The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-07-10
JOHNSON'S CRIME.
Full Details Of the Terrible Tragedy
Near Palouse City. Caused by
Religious Frenzy.
The Terrible Sight Which Met the
Eyes of the Man Who First
Entered tho House.
Letters Indicating the Maniac Went About
Hts Terrible Work In a Most Sys-
tematic Manner.

| PALousE CITY. W. T., July s.-l Special
10 the independent Fuller details Of the
awful tragedy at this place are TO the effect
that Sunday, as the family of Henry COch-
rane were going TO attend service in the
school house about three miles north Of the
city, they noticed the cattle OF r. ID. John
son in the corral They thought IL rather
strange, and at S O'Clock Monday morning,
when Mr.. COchrane saw the cattle still
penned mp, he determined to investigate.
Approaching the door he knocked twice,
but received no answer. He pounded
third time, and in response came the voice
of child, crying "Oh, mamma" Running
arou 10 the window be called the name
Of Mrs. johnson, but received no reply
but the piteOus crying of the child. He
forced open the door and entered.
Ascending the stairs a horrible sight met
his eyes. Lying &C the head OF
the stairs was the body of johnson. The
hair was matted with blood, which oozed
from q bullet wound In his forehead A
revolver was lying partly under the body.
On bed close by lay the body OF the boy,
Willie, his face blackened with powder
and covered with blood from two CHASTITY
wounds in the head. On a pallet at the
Aee~ u sAN b0A was tic lLtAE xiii AAlu
daubed with blood from a bullet wound.
Overcome by the terrible spectacle,
Cochrane rushed down stairs and out Of the
house to summon help. A messenger was
dispatched TO Palouse City 10 summon the
proper authorities, and the neighbOrs soon
reached the scene of the tragedy. On the
front door was pinned the following note:
Come in-open; we are up stairs. all dead-''
The neighb0rs entered and sscended the
stairs in search of Mrs. johnson. They
found her dead body in the bedroom Ed-
joining the one in which the others
were lying. It was found that a
bullet had entered the right side of the
forehead of the little girl and passed out
the right eye. When asked who hurt her
she said her brother stuck a stick into her
eye She also stated that her father gave
them all lemonade and that her mother
screamed. The little one was tendeTly
cared for and Drs. Magee and Williams
did all in their power TO relieve her suffer
fngs. Scattered about the house were
found the following notes, written in a
cramped hand and abounding in poor
spelling:
"CEDAB CREEK, July 6.-This deed may
seem strange 10 some that l do il for; this
world is two wicked TO live in; 1 don't
want to live any longer in it; / can't bear
70 leave my family in it. They will bee
with Jesus before you see this. IhOpe that
God will forgive me. / give my all 70 Him.
want to go 70 heaven This world is two
full OF sin 1 want A. p. Mcconnell 70 SET
tie up my business. What is left for him
to divide equal between himself, Ellen
Boon and WIN. Mcconnell. Good bye.
"RoLAND Johnson
every body forgive me. and if p. A.
Mcconnell can't no more settle my busI-
ness, want Evan Peddecord OF VIM. Nc
CIuTe 10 do It."
''l2 O'clock give stricnene. IL throad
Willie and Annie in such hts that they
wanted TO be shot. 1 have a dose for NY
self, but Will shoot 1 can't stand % see
them have fits any longer. This is all dun
through love for my family. / know they
will 20 TO heaven and not be of In sin as
here. 1 can't live any longer and can't
leave my family in so wicked a world.
May millions come 10 Gesus through this"
Later, 6s40-This is not through envy,
for love. 1 can't leave my family ia so
wicked world. They will all 20 TO Jesus
now; hope 10 go with them. L hope that
God will forgive me. have been a great
sinner. L give my life, my all for IL
hope we will all be in glory soon. Trouble
and sorrow are no more l want TO 90. j.
r."
From the above notes it appears johnson
had become insane on religion and deliber-
ately decided 10 Kill his family that on
Saturday evening he gave them strych-
Hine- but when II threw them into spasms
he shot them. His wife appears to have
died from the effects of the poison, though
there were some indications of stranguIa-
ton.
The maniac must have done his work cool
ly, for in the midst Of it he could notice the
time of night and sit down and write a let
ter. When his diabollcal work was com
pleted, and, as be supposed, his wife and
children had perished ct his hands. he
again wrote that he was about 10 end his
own life. johnson has lived In this section
for ten or twelve years, and was one Of the
wealthiest farmers in the Palouse country.
HIS neighbors have alwRys regarded him
as being eccentric OF late he had been
greatly excited about religion. On Satur-
day he was in town and bought a new
moving machine of JolsOn. At that time
he seemed perfectly rational
The prosecuting attorney and sher-
i'll, after viewing the remains and
considering the circumstances, decided
that IL was not necessary 70 hold an in
quest. There Is but little hope OF the girI's
recovery, and II she does she will be blind.
Mrs. johnson Is the sister OF Perry McCOn-
nell, and is spoken of in The highest terIns
By all who knew her. The boy Willie was
bright lad Of IA and great faYOrite with
his plsymates. The little girl, Annie. rs
only years old. The tragedy is one Of
the most horrible on record and has great
ly shocked the entire community.
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