The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-08-01
HONOR UNKNOWN
AMONG JUG MEN
Liquor Was Contraband
Wherever 1t Was
Found.
LOST BOOZE BY NAP
Bootleggers Resented Inter-
ference Of Officers and
Often Fought Them

TAHLEotAH, Okla, July al
This section OF oklahoma has always
had the bootlegger In It's midst. Even
IN the early days when the land was
young and the new homes OF pioneer
Indians from east of the Mississippi
were arising in woodland and prairie
the dealers In liquor made their pres
ence known. Old volumes of Chero-
kee laws contain acts of the ma
tional council relating to the sale
and use OF intox,cants. AS the use Of
the old-time "firewater" was pro-
ductiye OF most OK the trouble OF
the times II was sought to discour-
age It's indulgerc ce. but uespito the
efforts of Indian officers and of the
officers OF tho United states court
thskLnumber Of pioneer bootleggers
continued rather large. AS fast as
ono crop was disposed OF another
arose and continued to smuggle the
fiery liquid into the Indian country.
AS settlements were few and far
between and there were vast tracts
OF unbroken forest and prairie, the
violators of the laws piled their trade
with less fear of being ovprtaken
than at later period. While many
whisky peddlers OF more recent days
often brought n few quarts or gall
Ions into the nation" carried In
Jugs or kegs on their ponies. the old
timers often brought In several bar
rels at one time.
Not far from where an old road
way once traversed one OF the To-
calities near this place yet stands
a great elm tree. and. according to
the story related by an old citizen
some years ago. he on one occasion
stood beneath the elm and sold red
whisky from a forty-gallon barrei
TO all who cared to buy, and In any
quantity desired. on this same oc-
casion the negroes belonging to a
wealthy citizen got wind OF where
the whisky was and a large num-
Der arrived. They drank so long and
heartily that when evening came and
A. was time for them to proceed TO
their masters home. the colored
brethren. in a long and wobbly line,
made their uncertain awy across the
prairie.
Not all the bootleggcrs OF the early
days experienced an easy time In
getting into and out OF the Indian
nation. Sometimes they were caught
coming in and we're then forthwith
taken to the headquarters Of the
court where they were usually cast
into prison and held until the regu-
lar term OF court. when sentences
TO the penitentiary could be expect
ed. And there were occasio whsn
some OF the whisky men saw fit to
"fight 1t out" with the officers with
the result that number wore shot
60 death. Then as now there were
many citizens who adhered to the
idea that II men wished to indulge ir
liquor II was their business and they
should mot be molested. In those
days there were white. Indian and
negro peddlers OF liquor, as there
was at a later period. Some of then
were so expert in lodging the Of
ficers that they were never caugh
and engaged in the illegal traffic fol-
years.
Tho old adage that there Is hon
or even among thieves has beer
often quoted, but few persons have
bcen heard to say that there Is hon
or among bootleggers. a number q
stories are yet recalled as related
by some OF those who once Intro
duced" and sold whisky in the ma
tlon.' TheSe stories snow that tn'
bottleggers had no hesitancy In pur'
Joining the wet goods OF other boot
leggers. According to the statement
of an old fellow who often rode tn,
trail through the hills in the 'goot
old days" he. one sultry afternoon
was making his way on horseback
through the timber clad hills ant
suddenly came upon man lying IL
the shade OF a big oak. A short dis
tance away was the mans horse
busily cropping the grass, The boot
logger lay with his head on his sad
dleS asleep. and near at hand was
sack IN which We're two kegs. Abou
the mans waist was a leather bel
from which hung a holster and from
the holster protruded the butt of
big revolver.
The man on the horse paused ant
regarded the sleeping fellow lon
and thoughtfully, Then he decide
that he would add the other man
whisky to his own store. Accordingl
he dismounted and carefully ap
preached the sleeper, removed tn
kegs I'M the sack and placing tn
contents on his own horse, remount
ed and rode slowly away. often look
ing back. but the sleeper remaine
snoozing beneath the shade an
nh