The Washington herald., 1911-10-01

johnson knew It and carried his own
gun handy.
The climax came when it was seen
that Johnson would soon he in posi-
ton TO rule against his enemies, and
rule hard. Four bad men took it upon
themselves TO get Johnson out of the
way. Meeting him on a lonely road
one afternoon. they invited him 10 start
then and there for the State line, not
to return to Kentucky upon pain Of in
stant death. And they didn't keep their
guns under their coats. either. Not long
ago. when Johnson was asked about the
story, one of his audience interrupted at
this point:
what did you do, Mr.. Johnson"
"Why' replied he kentuckian, in
most .matter-of-fact way. ~ killed two
Of them. wounded a third. and the other
ran" Which is exactly what happened.
In the course of his service as collector
of internal revenue. Johnson had occa-
sion to use his gun in a hurry several
times And II is generally understood
he used it to good advantage.
If taking my foot from that chair
would prolOng my life five years, I
wouldn't move my foot, but I'd fight till
I lost every last drop of blood in my
veins before Id let any human being
be responsible for shortening my life"
explained Mr.. johnson when a listener
remarked on his daredeviltry.
Lost DavenpOt Seat.
johnson is not the only member OF the
Kentucky delegation who has carried a
gun to good advantage. Caleb Powers,
the Republican member, thrice tried for
the murder of Gov. Goebel. OF Kentucky,
found no slight solace in the companion
ship Of a blue-steel sx-shOoter during
the fierce private and political feuds
through which he fought his way to
seat in the House.
One man lost his seat for term be-
cause of his gun record, James S. Daven-
port, of Oklahoma, who runs Cherokee
politics in his home State and carries
a gun as matter of Course-at least
when he is at home. Davenport, like
johnson, has been through the fercest
of political storms, and in a country
where a siX-shooter gives rise to less
comment than in the effete East.
Davenport. who has twice married into
the Cherokee nation, and is the only
''intermarried" white to have attained
political prominence in Oklahoma, shot
and killed a man, following an argument,
in the old Territory days. He was tried.
pleaded self-defense, and convicted Of
manslaughter. Granted new trial, he
obtained an acquittal. But in 1908, when
running for reelection. at the eleventh
hour his political enemies obtained ac-
cess to the records of the Federal court
at Fort Smith. Ark, where the first trial
was held. Taking certain damaging
parts of the testimony, they reprinted
them in pamphlet form and mailed them
broadcast throughout the district Daven-
port was defeated, though he won his
way back at the last election.
nucL-er Started EarIE
Judge Rucker, of Colorado-of Rucker
Ridge, suh!-began his gun record as
soldier of the Confederate army, and con-
tinued his familiarity with firearms while
practicing law in Missouri and Kansas,
at a time when a lawyer carried some
thing besides bound volumes OF United
States statutes when he went to court.
In 1879 he moved to Colorado and divided
his tim between the practice OF law
and the care of a lourishing young
ranch which he staked out near Denver.
Pretty soon, however, he was presented
with the alternative of giving all his
attention to the care Of his ranch or Of