The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1919-09-25
BODY OF LOCAL
boy TAKEN BY
HUNSAF They
HAD KILLED HIM
Buddy of Sergt. Elmer Johnson
Tells Thrilling Story of Death
and Disappearance.

MS life on the battlefields of France
IN the defense of righteousness. so
, mat men might have liberty and have
more aDundantly. He was the son
OF Mrs Il. c. Cowles of Fowler avenue
an the Four Mile district, who gave
hve sons to the army that freedom
might not perish from the earth. Four
or these sons returned to their homes
when the fighting was over and their
country no longer needed their serv-
ices TO defend its honor. The other
one sleeps somewhere among the
lilies of France, having given the last
full measure of devotion to humanity
and to the flag he loved so well.
Sergt. johnson was a brother of r.
b. johnson. manager of the Pepper
Creamery Company's business here,
prominent in all of the enterprises and
activities that have for their object
the industrial and moral weIf-re of
Canon City and the community that
surrounds IT,
The details of the death of Sergt.
Johnson have not hitherto been Oh
tainable. despite the efforts of his rel.
| atfves and friends here to secure :hem.
They were at first informed by the au-
thorities in Washington that he had
been killed in action, but were rur-
nished with no particulars of his
death. Although inquiries were made
! of his regimentaI and division COM
manders as to his fate, nothing could
( be learned concerning him beyond the
fact that ne had been detailed with q
number of his comrades in arms to un-
dertake a hazardous military duty and
that he had. not returned to report his
safety. In view Of the lack of def
mite information concerning his disap-
pearance, Sergt. Johnson was classi-
| fed by the War Department as miss
! ing
Knowing that Sergt. johnson car
ried one of the governments war
risk policies on his life his kindred
here took up the matter of securing
from the government the payment TO
his beneficiary its liability in the case.
The War Department was unwilling to
do anything in the premises for the
reason that 1t had no proof on file that
Sergt. Johnson had been killed in bat
tie. Its records showed that he had
been reported as missing" but be
=
soldier associates of Sergt. johnson
official records.
Judge /. w. Ibbotson of this city
was employed as attorney in the case.
but he was for a long time baffled by
the mysteries of Sergt Johnson's dis
appearance. The War Department. as
has already been stated. could throw
no light on the problem. Appeal was
then made by Judge Tbttoson to the
information bureau of the American
Red Cross at Washington and through
an investigation 1t inaugurated 1t was
learned that Sergt. Johnson had I'M
doubtedly been killed by the enemy
upon the field of battle. The Red
Cross furnished Judge Ibbotson with
the names and addresses of several of
Sergt. Johnson's army comrades. and
They were written to and answers re-
ceived from all of them. Each was
confident that Sergt johnson had
been killed while in the discharge of
military duty. and gave reason for
the faith that was in him. One of
these letters, written by Corp. Earl
Collngwood, now conyalescing at the
United States hospital No. 81. at Car
isle, Pa. from wounds received on
the battle front In France, Is unusually
interesting. and throws flood of
light on the situation. expressing as 1t
does the conviction that Sergt. John
son was XII led. In his letter. which
, bears date of September 5, Corp. Col
iinwood says
81 am in receipt of your inquiry con-
, corning the death of Sergt johnson.
was a non-commissioned officer in III g
: same scout platoon with the snid
v Sergt. Elmer Johnson for about two
/. months before his death, and was
wounded in the same fight In which
/. Johnson lost his life, which took place
J. Sunday evening, August Is. 1918.
/. "Sergt. Johnson and myself, with
" IL other men. we're sent out to de
stroy some camohage. Sergt. John
son. In charge of three OF the men In
our party, was ordered to advance to
the camofiage and set 1t on fire with
liquid hand grenades. | was In com
l mand Of the other eight men, and was
instructed to go with Sergt. johnson
o till within about 100 yards of the cam
d ofiage. Sergt. Johnson was leading
e the way through No Mans Land witt
e the men all following in single file
II myself being the sixth man in the
o line.
70 I'VE were moving along slowly
n feeling our way In the darkness, ant
when within about 100 yards of oul
n objective the Germans opened fire or
e US with machine guns rifieB and haut