, 1879-06-07
EARLY SPRING MURDERS:
Hugh johnson and Peter D0rson Killed
by Indians on the South Fork OF Salmon
Rirer.
from the Lewiston Teller.1

on INDIANS on the South Fork OF SALMON
Rirer.
From the Lewiston Tellerl
Five DAYS ago the report came to this
city that Hugh johnson and Peter Daw-
son had been missing for about three
weeks and it was feared tha. they had
been murdered by the Indians. The
former had ranch on the east side of
the South Fork of Salmon river about
I3 miles southeast from Warrens, and the
latter had been stopping temporarily at
the ranch of A. d. .Smead on the west
side of the river and about three miles
below. The following letter received by
Grostein & Binnard from Warrens ex-
plains the matter:
WASHINGTON, L T., May 23 1879.
MEssas. GRosTEIS & BINNARD. Dear Sirs
Your letter arrived here on the 2lst-
The weather still continues stormy.
do not expect that trains can get here
earlier than the 5th OF 10 of June.
There is great probability of the soldiers
coming in here Immediately. About 13
miles from here on the South Fork, lived
Hugh johnson, where he was engaged III
ranching. You must know him well, his
subriquet was "Bob-Tail johnson" Mr..
Peter Dawson on the Goth of April, left
Pony Smeads CA. d. Smead) ranch on a
visit to Johnson As he did not return
immediately it was supposed that he was
assisting johnson in constructing ditch
for irrigating purposes at a point about
II miles from the house up the mountain
and out of sight from the travelled route.
Mr.. Jenkins called at the ranch few
days after, and SO did Mr. Geo Dickinson
who was out there hunting and fishing.
d NJ Storms also came past from his
claim above, and called on his way to
town. In each case they found Johnson's S
door fastened on the inside, but observed
nothing peculiar except III the case OF
jenkins who reported having seen moe
casin tracks in the plowed ground But
he was simply smiled at and looked upon
as simply imaginative. Finally neither
johnson nor Dawson making their ap-
pearance for almost a month Bill Kelly,
jenkins and Smead went up to mvesti-
gate the matter and they found Johnscn's
house gutted, his work horses, two pack
rigs, and a riding saddle gone The moe
casin tracks still plain in the plowed
ground They also found sheet Of pa
per tied with buckskin string to a will
loE bush and marked with Indian marks
in black, red, and blue ink They found
no bodies but came back to town and re-
ported Upon this information "a party
consisting of Geo Reibold, p. Beamer,
E. Brooks, C.. Stark, A. d. Smead, j.
jenkins and c. johnson went up to search
for the bodies. After short search they
discovered the bodies about 80 yards from
the house. They recognized them by
their clothes and their hair. They were
in the last stage of decomposition, moth
ing left but clothing, bones and mass
of scctilins worms. The party dug holes
near the bodies Ess i: was not possible to
rcmcvc them any furthcr) and carefully
inferred the la remains Of their old
friends so wantcnly and 50 inhunanly
murdered bv the red yarmintS OF Salmon
river. This massacre las cast gloom
over this entire community, The next
news may still b. worse. }. L. Rams,
wife, sister in-law, .irl of Is summers,
two children and sick man are on a
ranch 10 miles from here. Smead and
his family, if alive, are expected here
tomorrow f. Smith wife and three
children and John Devine are at Smith S
ranch 10 miles from here So is also
John Skinner and John Sinclair. have
written to them and they viii probably
come In, as their trail is oper. The trail
to Rams place is still blocked with deep
SHOWS. l am a law abiding man and have
a just conception of my duty to my neigh
bors, and feel inclined to be charitable to
my fellow man and even merc.ful to my
enemies. But sir, when | see two old
men ruthlessly murdered without any
provoeation whatever, dragged around
and very likely tortured while living, 1
lock up the milk Of human kindness in
the strong box of the past, and let my
heart thirst for revenge | believe in
tracking these tiends with blood hounds
and utterly extcrlninating them from the
earth as We do the wolf and other var
mints. | hope General Howard NIL
send troops enough to cooperate with
the citizens. A few troops can give pro-
lection, but it will require large force
starting in from different points to sur
round and apprehend them.
J. .. ". FoRD.