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Story
September 12, 1930
The Independent
Elizabeth City, Pasquotank County, North Carolina
What is this article about?
In Nevada, Piute official Johnson Sides gets drunk for the first time, sleeps in a tomb, prompting legislature to pass a humorous bill nullifying his drink; he shares the 'purification' with his tribe. (178 chars)
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THE PURIFICATION OF
JOHNSON SIDES
JOHNSON SIDES, official peace
maker of the Piutes in Nevada,
one cold January night got lost in
a snowstorm and was induced by
a cowboy who found him to take a
long swig out of a whisky bottle.
This was Johnson's first offense and
it tipped him over completely. In
a delirium he walked into a burial
place and staggered through the
musty portals of an ancient and
abandoned tomb. There he lay
down to sleep it off. The chilly
temperature sobered him up.
He
returned to Carson the next morn-
ing penitent and terrified at hav-
ing broken the law.
The legislature happened to be in
session.
A humorously inclined
member got hold of the Indian,
heard his story, and drew up a bill
as follows:
"SENATE BILL 6521.
"Section I-Be It enacted that the
drink taken by Johnson Sides in
the Carson City graveyard Monday
night, January 31, be hereby de-
clared null and void.
"Section II-This act shall go into
effect immediately upon its passage
and approval by the governor."
With much pomp and panoply
and with great gobs of red seal-
ing wax and a mass of red ribbon
attached to the document, this hoax
was solemnly passed by the senate
without a dissenting vote, then was
taken to the assembly and there
passed unanimously, and after the
governor had signed it the precious
paper was bestowed upon Johnson
with an elaborate speech. He took
the document to the outskirts of
the town where his tribe was en-
camped, translated it and an-
nounced that the White Father had
called the big souse off.
The next morning 30 drunken
Piutes were gathered up out of the
cemetery by the local constabulary
© by the McNaught Syndicate Inc.
JOHNSON SIDES
JOHNSON SIDES, official peace
maker of the Piutes in Nevada,
one cold January night got lost in
a snowstorm and was induced by
a cowboy who found him to take a
long swig out of a whisky bottle.
This was Johnson's first offense and
it tipped him over completely. In
a delirium he walked into a burial
place and staggered through the
musty portals of an ancient and
abandoned tomb. There he lay
down to sleep it off. The chilly
temperature sobered him up.
He
returned to Carson the next morn-
ing penitent and terrified at hav-
ing broken the law.
The legislature happened to be in
session.
A humorously inclined
member got hold of the Indian,
heard his story, and drew up a bill
as follows:
"SENATE BILL 6521.
"Section I-Be It enacted that the
drink taken by Johnson Sides in
the Carson City graveyard Monday
night, January 31, be hereby de-
clared null and void.
"Section II-This act shall go into
effect immediately upon its passage
and approval by the governor."
With much pomp and panoply
and with great gobs of red seal-
ing wax and a mass of red ribbon
attached to the document, this hoax
was solemnly passed by the senate
without a dissenting vote, then was
taken to the assembly and there
passed unanimously, and after the
governor had signed it the precious
paper was bestowed upon Johnson
with an elaborate speech. He took
the document to the outskirts of
the town where his tribe was en-
camped, translated it and an-
nounced that the White Father had
called the big souse off.
The next morning 30 drunken
Piutes were gathered up out of the
cemetery by the local constabulary
© by the McNaught Syndicate Inc.
What sub-type of article is it?
Biography
Curiosity
Deception Fraud
What themes does it cover?
Deception
Justice
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Piute Peacemaker
Whisky Offense
Graveyard Tomb
Legislative Hoax
Senate Bill
Carson City
What entities or persons were involved?
Johnson Sides
Where did it happen?
Carson City, Nevada
Story Details
Key Persons
Johnson Sides
Location
Carson City, Nevada
Event Date
January 31
Story Details
Johnson Sides, Piute peacemaker, gets lost in snowstorm, drinks whisky for first time, wanders into graveyard tomb in delirium, sobers up terrified. Legislature passes hoax bill declaring his drink null and void, signed by governor, presented to him; he announces to tribe White Father called off the big souse.