The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-01-13
EXPLORER MARTIN
JOHNSON Is DEAD
Continued from Page u

particularly for his motion pictures
Of big game in Africa and Borneo
He was enroute here on q lecture
tour when he became q victim o,
the fifth air liner crash in the
United States In q month.
Everyone in the plane was hurt
The condition Of Pilot w. w. Levi.
and Co-Pilot G. T. Lewis was sert-
Gus.
Physicians feared that the vic.
Tins might contract pneumonia from
lying in the cold for hours in the
wrecked ship. The plane, coming
from Salt Lake City, struck shortly
after IL a. m. Rescuers were un.
able to bring out the last victims
until almost midnight.
From cabin windows of The
wrecked craft the injured passen.
gers could look down and see Unior
Air Terminal, and the safety they
missed in the San Fernando Val
ley. A Snowstorm ragged about
them. The cabin remained intact
providing a fortunate shelter.
goth Century Explorer
Martin johnson was the perfect
example Of the twentieth century
explorer. With motion picture
camera and airplane, he invaded lit
tie known regions Of Africa ar1c
Borneo with his pretty wife and
brought back Photographic proof Of
his discoveries and adventures. He
spent little time in civilizatio n--ifl
fact, he complained only Monday
that the jung1es were safer than
modern America.
In Salt Lake City, on Monday
johnson sale" why almost got killed
by taxi this morning. The jungles
are really safe when you know how
to get along in them. America,
probably because it is the most
civilized place in the world, is the
most dangerous"
Five in Civilization
The Johnsons estimated recently
that of the 26 years they had been
married, they had spent only about
five IN civilization. During the rest
OF the time johnson circumnavigat-
ed the globe six times, visiting
Borneo, Uganda, Ethiopia, the Bel
gian Congo and South Seas, and had
flown more than $4,000 miles over
the African jungle. Despite his reli-
ance upon air travel in exploration,
the crash which caused his death
was Johnson's first serious travelling
accident. tJ
johnson had just filled q lecture
engagement in Salt Lake City and
was on his way to Los Angeles for
other. He had returned to New
York from his most recent trip to
Bornco, last October.
Life Here Lonesome
johnson found life in the United
States lonesome while still boy In
his teens. He was born In Rockford
H.. on Oct. 8, 1884, and his family
moved at an early age to Independ-
ence, Ealis., where he was raised as
boy and received his first educa-
ton. Later he clerkcd in a small
Jewelry store which his father ran
IN the small Kansas town. In his
spare time he experimental witt,
photography and dreamed of travel
IN FAR away places.
Left Homo at IA
When only IA he left home to
wander over nearby states and took
part-time jobs when his money ran
out. He got Job on a cattle boat
bound for Europe and walked
through most of Europe. Soon how
ever he tired of tramp life and re-
turned to the United States as a
stowaway. At the age Of 40 he
heard that Jack London, famous
writer Of adventure fiction, was
seeking a third person to sail the
South Seas with him in 1.-THE
Shark" He applied for the Job, that
OF cook. got it and never stopped
travelling thereafter.
1900 Mile Trip
After a 1900 mile trip with Lon.
don, he went back to Kansas anc
ran small motion picture theatei
as q temporary adventure at home
One Saturday night, Osa Leighty
10, appeared on the stage and sans
heart-throb songs as accompani.
ment to the early Aims. She met
the young theater manager anc
married him the next day. THAI
was In 1910 and they headed for thu
South Seas again almost immedi.
ately. 1t was the start of 20 wear,