The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-03-20
Fought in South America, Grew
Rich in Hawaii, Shot Big Game
World Over, Won Carnegie
Medal, and Now He's Back in
Russia.
BY PEGGY HULL
N. e. A. Staff Correspondent.
With the American Army in Siberia

~. e. n. STAR Correspondent.
With the American Army in Siberia
The outstanding figure of the A. e.
F.. in Siberia is Major Samuel |. John.
son, provost marshal in a Siberian vii.
lage.
Johnson isn't his real name. He
miles to the west Of Vlauivostok, near
the Don river. His father was Cos.
sack chief. Major Sam, as he is call
ed over here, was educated in a Rus.
sian military academy and joined the
Russian army. While Johnson was a
midshipman the training ship put
in at New York. Johnson quarreled
with his superior officer over brutal
ity to the men and finished the argu
ment by striking him. There was
nothing for Major Sam to do put
leave without permission.
Within a few days he shipped on
n merchantmen bound for South
America and landed in Argentine just
in time to get in the thick of a revolu
tion. He went into the Argentine
army as private and became a first
lieutenant shortly before he was
wounded. He received two decorsa.
tions. After the revolution Major Sam
went to Hawaii.
The monarchy was tumbling. Major
Sam Joined the American army. 1t
was here that the recruiting officer.
who could neither pronounce nor
Ill tt.f ~ II
Johnson.
Rises Rapidly in U. S. Service.
Major JOhnsOn's ability was so pro-
nounced that he arose to brigadier
general of the Hawaii rational COM
mjssioned by the president.
On the outbreak of war with Ger
many he resigned his commission as
a brigadier general to be a major in
the regular ARMY.
In Honolulu Major Johnson made
and lost a fortune. He was well on
his way to q second fortune when
he gave up his work to enter the over
seas forces. One forest fire cost him
q million dollars so he shifted his in.
terest to plantations.
He has shot big game in India, the
Straits Settlement and South Ameri-
ca. He holds all records for rifle and
revolver shooting and has 54 cam
paign medals.
I was walking one afternoon with
tho generals son, Major Sidney
Graves, when Major Johnson entered
the room.
"Hows' your eye today?' asked the
youthful Major Graves banteringly.
Johnson did not reply but there was
one movement of his hand and an in
stant later the cigaret which Major
Graves had been smoking was neatly
clipped off by bullet.
At AZ Major Johnson won the cham
pionship for long distance swimming
in Hawaii, covering 25 miles. He was
captain of the champion football team
at 43 and played a back position.
When nine men were stranded in
a bark off the coast of Honolulu in
typhoOn. Major Johnson took line.
slid down precipice which the life
guards said couldn't be scaled and
saved the seamen. He was given
Carnegie medal for this feat.
Major Johnson has a son who, at
IS, is exhibiting an inheritance Of bis
fathers adventuresome spirit. He
walked into his fathers office in De-
cember and nonchalantly announced.
Hello, Dad. I just thought Id come
over and spend Christmas with you
Influenza had closed the boys
school in San Francisco and he had
shipped as a steward on a transport
bound for Vladivostok. Major John
son wanted to send him back as a
passenger but he said he would take
the money instead.