Jeff,
You awoke two memories. The article above dated Sept. 8, 1897 included the phrase 'moonshine blind tiger'. Back in the 50s, I spent a summer in Tryon, NC. At that time, bootleg whiskey (moonshine) was also called 'Blind Tiger', 'Merry Hell' or other names. Another memory from the same summer in Tryon was to see a black and white stripped uniformed chain gang with the 'boss' holding a shotgun.
Don.......