The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-10-15

going into drug store at Choco-
tnh, whore a notorious cafe was op-
Grated IN the rear. ostensibiy for
soft drinke. but n was generally
known that most of them were
| hard. Johnson walked IN alone.
| leaving one deputy outmdc. lie
searched the place and, finding
nothing. told tho proprietor he
would give him 10 mlnutos f1 opcn
tho safe there was big one
stnndlng In ono corner OF the room.
Leaving tho deputy IN charge, John
son went down TO n nearby black
smith shop and got largo slcdre
hammer By tho time he returned
tho proprietor had managed TO got
hold of his attorney. and THE at
turney told Johnson that AZ he ala
not have tho necessary papers and
had not found any liquor he had no
right to smash any ot tho furnish
luEs, johnson, smiling, got up on
The eafo with the sicdrc hammer
As he said afterwards he had no
idea ot being able to open tho safe.
iliH one thought was To- put tho lock
out of commission. But two or
three blows with tho hammer broke
opcn tho safe, whore goodly sup
ply " bottles were dlecoverd Hnugly
hidden away Tho proprietor was
arrested. indicted ana his drug store
closed.
"Johnson'a activity proved too
much for tho hOotlcggcrH, who
finally offered "a large sum %
money for his life. In fact, plots
against Johuscn's ne were always
being uncarthcd. But ~ didn't
seem TO make any impression on
Iohnaon Iila activities incrcnBcd
rather than diminish and he went
straight for any man he heard had
threatened him. Every one in In
dian territory was afraid OF John
son. lie waa dead shot. He no;
only went after booticRgers, but out
laws aA well. Down to tho river
bottom and up 20 tho hills, whore
hugo bouldorR provided good hiding
places for bandits. johnson went
fcarlcssly and sllontly. lie was
usually succcmtul--ni times out
of ten no brought back his man.
u suppose johnson was sued Mt
various times for sums amounting
to over 100000 for so-cnllcd illegal
arrests nut he never paid cent
Tho government officials recognized
HIS absolute honesty. lie was al
lowed 20 handle all hls cases pretty
much his own way. The court cal
ondars were crowded and Johnson
managed 10 convict culprits with
the greatest possible dispatch. There
was not nc that time tho scrupulous
regard for legal technloHlitlcs which
clog tho present courts. lilo played
no favoritcs and though no was Of
fered sufficient money In bribea 60
make him a very wealthy man, his
dollar fund 10 be paid 10 tho person
who would kin johnson. About flvo
or six hundred dollars had been
subscribed when Johnson heard
q bout u. Go ahead ana collect the
rest said johnson, you seem to
be making easy money
Nothing ever startled johnson.
Hs was always ready for a lively
skirmish.
"There was small strip OF land
between Kansas and Indian terri.
tory which m tho survey had been
made apparently aid not belong 20
either state. a man took posses
sion Of the strip and opened up n
very elaborate cafe, gambling joint
and booze emporium. He held that
citizens from both states could walk
over tho line ana buy all tho liquor
they wanted without tbs authorities
being able 20 touch them. Tho chnnY |
owner succeeded in bluffing Kansas |
officials. but as soon as tho news |
that IA wide open place was oper-
ting across the border reached |
Johnson hc gathered up oil his dep
utiea and went over 10 pay a call.
iiy the time Johnson finished mis-
,all there was nothing left but four
walls and n roof Ho used to say !