“Madam X” or “Miss So and So,” as she is known in most quarters in this state, has been in Durham. She was here a portion of last week and her work was effective, culminating on Saturday night by a gun battle between cocaine dispensers and two plain clothes men of the Durham police force. She had done her work well.
“Madam X” is credited with having the backing of the Ku Klux Klan of the state. The Carolina Jeffersonian is not in position at this time to affirm or deny this statement, other than to say that it is known by every one that she certainly has the moral support of every Klansman in North Carolina.
“Madam X” is pretty, attractive and every bone and muscle is a batch of nerve. She has experience and tact, and she can assume any role necessary and has proven her ability to find bootleggers and dope dispensers without much trouble. She finds them and secures evidence in her own individual way. Many times she is alone, usually shadowed by a plainclothesman, or other officer.
Over in Kinston last week “Madam X” brought 32 defendants to grief, some of whom will face the state courts and others the federal tribunal. She has proven her ability in other towns and cities. Then Miss So and So, or Madam X, came to Durham and began work. After securing evidence on a number of folks, she was at work again on Saturday. As stated above her work culminated on the same night with a tussle with an offender and members of the police force.
Henry Johnson, negro narcotic dealer of Charlotte, Greensboro and Durham, submitted to arrest with a bullet wound in his leg. In addition to a charge of violating the anti-narcotic law he is held on two charges of assault and battery.
Federal narcotic agents S.F. Huffine and E.L. Wilcox came to Durham Saturday afternoon upon advices that Johnson was here to deliver drugs. The detective arranged for a purchase on Roxboro street near the Masonic temple. The federal agents with local police detectives laid in wait near the place designated for the sale, and swooped down on the negro from four sides.
Federal Agent Huffine laid hands on him first, and informed him he was at last in the hands of the law. The negro demanded identification of the officer, but before the badge was produced a right jab to the law had laid out the officer. At that instant Police Detective King approached the narcotic dealer but was laid out by a wallop over the heart. His trousers were torn 10 inches by the impact with the grown, and he laid unconscious several moments.
Police Detective Brown made a dash at the desperado but went out by the same route. However, he was not knocked unconscious.
After grounding the third officer Johnson started running towards the union station firing back. Policemen hurried to the scene from Main street and police headquarters upon hearing the shots. The fugitive was shot in the leg just below the hip in his flight. It is not known who fired the shot that brought him to bay.
Policeman Anderson took the negro in custody on the courthouse square where he had fallen from the bullet wound. But he was of the opinion, from shouts of other officers approaching, that the negro had been shot by another who was fleeting from officers. Instead of holding him fast, Policeman Anderson aided him in his walk towards the police headquarters. Johnson broke loose from his assistant and ran 25 yards before being taken again by Anderson.
Thereafter he resisted no more. Officers said Johnson threw packages from his pockets as he fled alongside the railway tracks, and with them his pistol. Although no cartocis were found in his possession when searched, federal agents have sufficient evidence form past dealings to bring the charge of violating the anti-narcotic law. Three hundred and ten dollars was taken from him at the police station.
He is held without bail pending investigation.
Federal agents said he had connections with a wholesale drug house in New York city, and was supplying a host of addicts at Charlotte, Greensboro, Durham and other cities in this section.
From the front page of The Carolina Jeffersonian, Durham, N.C., Aug. 4, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073001/1925-08-04/ed-1/seq-1/
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