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Blockader's Trail
By Henry D. Holsclaw
In a letter to A. P. Hudson, dated March 23, 1948, Miss Edith
Walker says that the following is the account which Mrs. Laura B.
Timmons of Boone, North Carolina, gave her — "I copying as she
talked."
Mr. Holtzclaw [sic] was born in Caldwell, April 16, 1878. Spent his
life there except for two years he served (innocently, for blockading—
incident in the broadside) in Henderson county. "Blockader's Trail"
published in Welsh (Welch?), Virginia, in 1921. Mr. Holsclaw had
probably gone there after getting released and had started working there.
Farmed some. Worked some in a factory. Is now working in a cotton
mill. He was batching and farming, etc., when sheriff came after him
(in song). The still was not his — but he wouldn't tell whose. One
woman (woman in ballad) knew — but she was not allowed to testify in
trial. Taylor boys had been originally mentioned in warrant refixed for
him — these boys later killed a man. Robert Dula (boy then) was
brother of Dr. Alfred Dula in Lenoir, an eye specialist. Mr. H. is now
a very religious man, as his later poems show. The person who talked
with him, and all in the party, were impressed with him, with his neat
and clean home, and especially his sparkling eyes. They said he was
quite pleased when he discovered what they wanted — he went to a trunk
and gave them his original copy so that they could copy it — as my
friends' niece did, for she is a typist. Mr. H. trusted them with his
ballad, without a single question. Although he is married, they did not
meet his wife— they thought maybe, since the couple are now very
religious, that she was embarrassed when he began telling about having
to serve time. He was born in Little River township in Brushy Moun-
tains, at foot of Cox's Knob, on headwaters of Dutch Creek, at Draco
(Mrs. Timmons said be sure to put that in!). (Remember: 'Blockader's
Trail' was published in Virginia before in "Lenoir, so our copy stated.)
His first ballad was Tlorence Sutphin' (1916), published in Lenoir. . . .
She (Florence) lived in Little River township, near foot of Hibriter
Mountain.
John Welch (or Walsh) has been an officer ever since Mrs. Timmons
can remember. (She first telephoned him; he was gone; finally reached
him, and he gave her a lead about how to find Mr. Holsclaw ; Mr.
Welch was very helpful and interested, she said. Born in Elks, January,
1876 — just a little below where Mrs. Timmons was born— as he told
her! He remembered her and her family and her father — a minister.)
Family moved to Laytown (name was given because most people who
lived there were lazy!), when he was about I7- Then to Lenoir; he
hauled lumber. In Spanish-American War, he served in the North
Carolina regiment, Company C. In 1899 became policeman in Lenoir.
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Was chief 1919-1930: until he entered World War I. Then became
deputy sheriff under Jerome ('Rome) Triplett. Jerome Triplett was
sheriff almost all the time until he died about 4 or 5 years ago. During
World War II he was city detective until about two years ago — stopped
because of a heart attack — sworn in again as deputy in spite of illness !
(Still has this last office.) His only daughter married Mrs. Timmons'
first cousin, Spence Dula, a present officer. When Mr. Welch heard
what they wanted, he said he, too, had a copy of 'Blockader's Trail. . . .'
Mr. Holsclaw hasn't written anything in two or three years. Lenoir
Ncu'stopic printed "Florence Sutphin" fall of 191 6. She was killed first
day of October, 1916. Flood in same year. At time of "Bloclcader's
Trail," he was living on top of Brushy Mountain, by himself. Triplett
and Welch knocked at door around noon. Passed Rufe. Arrested liim.
Said he had operated still.
'Blockader's Trail.' From Miss Edith Walker, of Boone ; with undated
note by Dr. Brown : "From Miss Edith Walker's ms. book of songs,
Boone (N. C), Watauga and Caldwell counties. Printed in broadside
form at Lenoir for Holsclaw."
1 In the year of our Lord nineteen and twenty-one,
Jerome Triplet and his deputy came to my home.
The first thing they did was to holler 'Hello.'
I said, 'Come in,' of course you might know.
2 A friend of mine, John Teeters, was there.
And without further notice they arrested the pair.
They handcuffed us together securely and fast,
Saying, 'Oh, Law, boys, we've got you at last.
3 'You boys were well hid, but we found the place;
You are darned good runners, but we win the race.'
Then Triplet searched the house in hopes he'd find
Some whiskey to drink that he'd know was mine.
4 'Twas the month of July ; the weather was hot.
Walsh tried to read the old warrant but said he could not.
I read the warrant over with all of my care
And therefore knew it was wrong somewhere.
5 When Triplet arrested Charlie W'alker, I gave him great
praise,
And he surely has been encouraged in various ways,
For the search warrant that they served on me
Was the thinnest piece of business that I ever did see.
6 It was originally swore out for two Taylor men.
And my name was stuck on it and 'twas served once again.
So Triplet searched the house and all of my goods
And at last had to send the deputy to the woods.
7 He went through the cornfield, thugity-thug.
And when he came back he had a full gallon jug.
NORTH CAROLINA BALLADS 731
When he told him to get that Hquor he gave him a nod.
He said that he found it a-sittin' by a log.
8 It was full of corn liquor, and it sure was fine.
Said he saw a girl hide it and he knew it was mine.
For she run out of my house, that jug in her hand.
But I say it's either a lie, or a mistake, or the man.
9 For I had no liquor, and I guess I know.
If you don't believe me, the girl will tell you so.
But they took their liquor and both of us boys
And went to the mountains for the rest of their toys.
10 On the way to the mountains to get the rest of their junk
They hid their jug o' liquor in an ol' holler stump.
When we got to the place where the still was at.
There stood Robert Dula as watchful as a cat.
1 1 He was standing on a log on the side of the hill.
His Colts on his hip and his eye on the still.
He was pleased with his job, so proud of his gun
He wouldn't punch the fire, nor the liquor wouldn't run.
12 He had rather been there as in his spectacle shop.
And before he got away he was splattered with slop.
They said: 'I'll swear, what a good place for a still!
We hate to tear it up, but I reckon we will.
13 'Pour out the singlings^ and beer, but save the meal.
Lord, I wish I had a dram — how bad I feel !
Hurry up, John, we've got to get away from here now ;
Just knock out the heads. I ain't particular nohow.
14 'Knock ofif the cap and pull out the worm.
It's ol' sugar beer as shore as be durnd.
Pour out the backings ;- catch a jugful to drink.
It's a pity to cut the kegs up. What do you think?
15 'Believe we'll leave 'em here. We've got to do a bout.
You reckon the old man John can ever carry 'em out ?
Boys, ain't it a good place in the ol' hollers ?
Those two little kegs are worth five dollars.
^ "singlings" : "The distillations from sour mash. The sinelings are
distilled in turn, or 'doubled,' for pure whiskey. If the 'proof of
doublings is kept up to no, they are said to be 'doubled and twisted.' " —
Professor Gratis D. Williams, Boone, N. C, who adds, "This information
is from my own knowledge of moonshine lore" (letter to A. P. Hudson,
March 12, 1948).
" "backings" : "Distillation from the double run, very low or completely
lacking in alcoholic content; used to temper high proof whiskey. If one
wanted 100 proof whiskey, he would pour backings into doublings until
the proof stick registered 100" (ibid.).
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i6 'So we'll take 'em along, but it's a h — 11 of a tote.
This here carrying sure gets my goat.'
They took the still and the worm, the cap and two kegs,
Two hats, and a coat, and left some old rags.
17 They bunched it all together and was ready to go.
Said, 'What can you boys take? Anything or no?'
'Why, h — 11 no, nothing at all.
We're handcuffed together; I'm afraid we'd fall.'
18 Some carried copper and some carried wood.
John and me cuffed together done the best we could.
We all went the path and made it a little slicker.
And when we got to it I offered to take the licker.
19 But the darned old cranks said, 'Guess we can take it ,
You might fall down and accidently break it.'
Dula carried the lantern and worm and Triplet the kegs.
Walsh carried the still and liquor and wabbled his legs.
20 Me and John were cuffed together and carried not a thing
Except two little locks and a small little chain.
When we passed my home we went out the ridge.
And I hollered to my uncle to meet us at the bridge.
21 I warned him to go to our people and tell 'em the news,
The fate of us boys and a gallon jug of booze.
He met us at the bridge, and he had a wooden leg.
And for a drink of liquor you ought to heard him beg.
22 Triplet thumped on the kegs and shook his knot a speck.
I said, 'Walsh has got a jug full up to the neck.'
Said the deputy to the sheriff, 'Must I give him some now?'
Triplet answered, 'Yes; guess 'twas part of hisn anyhow,'
2}, But if it was hisn he got it back then,
For he drunk all he could and then drunk again.
I said, 'Don't get drunk but hunt a man for our bail,
And come to Lenoir and get us out of jail.'
24 He said, 'Don't be afraid; I'll sure come to town.'
And when he quit drinking he passed it around.
We all took a drink and they shouldered the load.
And orders were given to start down the road.
25 Just before all of us had finally left the place,
Uncle Cas said, 'Wait a minute, fellers ; gimme another
taste.'
Then he went back home to get a horse and saddle.
Dula was then stepping as far as he could straddle.
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26 The next man we met was Mr. Rufus Walker,
And he drank from their jug just hke it was water.
And we stopped at a spring to cjuench our thirst ;
So we all took some whiskey — we wanted it the worst.
27 Then we sit right down to take a little rest,
And Bob Teeters come along just walking his best.
The sheriff seemed to think 'twas licjuor for which he had
come,
And quickly jumped up and offered him some.
28 But he flatly refused, and, sir, don't you think
That he really got insulted because he wouldn't drink ?
Mr. Teeters asked the sheriff what his boy had done.
He said: 'We found a still, and these boys run.
29 'We followed to the house ; they went in at the door.
Found this jug of liquor and know they've got more.
From Henry's house to the still 'twas plain as a road.
They say he's got liquor by the wagon load.'
30 Bob said John couldn't have been there, he had reason to
know.
Because he had just left home a little while ago.
Triplet said, '1 was within twenty steps of him; I know
he was there
At the still in the woods,' and so he did swear.
31 So that ended the argument just for the time,
And when we left the spring we were all feeling fine.
Triplet said, 'Dula's big and stout, and able to tote.
And he's ruined my worm and took the blockader's coat.'
32 So we all went on to his au-to-mo-bile.
And the further we'd go the better we'd feel.
When we got to the car and began to crawl in.
They put the kegs on the fender to show where they'd
been.
33 One grabbed the crank and gave it a twist.
And his eyes looked nearly as big as my fist.
Triplet took the wheel and blowed his little horn.
For we had all began to feel the effects of the corn.
34 He pushed in his clutch and started down the hill.
I said, 'Hord to the lic|Uor and don't let it spill.'
All his passengers and junk made a pretty good load.
And everybody looked as we went up the road.
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35 When he'd come to a hill he'd give it more juice.
I expect he would have give it a dram if it had been any
use.
But his little old Ford no liquor could need,
For it run around the curves at a dangerous speed.
36 They were generous with their whiskey and also their gas,
And gave us a dram every time we would ask.
When we got within just about a mile of town,
John said, 'It's time you'd pass the jug around.'
37 I said, 'Yes, we ain't feeling good enough yet.
And this may be the last little drink we'll get.'
Triplet said, 'Yes, you're about right, I say.
We'll have to put you boys in jail right away.
38 'And you'll have a trial tomorrow about ten o'clock.'
I never said so, but I knew we would not.
They took us right up where the jailhouse stood
And got us inside just as quick as they could.
39 We went upstairs till we got on the loft.
They got out their keys and took the handcuffs off,
Trying to hide their contempt with a face full of grin.
40 And they slammed the door and locked the bar.
Saying, 'All right, boys ; we'll see you tomor'.'
So they turned about face and scuttled down stairs
With their handcuffs and pistols and other hardwares.
41 What they done with the still and cap and worm
Was a secret of theirs that I never did learn ;
But I expect they sold 'em or gave 'em away,
Like they did the kegs and the liquor the very next day.
42 Triplet is a dandy when he thinks he's got a slacker ;
He'd give away his liquor or his last chew tobacker,
Fve often heard it said he give a boozy Democrat
The precious little gift of that still house hat.
43 Well, supper time come, we was still in the loft.
Mr. Helan brought our beans in a little tin trough.
He called it supper, but it looked mighty black.
The cage was locked, so he poked it through the crack.
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44 The trough was about three by eight inches big,
And it put nie in the mind of feecHng a pig.
The beans wasn't good, neither was the bread ;
But we ate what we could and then went to bed.
45 The mattress was dirty as anybody's feet,
And the sheet was a blanket, a blanket was the sheet.
When we got up it was Saturday morn,
And we didn't have a drop of that good old corn.
46 [No] liquor to drink to cheer us up some;
And I began to think that breakfast wouldn't come.
But at last it was ready, and Mr. Helan brought it up
In a little tin trough and a tin cofifee cup :
47 Three little biscuits, a piece of meat you could swaller.
Could wrap up that bread with a greenback dollar,
A few bites of grits and gravy the latest in town.
The grits cooked plain and the gravy burnt brown.