vicinity vicinity vicin vicin- ity but he lie had proof that distilling was going on on a great scale scalp He lle discovered ered that the stuff was sent to the depot in a truck at about midnight each nl night ht So ho In lay In wait walt with his two men meIl and when the team arrived at ata a c certain of part purt the road he appeared appeared appeared ap ap- ap- ap in tho the highway with a loa loaded loaded load load- ed cd and primed revolver The Tle driver and his hig assistant ta take taken taken ta- ta ke ken unawares surrendered In the meantime Kennedy sent for re re and before another an another an another other day duy had gone b by th the king of or orthe the and und his men had been taken Into custody Service |