Editing Dark Corner Exhibit (section)

===IT’S WAR!===
To protect their livelihood, distillers began to fight back. Thus began the Revenue Wars. Ambushes, shootouts, and killings (on both sides) were common. 

The ultimate root of the violence was the desire to just be left alone, and practice self-determination free from outside influence. Internally the violence was a  self-imposed rule of law.

South Carolina established a State Dispensary in 1893. Dispensary agents joined revenue agents in attacking stills. The fight escalated into the Dispensary Wars. This was ironic, because the Dark Corner had overwhelmingly supported the gubernatorial campaign of Benjamin Tillman (to the point of tearing up votes against him!), who implemented the Dispensary. 

Newspaper stories reflect the violence. A list of events over a ten-year period is on the exhibit wall, and it’s certain that this is not anywhere near a complete list; it’s just the headlines found in a quick search of newspapers!

There were revenue and dispensary agents in both Greenville and Spartanburg, but none in Greer — making it a prime distribution channel. Across SC, an underground network of “Blind Tigers” developed. These were reputable businesses which sold illicit liquor out the back door. There were many blind tigers in Greer. Our archive holds letters from the Greer police chief in 1915-16 asking private detectives and the state governor for help uncovering the 12-15 blind tigers he knew were operating in the city.

Prohibition started in 1920, further fueling illegal distillation and the network of blind tigers.