The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-05-03

MIDST OF The ASI
to start anything" he would kill him
on sight. This was the sort OF stu
alton that always tickled Johnson
and he met it in his characteristic
way.
After making inquiries he learned
that the man knew of him only by
reputation and by photographs pub
lished in the newspapers. According
| ly Johnson changed his appearance as
much as possible-which was not
much-got on horse and rode to the
town, where he at once made for the
saloon. 1t was wide open and appar-
emily in a prosperous condition.
whats yours?" inquired the letter.
writer.
"Old rye" answered Johnson.
The proprietor, who had Colt As
in each hip pocket, turned his back
to Johnson for 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, vari-
Gus epithets were applied to Johnson.
whisky Johnson" and "Pale Ale
Johnson" were familiar sobriquets. But
after this sensational exploit he was
known as "Pussyfoot Johnson" This
appellation chung to him, and in every
state where an Indian reservation ex-
| lists he is known today only under that
| title. Johnson worked almost invari-
ably at night. He never gave the out
laws 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 persisted
during Johnson's Indian Territory cam
paign.
It was a case of one man against
almost the entire population of the
Territory, and that one man created
revulsion of sentiment that entirely
suppressed the liquor traffic among
Indians until the time of statehood ar
rived. Johnson had to work with apa-
thetic 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 In
dams in Minnesota, and put the lid
on hundreds of grog shops in that
state. He dug up another old law CIV
ing an officer the right to enter a
gambling house and destroy the para
phernalia within. Johnson's huge bon
fires became feature of his cam.
paign. 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 posse of armed citi-
zens, appeared at the doorway OF a
saloon while Johnson's Ratchet, WELD
ed 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 re-
volver into the marshaps face.
81 represent the department Of In
dian affairs" he said quietly. You
men had better get out of here until
we finish our work"
AS the marshal demurred Johnson
advanced step 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 marsnal
and the posse were standing.
Ibid you want to arrest me?' in
uuired Johnson. with his famous smile.
why, yes" stammered the marshal,
Il should like to-
go ahead, them" answered john
son, and the marshal went ahead. But
Johnson was fully sustained by the au-
thorities at Washington and liberated
almost Immediately.
Johnson possessed small caliber
rifle which had been specially made
for him. 1t would shoot through "a
inches of hardwood The reputation
of this weapon spread throughout the
West and Southwest. That was
good thing, for Johnson, like most
stout men, is not a first-class Splinter.
why didn't you try to escape"
somebody once asked one of Johnson's
captives in his presence.
Il was afraid he'd turn that darned
spray on me-" replied the prisoner,
glancing at Johnson's automatics-
BY the time Indian Territory was In
corpurated with Oklahoma as state
large and thriving colony of federal
prisoners at Fort Leavenworth and Id
other United States penitentiaries al