|Chief Johnson was again called on the stand this morning, and administered the following oath to himself in a solemn and awe-inspiring manner:
"By the Great Horn Spoons of the pale-face, and the Great Round Faced Moon, round as the shield of my fathers; by the Great High Muck-a-Muck of the Ute nation; by the Beard of the Prophet, and the Continental Congress, I dassent tell a lie!"
When Johnson had repeated this solemn oath--at the same time making the grand hailing sign of the secret order known as the Thousand and One--there was not a dry eye in the house.
Question by General Adams.--What is your name and occupation, and where do you reside?
Answer--My name is Johnson, just plain Johnson. The rest has been torn off. I am by occupation a farmer. I am a horny-handed son of toil, and don't you forget it. I reside in Greeley, Colorado.
Question--Did you, or did you not hear of a massacre at White River agency, during the fall, and if so, to what extent?
Objected to by defendant's counsel because it is irrelevant, immaterial, unconstitutional, imitation, and incongruous.
Most of the forenoon was spent in arguing the point before the court, when it was allowed to go in, whereupon the defendant's counsel asked to have the exception noted on the court's moments.
Answer--I did not hear of the massacre, until last evening, when I happened to pick up a copy of the Evanston _Age_ and read it. It was a very sad affair, I should think.
Question--Were you, or were you not, present at the massacres?
Objected to by defendant's counsel on the ground that the witness is not bound to answer a question which would criminate himself.
Objection sustained, and question withdrawn by the prosecution.
Question--Where were you on the night that this massacre is said to have occurred?
Answer--I was attending a series of protracted meetings at Greeley, in this State.
Question--Were Douglass, Colorow and other Ute chiefs with you at that meeting in Greeley?
General Adams remarked to a reporter that he was getting down to business now, and that he had no doubt that in a few months he would convict all these Utes of falsehood in the first degree.
After dinner, court was called, with Johnson at the bat and Douglass on deck; General Adams, short stop; Ouray, center field.