South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-11-23
"PuSSWoOt johnson, Il
Prohibition Big Noise"
viii Tackle Scotland
BY a special Correspondent.


GLASGOW. Scotland. Nov. "a
"Pussyfoot," or the Big Noise" OF
prohibition. all the way from Yam
keeland. has struck the complacent
city OF Glasgow. l had a little talk
with W =. JohnsOn--thats his
orthodox name-just after he had
addressed an enthusiastic meeting in
the Christian institute.
found him the very essence of
courtesy and communicative 10 a
but had one great difficulty
with him. That was his accent. He
didn't guess or calculate" TO any
great extent, but his drawing vocal
isation was often battling. How
ever, Mr.. Johnson, being the court
eous fellow he is, generously EN-
cored" any words 1 had failed to
grasp
"Pussyfoot''-let's call him that,
since he bears the sobriquet no
grudge!-is no ascetic either in APP
pearance or practice. He is no
decorus. lead-pencilish reformer.
Big and genial, he is "all there"
both physically and mentally. a
cursory survey of the mans virile
frame lends convincing color to the
many stories of his prowess. His
Uranium, bereft OF a disloyal thatch,
also bears testimony to the strenu
BUSINESS of many Of the escapades in
which he has taken part.
For nearly six years Mr.. Johnson
was chief officer OF the United States
Indian service. During that period
he was instrumental in convincing
in the court a little over 4,400 men,
practically all connected with the
liquor traffic. Some of these Of
tenders. he remarked with a twink
ling eye, ARE in the penitentlary yet
Eight of my assistants" he contin-
ued in casual vein, were murdered
during these operations, and a whole
lot of them were stabbed and shot
at. This was the time when tin
gun business in the west was at its
zenith.
Burning Out Gambling Houses.
"In America years ago it YVES
said that juries wouldn't convict in
liquor cases, but I secured convic-
tions in more than 90 percent Of
the cases 1 brought to ar issue. 1
cleaned up the Indian territory. 1
burned out 76 gambling houses.
The only reason I didn't burn out
more" he added with a chest-con-
vulsing chuckle, was that there
was no more to burn! burned
hundreds of dollars worth OF stuff. ."
Then, as II some explanation were
required to meet the British idea,
Mr.. Johnson added convulsively,
1T was the western way Of clearing
up a western difficulty.
"One willy fellow tried to scare
me TO death. If ever I came TO his
town, he said, he would kill me. I
had never been TO this town. but
under these conditions could afford
to allow my challenges like that TO
get away. People would have got
it into their heads that I was
scared. so I decided I might as we'll
die right away, 1 sent a scout into
the town, and he then reported that
rle bartender had never seen me,
but he had a description Of me.
$50 I changed my appearance, and
rode into the town on horseback. ]
jumped of my horse, and went into
the saloon. The man was standing
behind the bar with a revolver
sticking out of each pocket. I slam
med down a dollar, and called for q
drink. He handed me out some
soft stuff 1 smashed the bottle
on the counter, and demanded some
/ he'll fire. That's what they cal
whisky Then he got me some he'll
fire. from a trapdoor. I wanted tC
get close TO him, because he was g
gun man. There was some tobacco
right at the end corner of the coun-
ter. When I started down that way
ne came and turned around, with
the revolvers peeping out pulled
them both out, and put them to his
1