The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1922-10-17
WHEN "PUsSYF0oT"
tanned THE TERRI
ToRLAL BooTLEGGERs

/ QNlfcd the reputation on AWAY
getting his bird. In fact. th'
( name PuSsvfoot was given hin
in Indian territory. Like a ca
be stcalihily stalked his prey
but no one knew he was stalkinl
il. When he dropped he got it
lie never failed.
II recall one time standing al
railroad station M in the hilli
whore the train coming from
Fort Smith usually stopped. i
was small stetion without q
station agent. was waiting {,
get a souihbound train When
the train from Fort Smith pulled
In somebody got off and put a
wicker suitcase on the platform
and boarded the train again. N
few minutes johnson came ur
on horseback. He dismounted
walked over toward the suitcase,
looked al me and then back al
the bag, waiting, evidently. for
me 10 say something about it
| said ! didn't own il johnson
picked up the suitcase, walked
across the track TO an emhank-
ment, and removed 10 quart bot
ties of whisky from the bag
These he proceeded 10 crack open
one by one. When he had fin.
ished, he smiled-still without a
word-and rode away.
Another time Iromemher his
going into a drug tore at Checo-
tab, where a notorious cafe was
operated in the rear. ostensibly
for soft drinks, but it was gen.
orally known that most of them
were hard. johnson walked in
alone. leaving one deputy out
side. lie searched the place and,
finding nothing, told the pro
prietor he would give him Il
minutes to open the safc-iherc
was a big one standing in one
corner Of the room. Leaving the
deputy in charge. johnson went
down 10 nearby blacksmith
shop and got a large sledge ham
mer BY the time he returned
the proprietor had managed io
get hold Of his attorney. and this
attorney told johnson that as he
did not have the nere sary papers
and had not found apv liquor he
had no right TO smash any OF
the furnishings. Johnson. smil
ing. got up on the safe with the
slcdce hammer rs he said after
wards be had no idea Of being
able to open the safe. His one
thought was to put the lock ont
Of commission. But two or three
blows with the hammer broke
open the safe, where a goodly
supply Of bottles were discovered
snugly hidden away. The pro
prietor was arrested. indicted and
his drug store closed.
"Johnson's activity proved
too much for the bootleggers
who finally Offered a large sun
Of money for his life. In fact
plots against johnson life were
always heing unearthed. But i
didn I seem to make any impress
SION on johnson. His activitie'
increased rather than diminished
and he went straight for an,
man he heard had Threatened
him. Every one in Indian terri
tory was afraid of Johnson. III
was a dead shot. He not onl-
went after bootleggers. but out
laws as well. Down TO the rivei
bottom and up to the hills. wheri
huge boulders provided gooC
hiding places for bandits. John
son went fesrlessly and silently
He was usually sueeessful-nin'
times ont of ten he brought bacl
his man.
Z suppose Johnson was sue
Al various times for sums amount
ing 10 over $4,000 for so-calle'
! illegal arrests. But he neve
paid "a cent. The gevernmcn
T, officials recognized his absolut
honesty He was allowed {
handle all his cases pretty mue
his own way. The court ealer
dars were crowded and .Tuhnso
mani >ei 10 convict culprits wit
the greatest possible iispatcl
There was not at that time III