The car stopped in front of a old concrete building with a sign, thick with countless layers of paint, that read: "Geneva County Jail - Home Of Law And Order."
Sheriff D.T. Williams and his "Jailer Wife" were the actual "law and order". They ruled the county---along with The Judge. Their answer to the sign out front was: This is our house--use the law--order what you want. The operation was simple. The Sheriff would keep the streets clean by arresting all hitch-hikers under the pretense of "vagrancy". If you did not have ID and/or cash--if a person had more than ten dollars, they would probably be riding a bus--then the "criminals" would be thrown into a bleak, dark jail, along with an assorted combination of riffraff, drunks, town bums, and an occasional criminal to await trial. Then, The Judge would pass a sentence of 30 to 90 days or pay a hefty fine...which would be split by the trio...and pocketed. Those whom could not afford to pay the fine would spend the next several months working on The Judge's Farm. All staples served in the jail were supplied by his farm and the county and state money allocated for each prisoner's sustenance was pocketed by the trio.
The interrogation began: "Who are ya?---How old are ya?---Why'd ya run away?--- Where ya from? ....Ya need a hair cut--we're gonna cut it!"
After all the experiences he had been through, Joe informed the duo they were in for a fight if they touched his head---then he shut his mouth. The result was a six week stay in the "ALABAMA CROSS BAR HILTON"---and no hair cut!
Joe was placed in a cell with several local individuals; including an old man who made periodic visits for town drunkenness, two deserters from the Navy, and some guy whom committed an offense against The Judge himself...
Joe settled down to his situation and viewed his surroundings. The cells were painted black and were covered in filth. The beds, black painted steel bunks sprouting from the walls, contained filthy mattresses and a single stained and grime covered blanket. After only one day he caught a case of the crabs, chiggers, and bed bugs! It was hilarious--though he did not think so at the time--he went to sleep and the next thing he knew he’s itching like a hound dog with fleas.
Well, the "good ole navy boys" had the answer, "Take some of this kerosene and paint remover mix and pour it on your entire body... An don’t forget the genitals!"
...On the top bunk--naked from the waist down....jumping and hollering---like a banshee: "Holy catfish! IT BURNS!!"
Half-naked, red and swollen, he jumped on that "good ole boy" and tried to beat him senseless!
Not only were his genitals red, swollen and sore--so was his pride. The Sheriff brought some ointment, had the cells cleaned and disinfected, then re-evaluated his thoughts of him:
"Keep an eye on 'im," he stated to the trustee. "Don't put 'im on work detail."
The trustees and he got along fine -- but it was a very ingenious idea that won him acclaim as...."The Moonshiner!"
Time Joe spent in the libraries reading books combined with another tradition handed down through the ages from father to son...the art of wine-making. This gave him an idea.....
Father had brewed home-made wine, Great Grandfather had brewed home-made wine.....and Joe was going to brew home-made wine -- in a jail -- using raisins, yeast and glass milk bottles!
There they were.... all five of them.... drunk... laughing... making money selling their home-made Raisin Jack to other inmates; the sheriff walking through the cell block complaining of the odor of sour fruit permeating the air: "Trustee", he hollered each time. "git these cells cleaned out! It stinks in here!"
Well... in the trustee's last thorough determination to obey the Sheriff--combined with Joe’s natural ability to convince folks to do things they never even contemplated--along with the help of "Raisin Jack", he not only cleaned out the cells.... he cleaned out the Sheriff's car.... wallet... and several southern desperados!
The bells rang, the doors clanged....and the Sheriff complained. It seemed the trustee, with only two more months to serve, helped the most wanted criminal in Geneva County, Alabama, to escape! This desperado, this outlaw of "The Bama's", was wanted for the most heinous crime to be committed in the history of law and order: dognapping! He was accused of hijacking The Judge's hound dogs and selling them to a black family across the state line.
His name was Joss Webb. He and Joe got along great... Joe listened to his stories and he his. He had been sentenced to three years in "The Big House". It seems he had the longest criminal record in the county. His father was killed in World War Two and he grew up in an orphanage. He was abused. Alone. His criminal record full of petty crimes which were magnified by his ineptness--and the fact there was very little true crime in this "well maintained community". Joe hung with him for three weeks and hatched the plan to free him.
Joe was already close to the trustee, had him convinced that his family was powerful, with "mob" connections. He informed him he would not tell the authorities who he was because his family's name would be published. If he could help Joss, he would guarantee him a spot in their "Family!"..... Well, believe it or not, he did!
On the night the escape took place, the Sheriff was asleep and the trustee--being the true "jailer" --opened the cells and drove Joss to the state line; where the trusty immediately turned himself in using a far-fetched story about being over-powered and forced to assist in the escape. Only his knowledge of the trio's operation enabled him to escape prosecution, and Joe, he also escaped...
D.T. found out about the plan...the planners... and the "Moonshiner".
"What 're we gonna do with ya?" D.T. asked of him in all seriousness. "Why don' ya tell me who ya 're....and I'll jest send ya home!"
"Well, if I do that...you'll be in a terrible situation: I am a juvenile... and you have held me illegally," he informed him... then shut up.
The look on his face was the most revealing Joe had yet seen! This man really began to think. He proceeded to inform DT his operation was also illegal, and that the FBI would be highly interested. His conversation with Joss had produced the desired results: the Sheriff frowned, shrugged his shoulders, and sent him back to his cell. Three days later he was informed he would be leaving in two weeks; the county would pay his bus fare to wherever he wanted to go!
Back in his cell, though he partied with his cell-mates, he dreaded the thought of being alone again....
On a bright, cheerful, late summers day, keys clanged and doors flew open--he was free. D.T. agreed to give him a lift to the highway, along with one hundred dollars. He had a blast and received a paycheck! He bet that he was the first to do so--and sure the last! D.T. would never again "arrest" another out-of-state juvenile!