Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-12

eral Miles. When not with the army he
was hunting buffalo, bears and big game:
now prospecting; then spending q winter
wO1frs; again at his war with Indians;
smuggling whisky across the line. or cut
ting cord wood on the Missouri for the
steamboats,. N@}H
CROWS CALLED HIM BLACK BEAR.
His personal appearance was startling
and striking from the fact of a shaggy
growth of jet black whiskers and an
enormous head of long hair, which hung
over his forehead and dow his back in
unkempt profusion. He seldom wore a
hat, or if he started away on an expedi-
ton with one he always returned bare
headed. So shaggy and hairy was he
that the Crows, with whom he was al
ways On friendly terms, and with whom
he lived 8. great deal of the time, called
him Black Bear, a most appropriate
soubriquet.
Johnson was known and feared by the
Indians Of the northwest, particularly
the Sioux and Rlackfeet, while the Crows
were his friends and allies. He never got
the worst of any encounter and the Su-
perstitious fear of him was enhanced by
the tremendous carrying power Of his big
buffalo gun, in which he used 100 grains
Of powder to piopel a bullet which looked
1sAAS q q lltA "a hlAtNA
an Indian the redskin locked as if he had
been couuetting with q buzz-saw.
"Liver Eating johnson received his
peculiar nom de guerre in an
with the Sioux upon the Musselshell near
it's junction with the Missouri, in 1870.
There were two parties of white men,
Is in all, armed with breech-lOading
rifles, which had just been introduced.
camped there cutting bull pine and cot
tonwood for the steamboats,. At that
time the bloodthirsty Sioux, under the
craftsmanship of Sitting Bull, were undis-
puted masters of the vast, trackless
plains which stretched far beyond the
horizon on both sides of the Missouri,
and they declared that no white dogs
would be allowed to trespass.
One morning a squaw, gathering wood
for the breakfast fire, discovered that the
Sioux had surrounded the camp. The
strain was too much, even for her stoical
nature. She gave a scream, and was shot
for her pains, but lived for years after
ward. Being discovered, the Indians
withdrew to the bluffs, where a council
of war was held.
TAUGHT THE INDIANS A LESSON.
In the meantime Liver Eating johnson,
who, with seven other men were en-
calnped on the other side of the river,
had heard the hot and hurried across
JuSt III iIllC ~ SCC I4lc lutduS cav C11C
timber for the plains. The white men
then held a council of war, the result
being that johnson and a majority of the
party thought the present an elegant
opportunity to teach the Sioux a lesson
altogether too good to be neglected.
Soon the Indians made a move for at
tack. A few of them galloped away to-
ward the distant hills, but his did not
deceive Johnson, for he at once learned
that the larger part of the Sioux had
made a detour and returned to a deep
coulee which opened into the Musselshell
bottom.
johnson then developed his plan of
campaign. Three men with Winchesters
were sent across the river to tax up a
protected position which commanded the
coulee, while Johnson divided the rest
up SC that no avenue OF escape from the
couiee was left open. After the men
were all placed the music began and it
was YER lively. It was a complete sur
prise to the Sioux, who were picked off
like rats in a trap by the men across the
river, and when a redsSin would stick
his warlock above the bank Of the coulee
he at once became good and virtuous.
The men across the river did not waste
a shot. An Indian fell at every shot, and
when after awhile they found that escape
was hopeless, that they were simply be-
ing slaughtered. they began to dig holes
in the bank as protection against the
murderolls fire. Blu it awaited them but
little. Thu men on the river bank would
change positions a little and find them
out.
Seeing the hopelessness of the struggle.
the Indians demanded a. powwow. john
son answered them. They told him that
they had got all the fighting they had
any tomac for; tt ait they wanted to
quit and cali the affair a draw. But john
son would make no terms. The Sioux
must be treated to a dose of their own
medicine.
IF you want to co. he said, 'you know
the road, n there is nothing to hinder
You from hitting it."
NO QUARTER FOR THEM.
rs he said this. an Indian who had
crept and crawled beyond the lines
up and made dash for life. Ar
instant later he sprang into THE air and
fell with a bullet through him. There
was no more powwowing after that, and
the Indians understood that their own
cruelty was being melted out
them in hi order of mo quarter"
Finally, in desperation, the Indians de-
cided to make a dash for liberty. Deadly
shots We're coming from all directions.
Their ranks We're terribly thinned, until
when in close range and not 100 feet from
the hollow, they ran into such a merci-
hail of lead that they were moved
down like grass. One volley and the fight !
was over, and 60 Sioux were stretched |
on the plains.
But the affair was not yet completed.
Quite a number of the wounded had
off to hide in the bottoms. It
was decided to let not a single one es-
sape. Several were found. Some begged