Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-07-13

family Of Henry Cochrane Was going to at
tend service in the school house about
three miles north Of the city. they noticed
the cattle OF 3. r. johnson in the corral.
They thought it rather strange. and at
|s O'Clock Monday morning, when Mr..
Cochrane saw the cattle still penned up,
be determined to investigate. Approach
the door he knocked twice. but received no
answer. He pounded third time, and in
response came the voice oil o child, crying
|aOh, mamma" Running around to the
window he called the name OF Mrs. John
son, but received no reply but the piteous
crying Of the child.
He forced open the door and entered. As
cepdiHg the stairs a horrible sight met his
ewes. Lying at the head OF the stairs was
the body Of johnson. Tbs hair was matted
with blood, which oosed frem q bullet
wound in his forehead. A revolver was ~
ing partly under the body. On Q bed close
by lay the body OF the boy, Willie, his lace
blackened with powder and covered with
blood from two CHASTITY wounds in the
head. On q pallet at the foot OF the bed
was the little girl, her lace daubed with
blood from q bullet wound.
Overcome by the terrible spectacle.
Goehrsno rushed down stairs and out OF
the house to summon help. A messenger
was dispatched to Palouse City to sum.
mon the proper authorities, and the neigh.
bors soon reached the scene OF tue tragedy.
On the front door was pinned the following
note: Come in-open; we are up stairs;
all dead" The neighbors entered and as
cended the stairs in search OF Mrs. john
son. They
FOUND HEB DEAD BODY
in the bedroom adjoining the one in which
the others were lying. It al 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 q stick into her
eye. She also stated that her father gave
them all lemonade, and that her mother
screamed. The little one was tenderly
cared for, and Drs. Magee and Williams
did all in their power to relieve her uffer-
ings.
Scattered about the house were found
the following notes, written in q cramped
hand and Astounding in poor spelling:
"CEDAR CREEK, July 6.-This deed may
seem strange to some that I do it for this
woi Id 10 too wicked to live in; I don't want
to live any longer in it; I can't bear to
leave my family in it. They win bee with
Jesus before you see this. hope that God
will forgive me-. give my all to Him. 1
want to 60 to heaven. This world is two
full OF Elm. / want A. P. Mcconnell to settle
up my business. What is left for him to
divide equal between himself, Ellen Boon
and VIM. Mcconnell. Good bye.
ROLAND JOHNSON"
fTvoruhrdv fnroiuo uno opI 10 ID A No
Cornell can't ne more settle my business,
/ want Evan Peddecord or Nm. Mcclure
to do it,"
'12 o'clock give stricnene. It thread
Willie and Annie in such fits that they
wanted to be shot. I have q dose for my.
sell, but will shoot. can't stand to see
them have fits any longer. This is all dun
through love for my family. / know they
will 60 to heaven and not be off in sin as
here. I can't live any longer and can't
leave my family in so wicked world. May
millions come to Gesus through this"
Later, 6:40-This is not through envy,
for love. I can't leave my family in SO
wicked q world. They will all 60 to Jesus
now; I hope to 60 with them. I hope that
God will forgive me. l have been a great
sinner. / give my life, nv all for it. / hope
We will all be in glory Trouble and
6OIxOW 0AO III uuOAOs L WduU W kOs ~ o us
INSANE ON RELIGION.
From the above notes it appears John
son had become insane ON religion and de.
liberately decided to kill bis family; that
on Saturday evening he gave them strych-
nine. but when it threw them into spasns
he shot them. His wife appears to have
died from the effects of the poison, though
there were some indications OF s~trangula-
ton.
The maniac must have done his work
coolly, for in the midst of it hecould notice
the time OF night and sit down and write a
letter. When his diabolicalwOrk was com.
pleted. and, as he supposed, his wife and
children had persisted at his hands, he again
wrote that be was about to end his own
life. johnson has lived in this section for
ten or twelve years, and was n of the
wealthiest farmers in the Palouse country.
His neighbours have always regarded him as
being eccentric. OF late he had been greatly
excited about religion. On Saturday he
was in town and bought a new moving ma.
chine Of Jolson. At that time he seemed
rational.
The prosecuting attorney and sheriff,
after viewing the remains and considering
the circumstances, decided that it was not
necessary to hold an inquest. There is
but little hope of the girls recovery, and if
she does she will be blind. Mrs. johnson is
the sister of Perry Mcconnell, and is
of in the highest terms by all who
knew her. The boy Willie was q bright
OF IA, and q great favorite with his
The little girl, Annie, is only z
years old The tragedy is n OF the most
horrible on record, and has greatly shocked
ontiro pomunuuifv -"-~ 1