The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-04-19
He STARTS TO Carrie NATIoN|zE The Joints
With Three Trusted Deputies He Suddenly Descends on Tulsa and
Fires Three Gambling Houses-Raids Other Towns and
Puts Crimp in Gambling and Saloon Business.

Fires Three Gambling Hous
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 Einel 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 1t
three times. 1t 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 gambleD 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 80 gamblers
were playing when in walked Johnson
and IDENTITY Marshal Rooth.
The gamblers took n 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
a 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 a hallway. johnson went
after him and 1oored him with a blow
from his fist. Another seized the
wheel and threw it out of a window
into an alley, where a third caught it.
Then he glanced up as a 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 a man at Musko'
gee named Stewart had received a big
consignment of liquor. Taking Dep
uty Lerbetter, he searched Stewards
house, without results, until Is cases
Of whisky were discovered behind q
secret panel. Johnson pulled Stewart
out of bed and found a bottle of cham.
payne.
please don't break that" pleaded
Stewart. II got it for my wife, who il
very ILL.,"
Johnson, who is a humane man
went downstairs and found Mrs. Stew
art at the family wash tub.
Il 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, whereupor
the driver of the second wagon leapet
from his seat and ran to cover. The
first wagon was full of tanks and bot
ties. Johnson drew his trusty ak, bu'
the driver let out so wild a peal Of ter
TOR that Johnson paused.
"For-for-say! This wagon is load
ed with nitroglycerine!" shouted tn
driver. I'VE are on our way to tn,
Sapulpa oil fields to shoot a WELL"
Investigation proved that this stor!
was true. The second wagon con
tanned the whisky, which was soon pu
out of commission, while the team
was taken for public sale.
Such methods practically drove tn
liquor men out of business, for no
only was their money gone, but thei
liquor had been destroyed. and John
sons blockade" effectively ~prevente'
their obtaining a further supply a
profitable prices. When Johnson go
through with Indian Territory the RI
tail price Of a flask Of whisky ha,
risen from rs cents to SO.
Johnson did not stop when he ha
accomplished the first part Of his d,