Dawe Pounces On Taylor

I have transcribed the first court report of the visit to the house of William Taylor by the Excise Officer Mr Dawe. It is such a classic story of the task of the Inland Revenue Officers to apprehend the illicit manufacture of whisky, and the efforts made by crofters, with the help of friends and neighbours, to evade them.

The actual trial report (next blog) throws a little more light on Taylor’s story.

IMPORTANT ILLICIT STILL SEIZURE

Stemster Hill. Now deserted and returning to bog

Loch Stemster

Another important seizure of an illicit still has been made in the Lybster district. On the morning of Thursday, the 19^th inst, Mr Dawe, Supervisor of Inland Revenue, left this place on a reconnoitring expedition, with the view of eliciting information as to the working of an illicit still which was known to be in the neighbourhood of the Loch of Stemster. For this purpose, and with the view of guarding against his operation causing suspicion in the neighbourhood, he first took a train to Bower, and from thence pursued a course across the moorlands, striking downwards in a southerly direction till he came to Chapel, where he left one of his officers. Having accomplished this journey he lodged for the night about twelve miles distant from the scene of next day’s operations. During Thursday, Mr Dawe was evidently observed by persons on the watch.

Mr Dawe struck out across the moors

On Friday accompanied by the Lybster officer, Mr Henderson, Mr Dawe struck out across the moors from Lybster to the Stemster Hill, between which and Rangag, is the suspected place, called Ballachyle about four miles from Achavannich to the east. It occupies a kind of gully and it is an isolated and sequestered spot, particularly congenial to such an occupation. Up to that time, however, Mr Dawe only knew the name of the party and neighbourhood but not the house. By a little manoeuvring, however he managed to call at the very dwelling. Here a little natural curiosity was manifested by the inmates which showed the officers that they had struck the proper trail. It is one thing to know where a thing may be found in a general way, and quite another to get it into possession. After going a short distance from the place, and returning again, a search was determined upon with the view of seeing if there were any illegal operations being carried on in the premises. These buildings consisted of two houses adjoining each other, lengthwise, of the ordinary construction. First the search of the living room of William Taylor, labourers and dyker, was begun but with no result. In the next room, leading out of the other, were two beds. Under these, on the floor, were found scattered a few grains of malt, which had been left conveniently handy for the benefit of the officers in their investigation, beside about half a dozen of stone jars, some of which had the smell of liquor. Mr Dawe then left the house for the purpose of rummaging the house of the sister, Mrs Taylor adjoining. In this house there was nothing found with the exception of an ordinary quart bottle or wort. 

Illicit still at the Colbost Museum

Investigation of the fowl house

An investigation was then made of a fowl house and another of the outhouses with no result. At the end of the second house – Mrs Taylors – there was a pendicle construction of a peculiar design, so that it would not be observed by any person coming in the ordinary direction, and which opened by means of a lock and key towards the hill side. The key having been obtained there was found a mash tun, what was evidently used for fermenting, and bags which contained grain, from the remaining grains contained in them. A very important portion of this house was a small piece of dead wall which evidently had been lately rebuilt up, and, on poking with their sticks, they found it to contain a properly built furnace site for the fire, with a hole for the still, and an arrangement by which the smoke would escape to the house vent.

Search the peat stack

The peat stack having been searched, and beyond finding some barrels which were empty, sunk in the ground, covered by a large Caithness flag and a divot, little else was got. It was not till after some ten hours searching that the still was got hold of in a large rectangular cistern which was constructed of Caithness stone, and placed in close proximity to the house. This copper still would hold from 30 to 40 gallons. A considerable number of half threats were used in order to get quit of the officers, one asking Mr Dawe if he knew what Samson was told, that the Philistines were upon him. All this would not do, with tact and determination Mr Dawe held to his purpose and completed his work.

A rough and dark night

Increasing the difficulty and danger of the enterprise it was a very rough and dark night. 

The still was obtained

When the still was obtained it was carried by the officers in the direction of the Stemster farm, occupied by Mr Waters, sheep farmer, who was roused up, and the demand made, in the Queen’s name, for a horse and conveyance. Mr Waters was, we believe, very reluctant to comply with the request to provide horse and cart for the officers; but at last did so. After a number of articles were placed on the conveyance they were driven on to Lybster, and from thence to Wick.

A fine of up to £800

We believe the trial will not take place from some time. A fine of £200 is the fine for malting; and £600 for the possession of a still. It certainly was exceedingly daring for two revenue officers to attempt the seizure and complete it in such a solitary place, without personal violence being used. We believe it is stated that Taylor maintains he has not done anything with the still for twelve months. This will all come out at the trial.

John O Grout Journal 19 Sept 1878

How is Whisky Made?

To help understand some of the terms in the story here is a brief explanation on how whisky is made.

Traditionally there are five stages to the process - malting, mashing, fermentation, distillation and maturation.

Step 1 - Malting

Barley contains starch and it is this starch which needs to be converted into soluble sugars to make alcohol. For this to occur, the barley must undergo germination and this first part of the process is called 'malting.

The barley is soaked for 2-3 days in warm water and then traditionally spread on the floor of a building called a malting house.

When the barley has started to shoot, the germination has to be stopped by drying it in a kiln. Traditionally peat is used to power the kiln and it is at this point where the type of peat used and length of drying in the peat smoke can influence the flavour of the final spirit. The barley is now called 'malt' and this is ground down in a mill, with any husks and other debris being removed.

Step 2 - Mashing

The ground down malt, which is called 'grist', is now added to warm water to begin the extraction of the soluble sugars. The water is normally from a pure, reliable, local source. The liquid combination of malt and water is called the 'mash'. It is put into a large vessel called a mash tun and stirred for several hours.

During this process, the sugars in the malt dissolve and these are drawn off through the bottom of the mash tun. The resulting liquid is called 'wort'.

Step 3 - Fermentation

The wort is cooled and passed into large tanks called washbacks. These are traditionally made of wood. Here the yeast is added and the fermentation begins. The yeast turns the sugars that are present into alcohol.

Step 4 - Distillation

In Scotland, the wash is traditionally distilled twice.

The stills are made from copper, which has been found to be the best material for extracting impurities from the spirit as it is being distilled and consist of a bowl shape at the bottom that rises up to the neck at the top.

The wash enters the larger wash still and is heated. The liquid vaporises and rises up the still until it reaches the neck, where it condenses.

Step 5 - Maturation

The spirit is put into oak casks and stored.

Source: http://www.whiskyforeveryone.com/whisky_basics/how_is_whisky_made.html

John O Grout Journal 19 Sept 1878

The Excise Officer

William Dawe comes to the wedding

William Taylor was aware that the stranger in the midst of the wedding party was William Dawe the Excise Officer (on behalf of the Inland Revenue Department monitoring the illicit production of whisky, known as ‘smuggling’). Both Williams were keeping an eye on each other. While the law was on the side of Dawe, he was at a wedding that was full of local people who would defend Taylor, with even the chance of a skirmish breaking out. What was more, if Taylor was going to be successfully charged with making illicit whisky, Dawe had to be very careful that he got the right man and that he had good evidence.

So as the wedding party continued, whisky did indeed run out. William Taylor was not a happy man. Dawe heard Taylor lamenting that ‘he had not more of the home-made stuff because of the suspicious attentions of the excise to the locality’. Dawe made note!

Finally Taylor decided to leave Halsary and get more ‘refreshments’ from home. He returned with more of the ‘home-made’ stuff of which Dawe actually partook, and later used his sampling as evidence against William Taylor.

Both these men used wit and cunning to do what they had to do.

Dawe eventually departed the gathering at Halsary. He kept his records judiciously and spent the next few months vigilantly getting what information about Taylor he could. He knew well enough that Taylor was in the habit of distilling but to succeed in court he had to put his case painstakingly. It was well known that crofters, tenants, landlords and even magistrates often supporting each other’s part in this business and all got some personal reward.

It was not until September of 1878, nine months after the wedding at Halsary that Dawe made his move on Taylor.

In the meantime, James Taylor moved into the Rangag teashop with his wife Catherine, affectionately known as Kitty.

Catherine McLeod in old age (the only photo I have of her) 

The house on the Causewaymire Road at Rangag that had been the home of Catherine’s parents and was now Catherine and James home. 

Not looking very romantic in this picture of the interior of the Rangag house. Shows the back fireplace and Caithness flags on the floor. It was being used as a farm building at the time of this photograph.The house probably originally had Caithness flags on the roof like the Halsary building as they were both built at the same time. This house is now restored. 

To be continued...

A Wedding at Halsary

A Wedding at Halsary

A wedding was announced to be held on December 28,1877. Banns were proclaimed according to the Forms of the Free Church of Scotland.

Young James Taylor, farm hand, of Stemster, was going to marry Catherine McLeod of the Rangag teashop. She had been on her own for a few years since her parents both died, but had stayed living in the Rangag house where her mother had run a grocery business. Tea became fashionable and popular so Catherine became a tea merchant. But James was young and handsome and she said “Aye” – actually, they both spoke Gaelic so maybe she said ‘tha’.

The wedding was to be held in the Halsary meeting house just up the Causewaymire road from Rangag, at Tacher. It was a big building with room for a crowd. Highland hospitality allowed that after a marriage the doors were to be opened to all, be they strangers or not.

The Halsary meeting house in 2011

Welcome Rev David Ferguson

David Ferguson the Free Church minister would have arrived on his horse and put it in the horse yards. David knew the McLeod family well enough as he was the minister for Achreny, Westerdale and Halsary – all places the McLeod family had attended church. David had conducted the marriages of Betsy McLeod and Willie Williamson in 1859, Jessie McLeod and William Burnett in 1863, Alexander McLeod and Jessie Ross in 1868. He was said to be “a man of genial disposition, upright and straight forward in word and deed. He had a strong and well-built frame, indispensable for his work, which extended over an area of many miles of hill and moor” Source: The Achreny Mission – Part 3 – After the Disruption.

The Horse Enclosure at Halsary

Witness William Tait worked for his uncle Benjamin Tait on one of the big Stemster farms

James Taylor was a herd boy in 1871 working for William Waters on a big farm at Stemster next door to where William Tait was working. They were probably boyhood mates.

All went well. The marriage was conducted. A crowd arrived (including a few strangers), and the party began. As was customary, whisky was provided for the guests.

The Taylor family, like many in the district were poor – so poor, in fact, that father William couldn’t even pay the rent for his small house. It was paid by the Parochial Board of Latheron (who granted small amounts of ‘Poor relief’ for paupers).

They might have been poor but William and Janet Taylor wanted a good party for their son and his bride. The only way to do that was to provide ‘home-made’ stuff.

Whisky was an important feature of social life and used as a welcome for guests. Like most Scots, Stemster locals had long had their own stills hidden in the glens and hollows. Problem was, home distilled whisky was illegal. And just who were those strangers at the party?

To be continued 

Note: Re Whisky see also the blog “Smuggling” posted November 30, 2014