 The book was suppressed for many years by the WSGA, who seized and destroyed all but a few of the first edition copies from the 1894 printing; they were rumored to have hijacked and destroyed the second printing as it was being shipped from a printer north of Denver, Colorado.The book was reprinted several times in the 20th century and most recently in 2015.Frances McElrath's 1902 novel "The Rustler", took inspiration from the Johnson County War, and was sympathetic to the perspective of the small ranchers.