Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 84, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 April 1917 — Page 3

Exploits of “Pussyfoot” Johnson in Cleaning Up Indian Territory

At an editor’s desk in Westerville, 0., there sits a stoutish man of about fifty-two, preparing the lay-outs of a chain of temperance magazines and newspapers. His head is as bald as an egg, and it would surprise anyone who had just met him and was listening to the editor’s gentle, half-timid accents, to know that the several indentations In the top of it come from revolver butts implanted there during a struggle in a courtroom somewhere in Texas, when the said editor was known as the most sensational newspaper detective west of the Mississippi. William Eugene Johnson is a natural-bom bad man. That his activities have always been enlisted on behalf of good citizenship is probably an acdident due to early training and environment. Picture a man of about six feet three, by four feet in diameter, an elongated flour barrel, with muscles bulging out all over him; the face of a bandit, utter fearlessness, a love of fighting surpassing an Irishman’s, a strain of Indian blood that makes him as tenacious and resolute as a full-blood, and one governing principle. That is Johnson. The governing principle is this: Save the Indian from the bootleggers who are debauching them with illicit alcohol. Johnson is a stanch temperance man, but no fanatic. It is only when his blood-brothers, the Indians, are ruined by "nun” that you can see the man’s moral indignation aroused to the point of fanaticism. For six years he fought a battle in the West on behalf of the government’s wards that has never been equaled in strenuous activity The tale of his exploits is here to be set out in full for the first time. In August, 1906, at the suggestion of Commissioner Francis E. Leupp, Johnson was appointed by Secretary Hitchcock to be special agent in Indian Territory, for the purpose of stamping out the sale of intoxicants to Indians. In 1908 he was made chief of the service, and after Oklahoma achieved statehood his duties were extended to cover all the Indian reservations throughout the country. “Godow there,” were JbhfiftHfs instructions, “and put as many bootleggers and illicit whisky sellers out of business as you can. Put them in jail for as long as you are able, and, when they get out, throw them back again.” Johnson, arriving at the scene of operations, found four courts and eight judges, with 15,000 criminal cases awaiting trial. It was evident that he might kick his heels till judgment day so far as bringing criminals to trial was concerned. He fourid his deputies bulldozed and disheartened and laughea at by the grog-sellers. That was where Johnson began. His first move was to make-the best collection of so-called "temperance drinks’* used for debauching Indians that was ever assembled. He scooped up bottles of “Uno,” “Ino,” •Mistletoe/’ “Longhorn,” "Waukesha,” • New State,” "Meth,” “Teetotal,” “Tintop,” “Uauto,” “Nottox,” “Pablo,” etc., ana had them submitted to expert analysis Every one of them proved to be beer, highly charged with alco-

hoi. Johnson went before various I grand juries with this evidence, and the grand juries smiled and voted “no bill.” That spurred Johnson. He gave out a signed statement to the newspapers that he was going away for a few days, and that, on his return, he was going to Carrie Natlonize Indian Territory. He posted "spotters” at all points where beer of whisky could enter the territory, thus actually blockading it. Then, gathering a band of deputies around him, and armed with a big sixshooter, a steel hammer, and a “jimmy” for prying open cases, coffins, etc., he returned. And that was the beginning of real war. “I was shanghaied by Mr. Leupp into the job of leading this enterprise,” says Johnson. “I marveled somewhat at taking the job, as I knew what it meant if anything real was undertaken. “I gathered together a band of fellows who felt much as I did and who were, ready to ‘take a chance’ with me. And for 14 months flying beer bottles, midnight shooting affairs, burning gambling outfits, and broken heads followed. “At the end of the period an astronomical reckoning showed that we had destroyed 250,000 bottles of liquor, burned out 75 gambling houses, and made 1,142 arrests. Fresh mounds of earth marked the resting places of four of my boys who had been killed in the campaign. Another carried a bullet in his neck, and most of us carried scars of one sort or another. There has been ‘sdmething doing.’ “We. have not been very tender in our dealings with these hyenas, who would get an Indian drunk so as to rob him of his blanket, Nothing but the unrelenting cold steel of absolute justice will have any effect on the cuticle of such. There is no quarter asked or given, and no sympathy wasted. I have never invoked the law against a man for making an assault on me or attempting my life.” Tulsa, I. T., was the scene of the first hostilities. Numbers of gamblers had flocked into that city across the Texas line, and had made arrangements with the city council to open gambling houses on payment “fine” of $125. The inevitable crowd of bootleggers and whisky peddlers followed them. Shortly before midnight Johnson, accompanied by three trusted deputies, Sam Cone, Ed T. Egan and Frank West.whowasahalf-bfeedOreekTn-dian, slipped into Tulsa. Their movements were so swift and sudden that the terrorized citizens believed that Johnson had a whole army at his back. For four hours the town was in a fever of excitement. Three gambling houses were burned out, the flames reaching as high as the tops of the tallest buildings. Only one man offered resistance. This was a notorious "bad man”, named Bill Burke, who armed himself and threatened to drive the raiders out of the town. This added some zest to Johnson’s enjoyment. He at once turned his prisoners over to his assistant, and, taking a magazine rifle, started down the middle of the street to give battle to the "terror.” Covered with sweat and

“DROP IT" SAID JOHNSON.

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN. RENSSELAER, IND.

In Five Years by Grit, Courage, Ingenuity and Bulldog Tenacity He Wiped Out the Gamblers and Whisky Peddlers From Every Indian Reservation—Remarkable Narrative That Rivals Deeds of Old Frontiersmen.

HE STARTS TO CARRIE NATIONIZE THE “JOINTS"

With Three Trusted Deputies He Suddenly Descends on Tulsa and Fires Three Gambling Houses—Raids Other Towns and Puts Crimp in Gambling and Saloon Business.

mud, the blood streaming down his clothes from a wounded hand, Big Johnson must have presented the appearance of a walking Eiffel tower that had been thrown down and picked up again. Bill Burke cast one glance at this awful apparition, jumped on his horse, without waiting to saddle it or to put on his coat, and made for the woods at full gallop.

Johnson likes Tulsa. He raided it three times. It is said that whenever business was slow he stirred up Tulsa. He left town immediately, giving out a story that he intended to go to another part of the Territory, and slipped back again, alone, and undetected. Meanwhile Dick Borden, a noted gambler, gave a hurry order to a furniture emporium, which had some new furniture and gambling paraphernalia shipped post haste to Borden’s new place apove Tate Brady’s store. Borden established poker and crap tables, a faro wheel, a roulette wheel, hung mirrors on the walls, put in electric fans and rigged out a buffet for his customers. About 30 gamblers were playing when in walked Johnson and Deputy'Marshal Booth. The gamblers took one look at Johnson and sprang for the back window, leaping out upon the roof of an adjoining building. Johnson jumped after them and drove them all back, firing a few shots at their feet to show he meant business. They rushed back, to be confronted by Booth’s revolver, and surrendered. Cash bonds laying been deposited for their appearance in court next day, one of the gamblers seized the S4OO roulette wheel and ran with it down a hallway. Johnson went after him and floored him with a dlow from his fist. Another seized the wheel and threw it out of a window into an alley, where a third caught it Then he glanced up as a command rang out, to see Johnson covering him with his six-shooter. “Drop it!” said Johnson. The gambler dropped it Johnson did not rest on his laurels. In pairs he sent his men to cover all the towns in the surrounding territory. At Tullahasse, Sam Cone seized two trunks full of whisky, which had been shipped as “baggage.” That night, while he was lodged in the house of Dr. Mann, a gang of negroes assembled outside and began firing through the windows. One bullet grazed Cone’s hand and another pierced his clothes; but the two men went after the negroes, drove them away with a well-directed fire, and captured two of them. Through an “underground wire” Johnson learned that a man at Muskogee named Stewart had received a'big consignment of liquor. Taking Deputy Lerbetter, he searched Stewart’s house, without results, until 15 cases of whisky were discovered behind a secret panel; Johnson pulled Stewart out of bed and found a bottle of champagne. “Please don’t break that,” pleaded Stewart. “I got it for my wife, who is very ill.” Johnson, who is a humane man, went downstairs and found Mrs. Stewart at the family wash tub. “I guess your wife needs soup more than champagne,” said Johnson, as he smashed the bottlte.

Between Tulsa and Sapulpa Johnson came upon two teams in the road. He stopped the first wagon, whereupon the driver of the second wagon leaped from his seat and ran to cover. The first wagon was full of tanks and bottles. Johnson drew his trusty ax, blit the driver let out so wild a peal of terror that Johnson paused. “For —sor —say! This wagon is loaded with nitroglycerine!” shouted the driver. . “We are on our way to the Sapulpa oil fields to shoot a well.” Investigation proved that this story was true. The second wagon contained the whisky, which was soon put out of commission, while the team was taken for public sale. Such methods practically drove the liquor men out of business-, for not only was their money gone, but their liquor had been destroyed, and Johnson's “blockade” effectively prevented their obtaining a further supply at profitable prices. When Johnson got through with Indian Territory the retail -price of --a flask of whisky had risen from 25 cents to $3. - Johnson did not stop when he had accomplished the first part of his du-

ties. As has been said, Texas was the jumping oft place for most of the gamblers and “bad men” who had infested Indian Territory. Johnson went over the border to Sherman, and here he pulled oft a coup which gave him the reputation of being the, “nerviest” man in the Southwest. In fact, his deed is believed to be without parallel outside of dime novel fictioiE= There was a certain establishment known to be both a liquor “joint” and a gambling house, but it was almost impossible to get into the place without being known, and, once in, it tvas practically impossible to obtain evidence that would convict, for the law required a man to be identified before he could be convicted of the sale of liquor.

Going to the building, Johnson found a guard posted. He talked his way past him with his good-natured, smooth Yankee accents, and went on till he met another guard. He talked his way past him also and met a third guard. The third guard, after crossquestioning him, admitted him to an inner door, which was locked. A voice on the other side demanded to know what Johnson wanted. "I’m from the Territory and I have a ten-doliar thirst,” said Johnson. “Well, if you’re thirsty, come in,” answered the voice. The door was unlocked and Johnson found a fourth guard behind it. He went further and came to a place where about 100 men were gambling and engaglng in various amusements. At the far end was a bar, where drinks of all sorts except “soft” were being served. The bartender wore a mask and was dressed in a Mother Hubbard, so that the only way in which he could be identified would be by his production in court. “What’s yours?” he inquired of Johnson. “Old rye,” answered Johnson. The bartender placed the bottle upon the bar. As he stooped forward Johnson whipped oft his mask and pulled his two Colt revolvers. “You’re under arrest,” he said. Jerking him across the bar, he marched him through the midst of the astounded gamblers, opened the locked door, passed the four guards, who were still too much confused to realize that there was only one raider, and took him to the lock-up. Shortly after this a man in a small town near Okmulgee sent word to Johnson that if he came to his town to “start anything” he would kill him on sight. This was the sort of situation that always tickled Johnson, and he met it in his characteristic way. After making inquiries he learned t&at the man knew of him only by reputation and by photographs published in the newspapers. Accordingly Johnson changed his appearance as much as possißle—which was not much —got on a horse and rode to the town, where he at once made for the saloon. It was wide open and apparently in a prosperous condition. “What’s yours?” inquired the letterwriter.

“Old rye,” answered Johnson. The proprietor, who had a Colt .45 in each hip pocket, turned his back to Johnson for a moment to get the bottle. Johnson leaned over the bar and with each hand deftly extracted one of the revolvers. Then he arrested the man at the point of his own weapons and marched him away. At the beginning of his career, various epithets were.applied to Johnson. ■ “Whisky Johnson,” and “Pale Ale I Johnson” were familiar sobriquets. But ! after this sensational exploit he was known as "Pussyfoot Johnson.” This appellation clung to him, and in every state where an Indian reservation exists he isknown today only under that title. Johnson worked almost Invariably at night. He never gave the outlaws a chance to shoot if he could help it He says, too, that he never killed a man in his life. But the murderous nature of his undertaking is shown by the fact that some two dozen outlaws and deputies perished during Johnson’s Indian Territory campaign. It was a case of one man against almost the entire population of the TerFitory, and that one man created a revulsion of sentiment that entirely suppressed the liquor traffic among Indians until the time of statehood ar-

rived. Johnson had to work with apathetic courts and civil officials almost invariably hostile. He met lawlessness with scrupulous law abidingness. He dug up an old Indian treaty of 1855 which banned the sale of liquor to Indians in Minnesota, and put the lid on hundreds of grog shops in that state. He dug up another old law giving an officer the right to enter a gambling bouse and destroy the paraphernalia within. Johnson’s huge bonfires became a feature of his campaign. Often he had the opposition of the fire departments, which put out the flames. But he never faltered. A dozen times he was arrested and thrown into jail, but he got free and turned.the tables completely. At Mahnomen, the village marshal, accompanied by a posse of armed citizens, appeared at the doorway of a saloon while Johnson’s hatchet, wielded with all the muscular force of his strong right arm, was battering in a safe. The marshal had come to arrest Johnson for destroying property. Johnson paused long enough in his work of destruction to thrust his revolver into the marshal’s face. “I represent the department of Indian affairs,” he said quietly. “You men had better get out of here until we finish our work.” As the marshal demurred Johnson advanced a qtep in his direction and smiled in his face. ■ “Get out!” he said. The marshal accepted the spirit of the invitation and “got.” So did the armed posse. When the destruction was complete Johnson led his deputies out of the saloon to where the marshal and the posse were standing. “Did you want to arrest msr inquired Johnson, with his famous smile. “Why, yes,” stammered the marshal, “I should like to.” “Go ahead, then,” answered Johnson, and the marshal went ahead. But Johnson was fully sustained by the authorities at Washington and liberated almost immediately. -

Johnson possessed a small caliber rifle which had been specially made for him. It would shoot through 24 inches of hardwood. The reputation of this weapon spread throughout th® West and Southwest. That was a good thing, for Johnson, like most stout men, is not a first-class sprinter. “Why didn’t you try to escape?” somebody once asked one of Johnson’s captives in his presence. “I was afraid he’d turn that darned spray on me," replied tile prisoner, glancing at Johnson's automatics. By the time Indian Territory was incorporated with Oklahoma as a state a large and thriving colony of federal prisoners at Fort Leavenworth and in other United States penitentiaries attested to Johnson’s activities. Many are still there, life prisoners, including the murderer Harris, whom Johnson arrested single-handed in his camp near the Canadian river. Johnson had succeeded in making his name one of terror to every outlaw in the Territory. He was shot at innumerable times, but, though four of his deputies were shot dead and three others wounded he escaped with nothing worse than a few fingers broken upon a prisoner’s head. And he had inspired his followers with his own enthusiasm and courage. To quote a comment made on him: “Johnson is a fighter. He would rather fight than eat So long as it is a

JERKING HIM ACROSS THE BAR, HE MARCHED HIM THROUGH THE MIDST OF THE ASTONISHED GAMBLERS.

real fight with real opposition, Johnson Isn’t particular whether the adversary is a pugilist, and the game a physical one, or a constitutional lawyer, and the weapon required legal talent. He is always on the job. He never had a chip on his shoulder, was never looking for one to knock off, but he felt himself lucky, indeed, when he had an opportunity for action. What Johnson says goes. If he ever made a misstatement in his life it was an unintentional error, and it isn’t too late yet for him to make the correction" When Oklahoma became a state Johnson’s activities were ended there, to become national ones. He was made chief special officer, with duties extending over every Indian reservation in the country. “Pussyfoot” became a national name. In Oklahoma one man transformed the situation from one of lawlessness to one of respect for the government. But he had sown seeds of hatred which were to blossom into a crop of deaths and sanguinary battles, in lentless tracking apd in dramatic revenge. - (Copyright, by W. G. Chapman.)

DE WET WAS HARD TO CATCH

Beer Leader Took Delight in Telling of His Achievements In Evad- * Ing the Pursuing Britons. Of the three great figures that emerged on the Boer side in the war of defense that developed after Ladysmith —Botha, De Wet and Delarey— De Wet was much the most impressive. His face was a study In resistance, says Harold Spender in General Botha, the Career and the Man. His body seemed all muscle. Looking on him, one could understand the fear that he inspired in his own men. But it was his schemes of escape, almost miraculous in their cunning, that perplexed an empire and puzzled a planet. On one or two occasions I have seen his face light up when he referred to one of his own achievements in evasion, and of those achievements one still stands out. in nay memory, _ One evening, after a long day’s march —so he told us—all his wanderings seemed to have come to an end. The lights of the British bivouac fires twinkled from every point of the horizon. De Wet, as was his wont, went apart from his men and sat alone in dumb despair. Then there came to him softly one of those wonderful scouts who served him so well. The scout had discovered a slight gap in the British lines between two regiments that were not quite keeping touch. In a moment De Wet was on his feet. Within an hour every horse’s foot was muffled with cloth or wool and every wagon wheel was swathed. The Boer camp fires were lighted and were left burning brightly. Then the wijple Boer force crept out through the darkness of the night in utter silence. penetrated the gap in the British lines and started on a new course of fugitive warfare.—Youth’s Companion.

Nervousness.

“What’s the trouble with you?" “Kind of a nervous dyspepsia, I suppose. Every time I think of what my dinner is going to cost I gqt nervous.”