Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-07-04
HIRAM JOHNSON
DIES AT LONDON
Laurel jackson Clay Circuit
Judge Was Making History
In Law Enforcement

mere at , .4U o CLOCK NlOlludE dl'
ternoon, following an illness OF
ten days. For a number of year.
he has suffered periodically from
severe stomach trouble, but I'M
mediate cause OF his death is at
tributed by his physicians and the
specialists who have attended him
to a general breakdown resulting
from the overWork and nervous
strain he has undergone during
the past six months as circuit
judge of the 9th judicial district.
Elected to the office of circuit
Judge last November upon clear
cut platform OF law enforcement,
he assumed the duties of the Of
fee January lst with the solemn
pledge to the people that he
would clean up the district or re-
sign from office.
At that time and for many
months previous, the counties OF
the 9th district, Laurel, Clay,
and Jackson, were fairly overrun
with moonshiners and bootleg
gers, and uutlaWry had reached
such a stage that schools and
churches were being broken up
many communities and citizens
were afraid to travel upon the
public roads. Shooting into home
breaking up public gatherings
and terrorizing Of peaceful men
women and children, had iccomc
IA common sport with drunkc1.
rowdies and chronic law viola
tors.
Clay county was being dcmor-
allied and dcpopulatcd by the
Bcnge- Martin Philpot fcud. The
better element Of citizens, though
in the majority, were discouraged
and most OF them actually bclicv-
ed that the laws could not be en-
forced to put stop to the Sencr-
al and vicious move OF lawlcss-
ness over this section OF the
mountains.
Their only hope OF saving their
homes and their institutions was
in Johnson, whom they knew toi
be Il splendid lawyer, and a fear
less man, but he, they said could
not be expected to accomplish
what no other circuit Judge in the
whole county had accomplished,
the complete subjection of all
classes Of law breakers.
Butt he did. SO quick and sol
marvellous was his success in stopi
ping the Clay county lcud, in rid !
ding Laurel, Jackson and Clay of
moonshining, bootiegging, and
rowdyism as never before had
been known or even hoped for, /
that in less than three months al
ter he began his work, his name
was d household word through-t !
out the mountains and he was /
known i'll every state i'll the un-
ion.
A few weeks ago, when talk
and press Comment throughout /!
the state had reached the proper,
tons of a strong boom for him
for governor OF Kentucky, heS an i
nounced through the press that
he was not and never would be a !!
candidate for any other office,
that his only ambition was to full
fill his pledge to the people of the
9th judicial district.
A strong, fearless, intensive
man Of indomitable will and high |
purpose, he gave all that was
IN him, even his life, to make
good the solemn pledge he had
made. His death at this time is
regarded as calamity to the pub
lie, and thousands of mountain
homes are today mourning him as
their greatest benefactor.
Judge Johnson was A years OF
age. A native of Laurel county,
he was educated in the public
schools and the Sue Bennett
Memorial School here and took
the degree Of law at Washington
law school while he was holding
a clerkship in one Of the govern
ment departments. He served
two terms as county attorney of
Laurel county.
He was a student and thinker
and one of the most brilliant ora !
tors in the mountains. His fam
ilv consists of a wife and four
children. The funeral services
will be held at his home here at 2
O'Clock Wednesday afternoon.
The body will lie in state in the
court house from 9 o'clock in the
morning until noon. /
Judge Johnson began his term
of office the first of the year with
the public pledge that he would
stop lawlessness IN the 18th judi
cial district or resign. E1isbfrst
court session was held at Mckee.
Jackson county, where he tried