Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1917-04-06

Ing. Iney began to shoot IL up Will
their Winchesters, and the Indians
swarmed out in a hurry, and as they
came out we shot them down right
and left as they tried to make their
getaway. An Indian vas running to
cover and Liver Eater" gave his
gun to Bill Martin and took his knife
and caught the Indian by the hair be-
fore he got to the brush throwing
him and scalping him, then said
johnson, AS / ran my KIN fe into him
a piece of the liver came out and l
held it up to a fellow and asked him
to have a piece. He refused, but he
told me all the boys that he seen me
eating an Indians liver. l didn't a
any; just rubbed it over my mouth
to make that man think I was eating
it. That's the way I got the name
Liver Eater".'
"'After the fight they counted SO
dead and several that were wounded
got away and died afterwards. Sew
months has passed when they
heard Hairy Bear the chief, was
disowned by his people on account of
that fight. Johnson and his men
scalped all the Indians, and with
scalps and skulls decorated the
stockade, so when the steamboats,
came up the river in the spring many
of the passengers were Mortified.
Liver Eater told me they had
no more trouble with the Siux after
that. Later they found out why the
Sioux did not put up a better scrap.
Their bowstrings were wet which
rendered their bows and arrows use
less, most of them being armed that
way. Their powder also got wet,
their guns being muzzle leaders. The
Indians named Liver Eater Johnson,
Black Bear and is was appropriate,
as he was a large man, six feet tall,
with short black hair all over his
face, and weighed at least 260
pounds. He was strong and quick
as the black bear for which the In
dams named him.
Saved Miles Command.
johnson was attached to Gen.
Miles command at Fort Keogh in
1877, Immediately after the Custer
massacre. Miles sen him and ten
men out to locate the Indians. John
son told me that he and his men
found the Indians in force behind a
hill. The scouts retreated to a hill
which afforded them some natural
protection, and the Indians made the
attack. The white men were well
armed and under cover, and while
the Indians made a vicious attempt
to dislodge them, e kept away by
the telling fire of the scouts. Dur
ing the course of the days fighting
more than 40 Indians were killed,
while Johnsn's men escaped without
a single casualty. When night came
the Indians retired, and the Scouts,
under owe of darkness managed to
General Miles camp
johnson advised Miles to with
draw his forces, and Miles took the
advice. He broke camp and marched
away with his little force. The next
day a strong detachment of Cheyenes
the big force that had been
stood off so successfully by the Liver
Eater and his men, and the Indians
prepared to give battle. But by the
time the Indians reached the place
where the soldiers had camped, Miles
and his men were far away. Men
who were familiar with the situation
always claimed that the Liver Eater
saved the life of General Miles and
his small force, by the gallant fight
they put up against the Indians, and
the timely advice they were able to
give Miles.
johnson lived for years in Red
In his old age, rheumatism
made of him a cripple. He was sent
the soldiers hame in California,
where shrtly after his arrival, he
died. He loved Montana and always
told his friends that he wanted to be
buried in the state.