The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-01-25
THE SCOUTS LIFE.
Gen. Sturgis Talks About the Late Liver
Eating" Johnson.

The announcement Of the death OF
"Liver-eating'' johnson on the Yellow
stone, caused the st. Louis Globe boy
to interview Gen. Sturgis, whose guide
he was during the pursuit Of Joseph.
He said:
81 met him when we were at the
mouth of the Saltwater, and there en-
gagged him as a scout on account OF
his knowledge of the country which we
were to go over last summer"
What do you know of his Indian
fighting, General ?"
PERSONALLY, know nothing; though,
from all l heard, he had killed quite d
number of Indians, by whom he was
greatly feared"
THAT'S a rather peculiar nom d,
guerrs he travels under, General"
well yes" laughing "that's the
name he was known by, though, uni
Notwithstanding Johnson'-and
1 have no doubt earned it honestly. He
was as you may readily suppose,
quite a character. l never heard the
full particulars of his ~livcr-eatiDg ex-
plot; but 1 have the best reason in the
world for believing its truth-he told
the story himself"
"He possessed the accomplishment of
truth, then, among others ?'
HE was q perfectly truthful man.
In all my dealings with him | never
knew him to deviate a line from the
truth. He never professed knowledge
which he did not possess. When il
became necessary for us to go into Il
part Of the country with which he was
unacquainted, he at once acknowledged
his ignorance; and when he was lead
ing us through territory which he pro-
fessed to know, everything he indicated
concerning localities which We were to
enter-where there was water, where
there was none, where a hill would he
found, where n short cut could be made
turned out exactly rs he had stated"
"What sort Of II looking man WAS he,
General ?'
Looked like II quiet going farmer.
He was a man of lifty-one years OF age,
stoutly and powerfully built, with a
sober, resolute face, dark hair and eyes,
and heavy black beard"
'Quite picturesque, then 7"
mo, he wasn't at all picturesque.
He might have been if he chose, but
these guides, as a rule, make no attempt
at personal ~adornment, and Johnson in
particular, was utterly regardless of his
clothes. He was very carelessly dressed
at all times; consequently it was i'm
possible to guess ut his merits from his
personal appearance. Well, well, I'm
sorry he's dead, but docking at the
slip AGAIN. it doesn't say how he came
to be killed. Have you heard any fur
ther particulars ?"
Nothing further than what you see
there. Maybe he has been killed in Il
fight probably"
II hardly think so. We y few peo-
pie in the country would care to engage
him, and lie never sought trouble. On
the.other hand, he always avoided per-
sonal encounters, though when he was
forced into one he could take care of
himself admirably. No, | do not think
he has fallen in a fight. l see 10y the
report that the impression may arise
that he killed Indians while he was with
me. He was not present at the fight"
"How did that happen, General 2"
The day before Icaught the Indians
l sent him of from the mouth of Rocky
creek, on Clark's Fork of the Yellow
stone, toward Crow agency, to inter-
cept the supply trains and lring them
up"
II suppose there were occasions when
he was invaluable TO you p"
Yes, indeed, and never more so
than when l crossed the river in order
to go to Miles relief, fearing that Sit
ting Bull might come to the rescue of
the captured Indians. heard that lie
had intercepted the Nez Perces, so |
crossed the river with the whole COM
mand to the scene of the fight. John
son was my guide on that occasion.
Everything depended upon him-mo one
else in the command knew any hing
about the country we had to traverse
and he led us straight to II destina-
ton"
What sort of a man WAS lie So
cially p"
"These men are pretty much alike.
They live from hand to mouth; make n
little money and spend it as soon as
made; live principally by the
chase and seem to have no care for the
Married or single P"
"Oh. I've no doubt he was. or had
been married. The marriage relation
is not very seriously regarded in that
country. Such men marry squaws
generally according to the Indian Gus