Chapter Five

Mr. Holmes wondered if the four men that talked to Jim that morning were same ones that ended up dead. Sam the farmer, Tony the banker, Jack a moonshiner, and Carl the bootlegger. The investigation continued. Sam the farmer was killed with a rifle. Tony the banker was burned in the barn. Jack a moonshiner was killed with the explosion of the still. Carl the bootlegger was killed by drinking tainted whiskey. All of them were connected to the moonshine ring. Tony the banker provided loans to the moonshiners to buy the corn and the farmer for land and equipment. Jack the moonshiner produces the moonshine. Carl the bootlegger delivered the moonshine. Sam the farmer started planning corn. There had to be a connection. Who wanted all of them dead?

Tony the banker was working at the bank. He had financial control over the entire county. All the money was in the bank. He held the keys to success and failure. What often happened, farmers borrowed money from banks to buy more land or new machinery. Farmers pledged their assets as security on the loan. If a farmer could not make the payments on the loan the bank could take back the asset. With Tony being a banker in the small farm and moonshining community everyone wanted to kill him for foreclosing on their assets. That left the question did lightening set fire to the barn? Why couldn’t Tony get out of the barn? Was Tony murdered also?

Jack provided the moonshine for the county. People continued to consume moonshine even after it was banned. Poisoned moonshine was making people extremely sick and even died. With Jack being the main producer of moonshine in the county. The community believed the tainted moonshine was produced by him. He was the reason everyone that drank moonshine was getting sick. Jack was confronted by the community and denied tainting the moonshine. Jack always drank the moonshine from every batch he made. The question now it was the still tampered with that blow up and killed Jack?

Carl the bootlegger was killed by drinking tainted moonshine.Carl delivered the moonshine throughout the county. Anyone that had the money could get the moonshine. Carl had more orders than he could supply with the moonshine made by Jack. Carl started acquiring moonshine from other means to fill his order. Carl did not know it, but he was buying the tainted moonshine and delivering it to the parlors. Carl had heard about everyone getting sick. He thought it was from the flue. One day while delivering the moonshine Carl drank and was killed by the tainted moonshine.

Shortly after the death of Jim. Sam started planning corn. Now that Jim was dead someone would have to plant the corn to provide to the moonshiners. Sam did not know about all the deaths that had accrued in the community. He did know that Eddie killed farmer Jim. Eddie was in prison and would not be released for a long time. Mr. Holmes made a special visit to see Sam’s wife Cindy at the farm. Cindy had invited Mr. Holmes inside to have a cup of coffee. Mr. Holmes asked Cindy to tell him about the day her husband was killed. Cindy started telling him, “When I woke up that morning four men were talking to Sam in the living room. When she walked into the living room, Sam asked her to make coffee for the guest. Cindy went to the kitchen and when she returned with the coffee the men were gone.” Mr. Holmes asked Cindy, “Do you know the men, have you ever seen them before?”  Cindy replied, “No.” Mr. Holmes asked Cindy if she knew what the men were talking to her husband about. Cindy replied, “It was business. I never discuss business with my husband. He has always provided well for the family.”

 Mr. Holmes asked Cindy can you tell me what happened before your husband was shot. Cindy stated, “We had retired for the evening. The children were already in bed. Sam turned on the radio and we were dancing. It was our anniversary. I had cooked a special meal. Put the children to bed early. Sam and I had been planning for a romantic night. It was a special day for us.” Cindy started crying. “Sam heard something outside. He told me to stay inside and make sure the children stayed asleep. I was in the loft checking on the children when I heard a gunshot. I climbed down the ladder from the loft and Sam was lying in the doorway. He was not breathing. I panicked and did not know what to do. I woke up Timmy and asked him take the horse and go into town and find the doctor.” I stood there with him holding his head in my lap until the doctor arrived. The doctor told me he was dead.

Mr. Holmes asked could he please talk to Timmy. He was trying the solve of murder of her husband. She agreed to let him talk to Timmy if she could be present. Mr. Holmes introduced himself to Timmy. Timmy was a little boy about 13 years old. The same age as Eddie. Mr. Holmes stated by asking Timmy about Eddie. Timmy stated, “I don’t him, but he is in prison for killing Jim. Do you think he killed my daddy?” Mr. Holmes explained to Timmy that Eddie was in jail when his father was killed.

Timmy was confused and did not understand why Mr. Holmes was talking to him. Mr. Holmes asked him “Did you see anything the night your daddy was killed?” Timmy explained I was in bed and mama woke me up to get the doctor. Mr. Holmes asked did you see anything on your way to town. Timmy stated, “I saw a big black car with four men in it. I have never seen the car before or the men before. Most people around here only have a horse and buggy.”  Mr. Holmes believed the same people that killed Sam also killed Jim. But know he had to prove it. How could he prove it? Mr. Holmes had asked Ms. Daisy to buy him a little farm outside of town.