Lady Moonshiner Caught-Released by Knott Officers

Hazard Herald, Friday, April 19, 1940


   Knott County Sheriff, General Fugate and Deputy Sheriff Marion Martin,      
made a raid on the Beech Fork of the Big Branch of Ball, in Knott County
Wednesday and found a 65 year old woman operating a moonshine still.     

  The two officers said they had had a complaint about a still being operated
in the vicinity but had no idea who was operating  it.  They slipped in        
through the timber according to the directions given them and found the    
woman, listed as Nancy Hurt, at the still alone.                                         

   She had run off five gallons and had her last mash ready to run.  She told        
the officers that "making moonshine" is my only way of making a living and
I'm doing this to get food supplies and seed potatoes to raise a garden" she
told the officers.                                                                                         

   The officers destroyed the still and sent the woman home.

Extracted by Lynda Combs Gipson
Lynda's note: Was this the wife/widow of Jackson Hurt?