davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-04-26

Oue OIL t00 mOSC angular situations
In the history of outlawry was that
tackled by William Eugene johnson
in the summer of 1907. 1t was the
case of the Monte Carlo of No Mans
Land, as it was called, and called for
an exhibition of grit, courage, and
self-reliance that was not shown by
any other persons interested in the
affair.
BY the middle of 1907 Johnson, big,
bald, and six-feet-three, had pretty
we'll cleaned up the ~bootleggers in In
dian Territory. He had made him.
self a terror to those who we're de-
bauching the Indians with spirits and
afterward plundering them. He had
become something Of a legend. I'M
agine a male Carrie Nation, armed
not only with a Ratchet and sledge-
hammer, but with a pair of mailed
fists and all the of the
United States Indian Department at
his back. He had run up the price
Of spirits per pint from twenty-five
cents to three dollars, and wen then
the trade was risky. He had herded
hundreds to Jail and several into the
pe~nitentiary. He had earned the I'M
dying enmity Of the gamblers, and
all the vicious members of the COM
munity. He had earned the sobri-
quet "%Pussyfoot" throughout the West
by eason of his cat-like pounces
where he was least expected. Now
ho -,~1 ~ too1y1o thu ofron ooef cff1,o.
ton that has v arisen in the case
OF western outlawry.
To quote a comment which was
made at the time: Special Officer
Johnson has the distinction of being
the only man in the United States
who ever arrested a bunch of no.
bodies for conducting a saloon and
gambling resort nowhere, in violation
of the laws Of no one But the fact
is that the Monte Carlo of No Mans
Land has been put out Of business
by the velvet-footed man with the
soft voice and the mailed first"
Now for the explanation Of the af-
fair. which was to produce a crop of
tragical deaths at a subsequent
period:
Some years previously a man
named Ernest Lewis raj In charge OF
some logging work along the bound
airy between Kansas and the Indian
Territory. A log drawn by six horses
struck a stone boundary post and
drew it ten feet and nine inches north
of the surveyed line. Lewis thought
that it would be a joke on Kansas to
give the Territory some of Kansas
land. Accordingly he set up the post
in its new position, and the removal
remained undiscovered until after the
occurrence of the episodes with which
this story deals.
The apparent result of this prank
was that there remained, In the mid
die of a road, a tract of land some
three-Quarters Of a mile long and some
twelve feet wide which did not be-
long either to the Indian Territory or
to Kansas. Lewis was a bad man"
and most Of his time was devoted to
violations of the ven and states
laws. Some years afterward he found
himself released from Jail, together
with two boon companions named
Mark Killion and Elijah Paradise, and
began to cast round for the means OF
a livelihood. 1t was then that he hap
pened to remember his prank in NOV
ing the boundry post. He hurried to
The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-04-26
In Reduced Circumstances.

1.-THE head clerk in this hotel seems
to be a rather subdued young man."
"That's only q temporary manifes-
tation. He got into a poker game and
lost all his diamonds"
The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-04-26

PdSlAAuS. 4u0 AouAeIIo WHICH, WoAI ~
to splinters, the tables became a pile
of debris, the cards were torn to
shreds in Johnson's strong fingers,
while he whistled "I'm the Man Who
Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo"
Having satisfied himself that the bank
was broken beyond repair, Pussyfoot
turned his attention to the liquid re-
freshments. The sacred prohibition
soil of Kansas, and the equally uncon-
taminated soil Of Indian Territory
soon became a morass, through which
a dozen rivers of tanglefoot and "Old
Rye" wendell their sluggish ways.
When everything was an ~irreparable
ruin johnson yoked his prisoners to-
gether, got them into the buggy which
he had in waiting, and started for
the town of Caney, whittier Lewis had
already fed.
Johnson had smashed the gambling
tables, he had smashed the bottles,
and he had hacked the bar a good
deal. Johnson has a child-like i'm
petus toward destruction; his set
smile as he welded his ~sledge-ham-
mer was we'll known to many car1ca-
turists. Johnson can smash a cast
steel safe that nothing else except
gun-cotton could open. On this &C.
casion he had performed one act OF
destruction which was to involve him
in serious difficulty: he smashed the
cash register.
It was a fine new cash register, and
too shining and tempting for johnson
to resist. He did, indeed, instruct
Elijah to open it and take out the
contents. But Elijah refused, and so
Pussyfoot got his axe into play
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-08-17
Near Serious Auto Accident.

An auto accident that came heal be-
ing very serious happened last night
about 7:30, when q Ford ~runabout,
driven by Or. Haggard of Shuqualak,
who was accompanied by Deputy Shelf
Vernon Clark and Mr.. jeff Adams,
went off the levee close to the river
bridge. The levee at this point is Is or
20 feet high and the car turned COM
pletely over, pinning DR.. Haggard I'M
der it. He was cut in several places
about the face and hands. Deputy
Sheriff Clark was cut more severely in
his back and a number of stitches were
required to close up a wound as big as
his hand in the back. Mr.. jackson es-
capped with only a few bruises. The
party were coming to town, and the
road was slippery from a rain that fell
a few hours before and it is supposed
they got too close to the edge Of the
levee and went over There was some
damage to the car. but DR.. Haggard
was able to run it to the garage.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-08-17
Watch Our Smoke.

Mr.. Dorsey Crockett sold two cars of
cattle lately in St. Louis at a very sat-
~isfactory price. The price of beef cat
tie declined considerably the day after
his got to market, but has again recov-
cred. His lot were not in very good
condition, due to the drouth and short
pasture all summer, but he figured that
the price obtainable now would more
than make up for their gain if held I'M
til September or October, when there
wodld probably be a rush of cattle to
market.
Mr.. Crockett moved to this county
from Tennessee three years ago. The
year he came here the foot and mouth
disease broke out in his cattle in Tell
nessee. and he lost $40, 900 worth in a
few days. Then he lost two crops by
floods after moving here. But this is
another year and he says that he now
has good crops Of cotton, corn, soy and
velvet beans, and his pay check from
the creamery is $3.50 a month: Besides
all this his cattle and hogs are doing
fine.
There are dozens of farmers in Mr..
Crockett's fix in a few miles of Macon.
Watch our smoke!
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-08-17
Town Gets A Clean Shave.

Street Commissioner Maury land
there's none better) with a large gang
of laborers of both sex, has been cut
ting ar all-summer's growth of grass
from the streets of Macon this week.
If it could have been cut with a mower
a good crop Of hay could have been
saved. Between the Lyceum and the
corner towards town fourteen piles,
seemingly equal to a bale each, were
counted. The town still has the appear
anc of being only half shaved, as prop
erty owners have failed to cut the
grass next to their yards and many va
cant lots are covered with grass high
enough to hide a COW. Other towns
have ordinances requiring all property
owners to keep down grass and weeds,
and such an ordinonce would be of great
benefit to Macon both in appearance
and healthfulness. Can't some one stir
up interest sufficient and have a grass
cutting day.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-08-17
Senator Willidms Voices the Pa
triofsm OF America.

No man in either House OF
Congress is given so much atten-
ton by the newspapers of Amer
lea as Senator Williams of Mis-
sissippi when he speaks. Not
even those politicians whose pO-
sitions and utterances have a
sensational interest on account
of their antagonism to American
interests and American ideas are
given the same attention as Sen
ator Williams receives.
If there is any one paper that
stands first in the newspaper
world, including both Europe and
America, it is the New York
Times. In its editorial columns
of August 9Th it says that John
Sharp Williams voices the mind
of every patriotic American.
The following is an extract
from the editorial:
Senator Williams of Missis-
sippi expressed public opinion
yesterday in his vigorous denun-
citation of the men who obstruct
war measures. Party alignment
has almost been forgotten, when
war measures have been consid-
cred, by a large majority of both
houses. But there are, as Mr..
Williams declared, a few men or
both sides who have formed them
selves into an anti-administratiol
and an anti-American party
They have put themselves in tn
attitude of opposing everything
that goes to carry on the war;
1T is time for the majority o.
the Democratic and Republican
parties to get together and sa.,
to these little groups, You have
danced your ballet, you hav,
sung your song. America is tired
of you and we are tired of you
We want you to do something
THE voice of John Sharp Viii.
lams, the mind Of every patriot,
American
1t is a great thing to give ex-
preston to the common sense
and patriotism of the great
American people, and Senator
Williams does it, not once but
often. Amoug the confusion OF
noise in congress, and elsewhere
his voice rings like a bell.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-08-17

ell, 3 shrlvellnR, ssnlle. dOdderlng
old party who llsps ObsCenely in
the August breeEes, dry and harsh
and impotent.
What though millions Of men
and women beg him for food and
fOdderf What though the very
hopes of the worlds freedom hang
on his integrity What though
all humanity begs him to remain
the king he should bef OFF goes
the old devil, reckoning the hot
winds and Turing the chinchbugs.
Don't talk to us about King
Corn and ask us to bow down to
him. He is a libidinous old despot
who has no consideration for his
subjects and should be turned out
like Nebuchadnezzar to grass.
This is a day of democracy, and
King Corn should be dethroned in
Kansas, for the common people
like kafr, and alfalfa, and feterita
and sorghum and tame grass and
millet and wheat and oats.
Down with King Corn; he's a
tyrant, a damned old tyrant who
should abdicate.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-08-17
All Exemption elaine to Be
Published.

Probably more than 100 claims for
exemption will be filed with the Noxu-
bee county exemption board before the
first draft quota is made up. Most Of
these claims will be honestly made, but
there will be down right stacking in
some cases. There are are some farm
ers, for selfish and unpatriotic motives,
will resent having their labor disturbed,
and where it is known that they have
persuaded or encouraged their tenants
or labOrers to make false statements,
they should be at least punished by ex-
posure, if there is no severer e of
dealing with them.
The Beacon expects to print the name
of every man called up for draft who
files a claim for exemption. The gov.
eminent requests US to do so, and other
men on the Noxubee county draft list
have a right to know why a man is
claiming exemption. and it is the right
of the mar asking the claim that other
people know the reason upon which he
is basing his belief that he is Of more
value at home than in the national
army.
The Beacon also expects to print the
name Of every man exempted from
military service, and to tell why he is
exempted. Following the same plan
the Beacon expects to print the name
Of every man whose claim was turned
down and to tell why it was turned
down.
Every person who has a plausible
claim for exemption from military SER
vice should file his claim it is his right
and his duty. But the person who has
an honest claim also will not object to
seeing it in print.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-08-17
Cooperation, Not Fault Finding.

The international News Ser
vice is running a series of state
ments by the leaders of both
Houses of Congress on questions
of the day.
In another column of the BEA-
CON will be found their state
ment obtained from Hon. Pat
Harrison, congressman of the
sixth district of Mississippi.
Mr.. Harrison's statement is
strong but certainly warranted
by the conditions it deals with.
The time for criticiam has passed
and the time for action is here
and the prompter Americas ac-
ton the less will be the loss of
life and treasure.
Criticism and opposition to the
selective draft law can do no
possible good now. 1t can and
does no harm. 1t initiates
against the good of the service
and makes dissatisfied those Am
erican men who have gone into
the United States army under its
provisions. Anyone who courts
favor by denouncing the law is
counting the favor of slackers
and unpatriotic Americans. He
pays a dubious compliment to
America who thus seeks to win
the favor of Americans.
Mr.. Harrison has become one
of the leaders in congress. Few
men in either branch of congress
have more influence and weight
or stand higher than he does.
This is not only because of his abil-
ity and right thinking and char
acter, but because he has always
been willing to do team work.
Standing by his convictions on
all occasions, he has yet been
able to work successfully and
with great effect with his Presi-
dent and his party, and thus be-
come recognized over the whole
United States as a powerful and
eReient leader u congress,
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-08-17
The Officers Return.

The Macon boys, who went several
months ago to Fort Logan H. Root for
training as officers returned to Macon
Thursday. Mr.. John R. Dinsmore was
the luckiest and came home a captain.
Messrs. William Dent, Jesse Guy. Will
liam Lucas and Eris Jamison of Brooks
vile got li~eutenancies. The camp
opened up with 1900 young men train
ing for officers and they were thinned
down to 1900. All the Noxubee bows
made good. They have ~furloughs until
the 26th. Thos. j. Roger of Brooks.
vile received a lieutenancy at Fort
O%glethorpe. He has volunteered to 20
to France Immediately
Mr.. Leonard Martin, who has been
in the officers headquarters at Fort
Root for several months, is at home for
a short vacation He is showing the
effect of three months hard work.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-08-17
THE DAMNED OLD TYRANT.

Don't talk to us about King
Corn; don't ask us to worship at
his throne, nor kiss his big toe.
He is a cruel and unjust ruler.
Men pillow early and SOW for him.
And he tiirtS with the spring flood,
and they pillow early and SOW again.
What does he carei He wantons
around with June rains, and again
they pillow and SOW. And what
does King Corn dot He is in Ca.
boots with the weeds to cheat his
worshipers. Then they kill the
weeds by blowing three, four and
sometimes five and six tunes in
the broiling summer sun. And
old King Corn stands up in mid.
July, green and proud and strong.
Then he beckons the hot winds
just at tassel time and they sap
his substance so that when he is
keads 10 serve, hs turns ont Of IL
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-08-17

The weather seems to have gotten
the habit" as it rains almost every
day and quite often showers at night.
In some sections of the county hard
rains have fallen several times a week
since the first Of July, and crops have
been much damaged. Luckily the pre-
cipitation is not general and the river
has not been out of its banks. The
southeastern prrt of the county seems
to have suffered the worst. A rain
Tuesday that extended from Shuqualak
to the river was very heavy, putting
all the creeks out and washing across
the roads in a number of places
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-08-17
8 Jas. Jones Attempts Suicide

Mrs. Jones, wife of a carpenter. liv-
ing neal Mashulaville, who is suffering
from pellagra, attempted suicide sew
eral times this week. On one occasion
she took some paris green, but was re-
lieved, and on Tuesday she attempted
to jump in a well. She has been suffer-
ing from pellagra for some time and
her mind has become ceranged. Mr..
Jones returned this week from Arkan-
sas, where he has been working as a
carpenter at n Of the military posts.
There are several small children and a
great deal of sympathy is felt for the
family.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-08-17
nj. ". ?. Rlokmsn Killed.

Mr.. ". F. Hickman was killed this
morning at an early hour When the
boiler ct Mr.. W. L. SheFrod'S saw mill,
located eighteen miles southeast Of Ma.
con, exploded. The negro fireman was
slightly hurt.
Mr.. Hickman, who has been saving
for Mr.. Sherrod for several months.
was standing in front Of the door Of
the boiler giving directions to the fire.
man. when the explosion occurred. and
he vas thrown about ten feet by the
force of the explosion and was burnt,
scalded and both legs broken, n shat
tered, and was also injured internally.
DR.. Mars, a local physician. was called,
and gave what relief he could to the
suffering man. who was perfectly con-
scious and told in a calm manner how
the accident occurred. DR.. MnrpheY,
accompanied by Mr.. Geo. Richmond,
arrived in about an hour and a half af-
ter the explosion and Mr.. Hickman died
just as they got in sight Of the mill.
MI. Hickman's remains will be in
tered In Macon, the funeral to take
place tomorrow, Saturday, at 1890
O'Clock, from his late residence.
Mr.. Hickman. with his wife, moved
to Macon several years ago from Hous-
ton, and for several years ran a spoke
and stave mill rear the depot, the firm
being Hickman and Westmoreland.
Mr.. Hickman sold his interest to his
partner, and has since been employed
in Macon as bookkeeper, being in the
employ of the Noxubee County Hard
ware Co., for several years.
He leaves a wife, who was q Miss
Overstreet, a member Of a prominent
South Mississippi family, and four
small children. Sincere sympathy is
felt for them in this terrible affection.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-08-17
"Cabbing About Nothing"

Says the Philadelphia Public
Ledger: Senator Williams, of
Mississippi, may have shocked
the purists by his plain talk to
the august Senators who have
been INDUCING in a constant
gabfest" to the serious detriment
of the nation, but he struck a
chord that will find a sympathetic
response in the hearts of one
hundred million of his country
men. The situation is one that
called for plain speaking, for the
petty partisans in the Senate
men calling themselves Republi-
cans and Democrats-hav &C.
complished absolutely nothing by
their policy Of fault- fnding and
obstruction except to make them
selves offensive and to arouse
suspicion as to their loyalty to
American principles and to the
cause of democracy and liberty
which America has espoused.
To the men who have been thus
exhibiting their littleness and
that partisanship the Mississippi
Senator addresses this injunction:
"You have danced your
ballet, you have sung your
song. America is tired of
you and we are tired of you.
We want you to do some
thing.
1t is not a pretty picture that
is here painted of a legislative
chamber to which we were wont
to point with pride as the most
dignihed and august in the world.
Yet it has, unfortunately, ele-
ments of truth which have their
parallel in the House of Repre-
sentatives as we'll. What these
men seem to have forgotten is
that the United States is at war.
that for the moment the issue of
domestic politics sink into insig-
nifcance, and that to measure the
events and the problems of a
great international situation by
the narrow standards of party
politics IS suicidal. If the House
has been able to make greater
progress in comparison with the
Senate it is because of the
strength of tradition in the latter
body, the lingering notion that it
is composed wholly of patriots
and statesmen and besause of
the persistence of the error that
mere talk is deliberation.
1t is reassuring, however, to
remember that the great MAORI
ty of both parties in Senate and
House have co-operated with the
Administration, 1.-THE little group
Of men" castigated by Senator
Williams forming a minority in
significant in numbers if conspic-
uous in noise. Perhaps they are
beyond the reach of appeals to
patriotism, but they are net in.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-08-17
TRAGEDY OF DRY WEATHER.

TRAGEDY OF DRY WEATHER.
Greater than the Kansas trials
of cold, wind and flood is the occa
sional tragedy of dry weather. 1t
does not causethephysical suffering
of the cold weather, the windstorms
or floods, but it's %long-drawn eXis,
tencc brings a nervous depression
greater in its agonies than all OF
the evils of the other three.
In Kansas, dry weather always
comes at the most critical time in
the crop year, the time when corn
in the vast expanses of green fields
begins to ''shoot," Out of the
southwest and south, heated by its
miles of travel over wheat stubble
and burning grass lands, comes
the hot wind, in Kansas the inva
riable partner of dry weather.
Day after day the sun glares down,
or worse still, meaningless thunder.
heads gather in the sky, to taunt
and to gibe the farmer who sees
his crop burning to death and
knows his powerlessness to save
his years work.
When the hot winds are blowing
and Kansas is in the travail of the
dry weather, farmers watch the
skies morning and evening, fol-
rain. Day after the rain signs
come-and 60, and the sun glares
down, while the corn shrivels, and
pastures brown and the water
holes disappear. Gradually the
farmer loosens his hold on faith in
a saving rain and begins hoping,
even family, that the rain will
come in time to save the kaf1ir and
the sorghum, which he planted as
insurance from dry weather. And
eventually it rains. A little late
corn is saved, the pastures freshen
up and Kansas settles down to its
ideal weather of September, Octo.
Der and November.
Hard as falls the blow of dry
weather, it is nothing compared
with It's severity in other years
when the state was young. Di.
versitied crops have lessened the
burden. Less dependence is placed
in the corn crop and more drought.
resistants are planted. Eventual.
ly Kansas will conquer completely
the scourge of the southwest wind
and the dry weather. Kansas
farming ingenuity is the hope Of
Kansas. AS Kansas learns better
the ever-unfolding lesson of the
farming business, drouth will hold
less terror and q time will come,
when Kansas will know its terror,
already growing less formidable,
only as a tale that is told by tn,
old men who lived in the days
when the state was young.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-08-17
COmpdrlsOns-K GnSuS and Me-
sisstppL.

There are many ofus who become
discouraged when crop failures
come in succession, and lay the
blame on the country-that the
land is worn out and has ceased to
produce; to the weather-the eli
mate has changed, and storms and
floods come during the growing
season; it was not so a few years
back. To the labor-and the
poor negro is abused as being the
cause of all the troubles.
But there are others
In portion of Kansas, for in.
stance, they have had two crop
failures, as complete as ours fol
two years past. This year theiT
prospect for a crop, up TO the first
of August, was as good as ours,
but an unbroken drouth, with
temperature from 100 to 40, with
high, hot winds, burned the corn
crop completely up. With TEN
perature below zero a good portion
of the winter, with snow and ice
more than six months of the year,
and then a temperature of 40 in
the shade in July, with hot, bis.
tering winds, what farmer in Mis-.
sissippi would exchange places
with a farmer in Kansas?
Lyon county, Kansas, where
lands sell srom 800 to $3.50, and
which is considered one of the
best farming sections of the state,
is the scene of the crop tragedy,
as will be seer from the following,
taken from the Emporia Gazette: