The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-02-16

widest known men in the entire An
ti-Saloon League work. will be in
Ardmore to talk on this subject, Fri
day, February 25. He will deliver
his address at Convention Hall. Ad-
mission will be free.
Something of this man, whose
name the entire world is familiar is
told in q most interesting way by the
following;
William Eugene (PussyfooO John
son is a native New Yorker He was
born in that state March 20, 1862.
Always q ProhibitioniSt, he was
identified with the third party for
years. until he became convinced that
the non-partisan nter-denominational
plan OF the Ant-Saloon League was
the plan that ultimately would win.
He came actively into the work of
the League in 1912, though before
that time he had done great deal of
work for and with state and local or
ganizations OF the League.
johnson has always been news
paper and publicity man. His style
has been the vigorous, assertive. ag-
gressive style, more or less polemic,
always attacking the liquor strong
hold, but, at the same time. giving his
opponents credit for whatever hon
esty of purpose they possessed
For years he was editor Of the New
York Voice, Prohibition organ. He
also did other editorial and investiga-
tIon work for the Funk and Wagnalls
interests. who sent him abroad for
data and special articles. He has
travelled in practically every civilized
country on the globe.
During the Roosevelt administra-
ton Johnson was appointed special
enforcement officer of the Depart
inent Of the Interior, with the job OF
suppressing the liquor traffic among
the Indians. buring that spectacular
and resultful experience he closed
thousand of saloons. put more than
1000 men in Jail was himself several
times locked up by local officials,
made himself the everlasting friend Of
the Indians. and brought around 10
his actual support many of the bad
men Of the west and southwest
He was the starter Of the one-half
Of ! per cent idea as a limit for alco-
holic content under Prohibition. This
limit he succeeded in making the law
OF Oklahoma, and it has since become
the limit in many states and in the
Volstead Federal code.
The nickname "Pussyloot' was
given him while he was in Federal
service He was so catlike in many
Of his enterprises that the wicked
fled when no man pursued but Of
ten did not flee when Pussyfoot pur-
sued, for the very good reason that
they didn't know he was on the pur-
suing job.
Here is Pussyfoots own story OF
the nickname:
One day q man walked into my Of
flee al Aluskogee with message
from Haskell saloonkeeper, intimat-
ing. in q friendly way that if ! dared
show my face in Haskell he would
shoot me. or course, | could not
refuse such an invitation.
Il sent a scout into Haskell and
found that the saloonkeeper had never
seen me but had a good description
OF me. So one night | disguised my
self and rode into Haskell. ] tethered
nv horse TO his veranda and walk
ing into the bar called for q drink.
My fierce friend was big man,
but the thing that interested me most
was 40 at his hip.
He offered me bottle. which l al
once said was too weak and smashed
il on the bar Give me hell-fire.' |
cried. He opened q secret trap in
The floor and handed me bottle OF
CID whskey.
My one object was to get him TO
show me his back. and | maneuvered
him until / was able to whip out his
revolver, hold il 20 his ear and intro
duce myself
The next day the local paper told
tho story and called me 'Pussyfoot
That was how l earned my name"
Il is safe TO say that while many
men have "cussed" Johnson out, no
man has ever been known who called
IN question his honesty. his fairness
or his uprig.tness. A few tried 10
be.mlrch hin. nj first, but found IL
did not pay.
Johnson went To England nearly
two years ago sent over by the Anti
saloon League OF America az the in
vitation Of the temperance organlZa-
lions Of the British Isles and OF men
connected with The British govern
ment. with Scotch local option as the
Immediate objective and dry Eng
land as the ultimate result II was
while in the line OF duty that he met
with the misfortune which resulted
iu the loss OF his right eye, though
be viii not admit that Il was mis-
fortune In fact, he SAYS he is glad
he was able 10 give something for
the c3use
iuhnson's home Is In Westerville.
He never lived In Kansas. as has been
enormously published His wife, who
was Miss Lillian Trevitt. lives in
Westerville, with their daughter, Miss
Clara Johnson, who is student in
ST. Mary's OF the Springs Columbus
Ther sons are Clarence r. and elf
ford L. both OF whom We're lieuten-
snts In the American army during
the world war Clarence is In gov-
eminent Indian service In California.
clifford Is in business In Washington
Z. c.
Pussyfoot is Mason. up to the
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