As best as can be determined, this occurred in an Abilene, Kansas hotel.

It seems Hardin came to his room late one night, probably in a tipsey state. Several attempts to sleep were thwarted by the loud and constant snoring of a man in an adjoining room.

Banging on the thin wall separating the rooms did no good. Pulling his pistol, Johnny fired a shot into the wall, thinking it would awaken the snorer and get his attention, but the bullet struck and killed him.