Re: RARA-AVIS: Johnson-brothers?
joseph (joseph@sos.net)
Wed, 21 Jan 1998 00:17:53 -0800
>In a message dated 1/20/98 12:43:45 PM Pacific Standard
Time, j-kraus@nwu.edu
>writes:
>
>> When the Op is questioning Captain Noonan about the
men killed in the
>> shootout between Reno Starkey and Lew Yard's men,
Noonan tells him, "[It
>> was] A pair of Johnson-brothers named Blackie
Whalen and Put Collings that
>> only got out on bail around five yesterday, and
Dutch Jake Wahl, a
>> guerilla." (It's p. 96 in the collected
novels.)
>>
>> Does anyone have any idea what "Johnson-brothers"
means in this context?
>> If so, any idea about the derivation of
it?
>Since their names aren't Johnson and they don't appear
to be brothers, my
>guess is that he's referring to the pair as "johnsons",
i.e. "pricks". Just
>a guess.
>Dennis
According to my New Dictionary of American Slang: the second
entry for
Johnson is (noun) underworld, A hobo; drifter = bum.
Just joined this list. Glad to be here.
Joseph
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