Evening star., 1932-02-18
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
AKLAvIK, Northwest Territory, Feb
ruary 18.-In fresh-fallen snow of the
Rat River country. about weeks hard
mush from where the majestic Mac
kenzie pours into Beaufort Sea, the
blood of Albert johnson has written
as the blood of hunted men has writ
ten before-the familiar. inexorable
axiom:
The Canadian Mounted Police
always get their mar"
The mad trapper Of Rat River died
yesterday with a rifle stock tucked
against his fur-jacketed shoulder and
with a blue-cold finger upon the trigger
which had sent death to one mountie
and dangerous wounds to another.
Wounds STAFF Sergeant
As he fell in snow fresh laid by
blizzard that stung the faces of the
police who had cornered him, he sent
two bullets whining toward his at
tackers, dropping STAFF Sergt. E. F.
Hersey.
Above him droned a plane. In it
were bombs which Pilot W. r. cWop')
May was ready to drop in case the fire
Of the ground force failed When May
saw johnson dead. he slipped his plane
to a landing on the snow, picked up
the wounded staff sergeant. placed him
in the plane and flew him here. Hersey
lies today critically wounded. bullet
through the knee and another in the
chest into which it ricocheted from his
elbow.
Once before in the two-month pur-
suit Of the mad trapper the same pllot
time 1t was Constable E. Mlllen, and
Millen was dead
During all the eight weeks johnson
had laughed at the law of the North
land the mounties, trappers and In
dams called him mad. They said he
was crazy, crazy like fox. First they
went boldly to his hermit cabin. In
dams had complained that some one
had been robbing their traps. The
trail of the thief led to Johnsons place.
Ohicers Life Saved.
The officers knocked on the door.
Bullets through the wood answered
them. Constable A. W. King fell, Sc
verely wounded His campanion, R. w.
Mcdowell loaded the wounded officer
on a dogsled and in the teeth of a
cruel Arctic blizzard mushed back 80
miles to Aklavik in the remarkable
time of 20 hours The Arctic seldom
has seen such speed under such condl-
tions. 1t saved the wounded mans
life.
other police in greater numbers went
to the mad trapper's cabin. Bullets
warned them away, but they would not
leave. They bombed the cabin roof.
across the glistening snow. Bullets
from his guns kept them at distance.
The mounties sought to starve him
out, but one day the cabin was silent.
johnson had escaped through tunnel.
They thought he couldn't get far.
The Rat River country affords slow
going. The cold is intense. Men with
spats and a carnation in their button
holes would die within a mile. The
snow rides gales that cut like lash
It swirls and drifts to great depths.
Through the pines the wind sings a
dirge to the hopes Of him who dares
to fee.
Kills Constable.
But Albert johnson was as hard as
the ice that seals the Yukon lakes:
with a pack of policemen behind and
the grim northland Winter ahead ne
mushed on. Once the law caught up
with him. He had thrown up three
sided fort. That time they Thought
they had him. It was then a bullet
from his rife killed Constable Miilen;
All Millen saw was fur-wrapped neao
protrude above the fort and the gleam
of the midnight sun upon the barrel
of a gun. Death was instantaneous
Persons who knew johnson say ne
could hit a mark at half a mile.
The mounties, leaving two OF their
number on guard, returned to Aklavik
for supplies. While they were gone the
mad trapper slipped away. The chase
was renewed.
posse supplied with food and ammuni-
| ton. johnson mushed on. Often he
doubled on his trail so foxily that he
| was at his pursuers' rear, watching his
own pursuit. Back tracking and
circling, he out-maneuvered the hunters
repeatedly.
| Trail Shows End.
But Yesterday the trail Of the mad
trapper, plain as print IN fresh 1allen
! snow, zig-Zagged. It meant ne was
through; his strength, great though 1t
! , was, was exhausted.
Stan Sergt. Hersey, forging ahead Of
| the posse, came upon him first. john
son was weak; but there still was
strength to lift . gun, still power te
press q trigger, still that uncanny ain
that could send bullet to . target
at half . mile.
Hersey fumbled to get his own weapon
| from the sled to which 1t was strapped
Too late. Two bullets tore into hi
body.
The plane crcled overhead. Bomb.
were ready to be dropped, but the posse
by now was too near.
The full force of policemen, Indians
and trappers came forward, their guns
1 apaakin0 In unison A single VOlley