The Tomahawk., 1917-04-26
He STARTS TO Carrie NATI0NIzE THE JOINTS
With Three Trusted Deputies He Suddenly Descends Tulsa and
Fires Three Gambling Houses-Raids Other Towns and
Puts Crmp in Gambling and Saloon Business

fFeS IHfee GdIilUIlIiY 7UuS
Puts Crimp in Gambling
~~-~~~~~~-~~~~~
mud, the blood streaming down his
clothes from a wounded hand, Big
Johnson must have presented the ap-
pearance 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 an
other part of the Territory, and
slipped back again, alone, and unde-
tected. Meanwhile Dick Borden, a
noted gambler, gave a hurry order to
a furniture emporium, which had some
new furniture and gambling parapher-
MALTA shipped post haste to Borden's
new place above Tate Brady's store.
Borden established poker and crap
tables, a faro wheel, a roulette wheel,
hung mirrors on the walls, put in cleo
trio fans and rugged 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 John
son and sprang for the back window,
leaping out upon the roof Of an ad-
joining building. Johnson jumped after
them and drove them all back, firing
few shots at their feet to show he
meant business. They rushed back,
to be confronted by Booths revolver,
and surrendered. Cash bonds having
been deposited for their appearance in
court next day, one of the gamblers
seized the $500 roulette wheel and ran
with it down hallway. Johnson went
after him and floored him with a blow
from his fist. Another seized the
wheel and threw it out of window
into an alley, where third caught 1t.
Then he glanced up as 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 terri
tory. 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 Cones 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 man at Musko-
gee named Stewart had received big
consignment of liquor. Taking Dep
uty Lerbetter, he searched Stewards
house, without results, until Is cases
OF whisky were discovered behind a
secret panel. Johnson pulled Stewart
out of bed and found a bottle of cham
payne.
"Please don't break that" pleaded
Stewart 81 got it for my wife, who is
very ILL.,
johnson, who is humane man,
went downstairs and found Mrs. Stew
49, ~,,;l1, o1, f,,h
81 guess your wife needs soup more
than champagne" said johnson, as he
smashed the bottle.
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 bot
ties. Johnson drew his trusty ak, but
the driver let out so wild peal Of ter
ror that Johnson paused.
"For-for-say! This wagon is load
ed with nitroglycerine!" shouted the
driver. I'VE are on our way to the
sapulpa oil fields to shoot WELL"
Investigation proved that this story
was true. The second wagon con-
tanned 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 John
sons BLOCKADE" effectively prevented
their obtaining a further supply at
profitable prices. When Johnson got
through with Indian Territory the re-
tail price of a flask of whisky had
risen from Is cents to So.
johnson did not stop when he had