The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1921-12-02
JOHNSON fR0zf: TO
DEATH; BODY FOUND

John johnson frcze to death Saturday
night. November 18th, q quarter OF =
miles west OF his place and about six
miles southeast of Broadus. A party
or six men took UP the search Wed.
nesday, November 23, but without sue.
cess and on Thursday morning of
Thanksgiving day. &c men renewed
the search. The body was found about
1915 O'clock by Fred Kramlich. on
land owned by Carl Russell.
johnson had been to Broadus Sat.
urday forenoon, and upon return nj.
to his home had Embarrassed his
horses and placed the min a PASTURE
tie lett grocery packages in the wagon.
Ihe temperature was Is or more de.
sfees below zero and a light snow
was falling with mild wind from
the northwest. Wearing oyershoes and
only light top overccat as extra
clothing he started to walk to the G..
w. Waite ranch. four miles away.
where he had promised to play his
violin for n dance there A short dis.
tance from his hcme he snagged his
trousers while crawling through a.
oarbed Wire fence and a piece Of the
garment clinging to the wire found la.
ter by Carl Russell aroused his sus-
p1clons and with other circumstances
caused him to spread the alarm.
1T - assumed that Johnson became
lost IN View CT the intense darkness
and not being thoroushly familiar
with the surface of the country. wan.
dered around for several hous until
he found his bearings close to hia
nome but by that time he was tcO
nearly exhausted. He had fallen to his
Knees facing the wind. and then ton.
pied forward ON his head With his
le1t mana wearing mitten he was
clntchlng his coat collar as protection
for his ear and his naked left hand
was in front Of his face. In his pockets
were found $37a2 in money, a knife.
some matches and fiddle strings. Snow
had driSted over his head. legs and
feet though his back was still visible.
Although in that position for five days
and nights, coyotes had not disturbed
the remains. His violin was found a
lew 1eet away where it had been dis
carded only in the last resort
With the finding of the remains,
Coroner :. A. Holt was Immediately
notified and conducted an inquest
where the body lay. The jury impan-
nelled by him, consisting Of Il. E. New
ton. a. 7. Haley. s. !. BIankenbaker.
John r. Singer, X. *. Elkins, Adam
Berndt, returned a verdict that de.
ceased had come to his death by freez-
ing. Carl Russell testified tc, having
visited Johnson's place and the CIR
cumstances that pointed to his tragic
death. On that fatal night. C.. w.
Waite ana Carl Russell had gone after
johnson at midnight in the Waite au-
tomoble when the musician failed to
appear with his violin but his shack
was found deserted
After the inquest. Johnson's frozen
body was brought to Eroadus and de-
posted in svacant building where q
stove was installed. Mike petzsch was
placed in charge of the body Friday
afternoon and IT was not until Sat-
urday afternoon before he had the
body sufficiently thawed for it to re.
sumo normal shape In that time he
had kept a hct fire burning almost
| constantly.
When Johnscn's disappearance was
| first discovered. Sheriff W. f.. Sutter
| wired Victor Johnson, brother, at
! Beul an. n. d., that he had probably
| frozen to death. Victor notified an.
other brother, Andrew, at Stantcn, n.
d.. and the two men came here via
Miles City, where Roy Lee told them
/ the body had been found. They were
| tdCccIilpduleu 10 lSfOdQuS saturday Oy
NJ. II. Wallace. a Miles City under.
| taker. and the same day the remains
We're taken to Miles City, and there
prepared for shipment to Galesberg,
| Ill, fer intermcnt. Victor Johnson
remained in Broadus to look after his
deceased brothers property interests
| John Johnson was bachelor. 80
years of age. He came to this coun-
try seven years ago last spring and
homesteaded. In that time he had
succeeded in accommodating considerable
property interests and formed many
friendships. He was a native CT Wa
taga H., and is survived by his par
ents. Mr. and Mrs. Gus p johnson OF
Galesberc. H.: FIVE brothers and three
sisters, Ernest, Charles, Oscar, An
drew and Victor Johnson, Mrs. Annie
Rlombcrg, Mrs. Bessie Johnson and
Mrs. Mary Johnson, all of them with
the exception of Charles. Andrew and
Victor. residents of Galesberg, H. Two
~ the sisters had vri.j ,,a, oe tLo