Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-06-06
the MURDER Of ,ssepa Johnson.
Our Fort Bennett C~ofrespsndent Gives
Ia Particulars OF the Horrible
~
-FOUR Special CORRESPONDENT

0ESACVkoEU vnO nVG1lWAO
Tragedy.
-FOUR Special Correspondent
Fort Bennett, d. T., June lat. 1879
!. For nearly two years past J. c. Robb ha'
had in his employ ayoung man BY the
name Of Joseph johnson, formerly from
Mount Vermont ileast his mother and
sister resided there until quite recently.
. His father was an officer in the rebellion
. and was killed. Two other hrothers had
come out. on the Missouri river, and a year
, ago last fall Joseph and one Of the other
brothers concluded to hunt up and locate >
stock ranch. They struck across the coun-
try. to the Jim river distant about $50
miles from this point, and located some 60
miles above the dirt lodges. The older
brother remained, Joseph returning to this
place and on his return his younger brother,
a young man about % years of age, went
back to the ranch to remain with the older
brother. 1t seems that the three had agreed
to share alike in this venture the two broth
ers at the ranch investing their little means
in a few head of cattle, improving the same
and caring for the stock, while Joseph re.
manned here working for Mr.. Robb, earning
and furnishing the money necessary to buy
the food and other articles and implements
required in and about the ranch. Every
thing seemed to progress finely and on the
lat Of May Joseph quit the employ Of Mr..
Robb having previously written his mother
and sister to join him with the other BROTH
ers in their new home, he, promising to
meet them there about the middle of the
month. Joseph qui, MI. Robb on the LIST
Of May and in settlement received about
$500. Outside of this he was known to
have about $3.50, making $3.50 in cash.
Business detained him here on the river
longer than he anticipated and he did not
get away from Fl. Sully till the morning Of
the 18th of May, taking the trail used, and
probably made by them in going to and
from the river. This was the last seen Of
Joseph johnson alive. Last Friday night
the older brother from the ranch arrived
at Fl. Sully 'enquiring after Joseph, the
time having passed that he had set for his
coming and his failure to appear had caused
the older brother to cross the country in
search Of him. Upon being informed that
his brother had left Fl. Suily on the 14th
he Immediately retraced his steps yesterday
morning in company with a party named
Blackwell, who had accompanied him across
from his home, and about 25 miles out from
the Fort they found Joseph's body, stripped
naked with a bullet hole through his head.
He was shot in the back, the ball striking
near the base of the brain aud coming out
At or near the upper portion Of the fore
head. A Winchester cartridge shell, "A
calibre, was found near the body. His horse,
pack, gun, clothing, watch, and even finger
ring were gone. After the finding of the
body, Mr.. Blackwell profered to remain
with the corpse while the brother returned
to the Fort for assistance to bring in the
body. Immediately on his return with the
terrible news, Major Bartlett, commanding
the post, placed two teams and eight men at
his disposal to bring in tie remains, and at
IL o'clock last night the party arrived and
camped at the place of murder. They
reached the Fort with the corpse at II a. m.
to-day and it was buried at 3 o'clock p. III.
by the I. @. o. F.. johnson being a member
of the order.
To say that q, thrill of horror ran through
the community here and at sully, when the
news first reached us, would but partly e1-
press the feeling. A young man in the
prime Of life, we'll, and indeed favorably
known, almost, or quite without a known
enemy, waylaid, shot down and robbed, his
body stripped Of every vestige of clothing
lying on the prairie exposed to the sun and
+ storm for Is days!
When young johnson left Sully he rode
a sorrel Texan pony, white spot in forehead
newly shod forward. He wore studs, cuff
: buttons and breastpin mathematical of tn,
, order to which he belonged, and was arme'
. with a needle gun, Of the pattern in use i,
e the U. s. army. May the perpetrator q
this terrible deed be speedily brought t
justice is the prayer of all hereabouts, an,
8 especially Of RENO.
peRsnnht