Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1900-02-02
NOTED PIONEER DEAD
"Liver-Eating Johnson" of Red Lodge
Passes Away at National Soldiers
Home in California.
MONTANA TRAILS
He Was Brave as Lion and Death i
Indians How He Got His
Unoouth Name.

over as LlVeT-ILaIluS JoAHSOH, NicO
at the National Soldiers home at
Santa Monica, CAL, on Sunday, Jan.
%, and thus came to an end the
earthly career Of q trail blazer and
intrepid pioneer whose heroic exploits
on the western plains are inseparably
connected with the early history of
the commonwealth of Montana. The
announcement of his death was last
Saturday received by The Picket in a
letter written to this office by Sar-
geant Whitehead. who penned this
brief note:
National Soldiers Home, Los An
geles county, Cal, Jan. ~, l9OO--Io
the Editor Red Lodge Picket Dear
Sir: Thinking some Of his friends
might be interested and like to know,
| write to inform you and them that
John Johnston, better known there
as "Liver-Eating johnson" died at
this home yesterday and was buried
here today.
This simple announcement will
produce pang Of pain in the hearts
of those of his companions Of early
days who are still in the land Of the
living and will be received with feel
ings OF genuine sorrow by his leglon
of old time friends throughout Mon
tana.
For the past twelve years Mr.. John
ston had made Red Lodge his home,
coming here from Billings and taking
up ranch, which he disposed. Of last
summer to G. W. Savage Of Hunters
Hot Springs. Before Billings had a
. place on the map, Mr.. Johnston WIS
deputy sheriff Of Custer county, with
headquarters at the town of Coulson,
and was on duty there in the early
eighties at the time his bosom com
panion, "Muggins" Taylor, himself
an officer of the law. was shot and
killed in the discharge of his duties
by Henry Lump, q drunken galoot
whose wife supported him by taking
in washing. Mr.. Johnston was the
first constable of Red Lodge and served
several terms in that capacity. Though
a powerful man physically, exposure
in camp and on the trail brought its
inevitable result, and his iron consti-
tuition finally gave way. Wrecked in
health and in purse, he was forced to
accept financial assistance from his
friends, and this worried him consid-
erably. Though disliking to leave
the scenes of his former exploits, with
the attendant associations, his aversion
to being made an object Of public char
ity overcame his prejudices against
becoming an inmate Of the home fol
disabled veterans and SO he reluct
, antly consented to enter the Cali
] fornia Soldiers home. Upon leaving
Red Lodge, less than two months
II ago, the old man broke down ane
wept like child as the train whirlee
d him away from his friends, and it il
fair to presume that his last Thoughts
as he lay dying in strange land
among strange people in that hom'
by the side of the sea, we're of thos
generous friends and exciting scene
of former days.
Liver-Eating johnson" was maj
2. among men. Brave and loyal ant
true, he never shirked a duty, neve
betrayed friend, never gave quartz
E to foe. Born in New Jersey three
: quarters Of a century ago, he came t
! Montana in 1862 and remained a fey
months in Alder gulch. Then b
went to Colorado and enlisted in tn
war for the preservation OF the uniol
He served under General Price {
Missouri and was in several fierce el
gagements. He was wounded IN tn
battle of Newtonia and discharge
from further service. A year latt
found him back in Montana and frol
that time until the capture OF Sittln
Bull he camped on the trails Of ho
ry tile Indians and saved the lives I
= hundreds of early-day settlers. +
served as chief of scouts under Gel
eral Miles in 1877 and participated
more raids against the redskins thu
any Indian fighter of the west. 1t
" related of him that he took mo
scalps in those eventful days thi
anyhody. IT was during one of the