The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-02
CAPT. w. A. JOHNSON
DIES BY OWN HAND
Continued From Page Ono.

Continued From Page Ono.
of Kent o. Keyes during the moor
hour, where he met Mrs KEYS and made
inquiries for her husband. AT that time
he appeared to be worrying about bust
ness troubles. Leaving the Office, nc
met Mr. Keyes and spoke for Few
minutes about the difficulty nc had cN
pericnccd in collecting money due tc
him from a number of people,
He then went TO the Elks ciuo
where he spent the greater part of the
afternoon with number Of friends
There was nothing peculiar about ms
actions, with the possible exception
that he seemed to he worried about
financial matters, He spent most OF
The time at the club, sitting in the read
ing room and gazing out at the per,
sons passing on the opposite side OF
The street. His friends say that he APP
pearcd to he in a mood of abstraction
of the time.
Goes to Knutsford.
At 3 clock Captain Johnson told one
of his frieuds that he was going to the
knutsford hotel 10 see "TeX - Rick
ard. the Nevada mining man. The let
Ter hc haa written TO his wife was on
the stationery of the Knutsford hotel
and WAS evidently written al that place
At 4;30 o clock he went to the W. H.
DAYTON drug store, opposite the Belmont
hofel. and asked for ten cents worth
of cvanide of potassium. Mr. Dayton
wanted to know what the poison was
10 be used for, and Johnson laughlngly
said that he was an agsayGr and wished
10 make few tests. According TO MT.
Dnyton, he seemed 10 he i'll perfectly
normal condition and jokcd about the
use of the poison while signing ms
name 10 the register He did, however
,f Of a.
field, instead of his own.
This was the Inst seen of the un-
fortunate man by any of hiS friends
until the discovery Of his body by the
clerk of the hotel Johnson bad done
everything in very deliberate manner,
and from the evidence of the room, was
calm IN all his actions before drink
ing The poison. Removing ms sloth,
ing, he prepared as If to spend the
night in sleep. His clothing was folded
and placed on one of the chairs, and
everything was left in an orderly man.
ucr After drinking the poison he had
assumed a natural position in the bed
and when found. except for the deathly
palIor, seemed to be sleeping peace
fully
As soon as Captain Johnson failed 10
appear at the Cullen hotel Tuesday
night AT his usual time, his wife be-
ramc alarmed and told number of her
friends She was advised not TO worry
ind search was begun for the missing
man. AT an early hour Wednesday
morning the police were notified that
Johnson had disappeared and were CIV
en- his description. 1t was known that
he had started to drink on Tuesday. af-
.cr having left the knutsford, which
was the first drink hc had taken since
his marriage on January 4 and IL was
feared TINT he had met with foul play.
All of the better class saloons were
searched but without avail.
News Broken to Wife.
As soon as the body was discovered
Mrs. Keyes broke the news to the young
wife, who bore up bravely under the
shock. Everything possible was done. to
tighten the blow by Mrs. keyes with
ing the day before making dresses fol-
dolls
Those intimate with the affairs of Cap
tain johnson, tell pathetic story OF
the reason for his rash act. At one
time as stated he was one Of the most
prominent mining experts in the world
and was an associate Of John Hayes
Hammond. For number Of years he
was manager for the Guggenhcins. He
accumulated several fortunes, which
were dissipated by numerous mining
sperulatons. After seyering his con
noction with the Guggenhcim interests
il is said that he was associated with
Cecil Rhodes In South Africa where he
later distinguished himself IN the Boel
war and was recommended for promo
ton by General Kitchner.
After leaving South Africa, Captain
Johnson came west and engaged in min
ing on a large scale. In the develop
ment of nineteen claims in the Masor
mining district near Yerington, New.
Captain Johnson sunk a large fortune
and his failure to promote these claim:
was partly responsible for his self de
struction. it is said. While residing
at Yerington, he married Miss Maud,
Warren, 81 years of age, who was /;
school teacher at that place. The wed
ding took place on January 4, aftel
which he and his young wife came II
Salt Lake City to live, registering a
the Cullen hotel.
Captain johnson was n member of th,
Commercial club and of the Elks lodg'
of this city. The funeral arrangement
will be under the auspices Of the Elk
lodge, with the interment in the Mt
Olivet cemetery on Friday.
Captain Johnson is survived by hi
wife. three sisters, Pauline, Florenc,
and Amelia johnson, who live at 5lt
East Eighteenth avenue, Denver. Colo
brother. Shib Johnson, and his mother
who reside at Excelsior Springs, No