Evening journal., 1909-05-19
COMEDIAN WATSON WAS
OKLAHOMA BOOMER

Harry Watson, of the Watson Flor
ence and Edwards Company, at The
Opera House this week, who has made
countless thousands laugh during his
long career on the stage as a character
comedian, vas in a reminiscent mood
last night and while i'm the wings wait.
ing for his cue, entertained an EVEN
ING JOURNAL reporter with a few
stories of his personal experiences, one
Of which is we'll worth relating.
Mr.. Watson says that he was one
of the original boomers Of old Okla
homa. Away back in the SOS he was
living with his folks in Terre Haute.
Ind. His father was conducting a
grist mill on Eel River and Harry, be-
ing the eldest boy Of the family, was
the worthy assistant miller But Wat
sons time was principally spent about
the mill amusing the hired help and
farmers who brought the grist, with
various bits of character comedy
stunts. In fact, Harry at that early
day was the town comedian. In 1889,
a long-haired individual, calling him
self "Oklahoma Bill" hit Terre Haute
and organized a colony to go into the
new paradise of Oklahoma.
Father Watson informed his eldest
son, in all good humor. that in his
opinion there was no brilliant prospects
for the rising star around that COM
munity and counting out a hundred
dollars from his bank roll, gave IL to
him and suggested that it might be a
good idea for him to follow oklahoma
Bnr' to the promised land. An old
80 calibre Winchester rife was thrown
in as a part of the stake. as Harry,
in the fathers opinion. would need
the weapon more than it would be
needed at home.
on the way to Oklahoma, Watson
discovered a goodly number of the
colony" were going west with the in
tention of becoming outlaws. At
Kansas City he spent eight dollars for
cartridges for the Winchester. From
the conversation of his colleagues he
figured that he would need that much
Of a supply.
With the crowd was a pleasant
young Canadian. whom Harry was not
slow in making a friend of, and event.
ually the two secured adjoining claims.
Sooners, outlaws, horse thieves and
desperadoes were numerous, and the
relation of Harry and the Canadian
became as two brothers. 1t was a
constant watch for marauders. who
would steal anything that could be
carried away or who would take any
chance, however desperate, in securing
farm from the honest settler But
many a thief or claim jumper was
ousted with the assistance of the faith
| full Winchester and the eight dollars
worth of cartridges. for Watson had
become an expert marksman.
The days passed; slowly, monotonous,
/ the thoughts of the old Indiana home
broken only by his visits with his
neiehboring pal. Several days later,
on going 70 call upon his friend, Wat
son found stranger plowing with the
/ Canadians team and wearing his
friends clothing. An accusation Of
murder at the point of the faithful
Winchester brought a confession from
the culprit, and Il was a matter of
but a few hours until the neighboring
settlers, acting in a. body, took matters
in their own hands. and next morning
the section hands cut down a body
found hanging to telegraph pole on
tho santa Fe railroad a short distance
from the claims of Watson and his
friend. Two days later the hero OF
this narrative disposed of his claim for
nine hundred dollars and invested the
money i'm the show business, where he
has remained, with splendid success
ever since, and he says that he has
never once had any further "hanker-
ing'' for Oklahoma.