South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1837-06-17

made confession OF series OF mos'
atrocious murders and robberies com.
mitted by him and the gang with which
I he was conr ected in this State and Md
| After Bruinton's or Brereton' death
on the gallows, Joe Johnson married
the widow, Patty Cannon's daughter,
still beautiful woman, and establish
ed himself at the depot in Dorchester
county.-Here he carried on the BUSH
ness Of kidnapping, robbery, and it is
believed murder, for several years, and
made handsome fortune in the busl-
ness. johnson was six feet high, a
powerful man, and remarkably well
! formed. At length justice overlook
him. In the year 1922, the Sheriff oil
Sussex county with posse, caught
him about midnight in the house of
Patty Cannon, where he had gone to
see his wife. They were taken COM
| pletely by surprise-l5 or 20 kidnapp-
ed negroes were found concealed about
the premises, chained neck and foot.
At the April term of that year, Joe was
tried at Georgetown. He had plenty
of money, s. employed eminent coun-
sci. Messrs. Vandyke, Thomas Clay
ton, Wells and Cooper. The prosecu-
ton was conducted by the present At
torney General, Mr.. Rogers, Mr.James
Booth, and Mr.. John M. Clayton, then
recently admitted to the bar. Joe was
convicted Of kidnapping, and suffered
the penalty of the law, at that time
more severe than at present. He was
indicted for kidnapping negro named
Thomas Spencer; Patty Cannon, the
she demon, still escaped UNPUBLISHED |!
though often indicted or presented for
kidnapping.-She had only to cross the
line and find safe refuge III Johnson's
house in Dorchester co. Joe johnson
left the country and went to the south.
Years passed away, and Joe johnson
and his crimes were passing away from
the recollection of the neighborhood,
when man who was ploughing field
on Patty Cannon's farm, struck some
hard substance, which upon inyestiga-
ton proved to be box containing the
body of murdered man. Upon fur
Their inquiry, the horrible fact came to
light, that Johnson had murdered two
white men and buried them in chests
or boxes in the field. One of them was
shot while eating at his table, and his
body was rolled up in the table cloth
dyedin his blood and buried in the field
the other was murdered as he went
tothe stable to get his horse, and buri-
edin the same bloody field. Several
q the kidnapped blacks were ascer-
tanned to have been murdered. One
of them, a boy, was found with his
skull beaten in-he had been kidnapp-
ed, and his cries were so loud, that
johnson apprehensive they would be |
heard knocked him in the head and 81
fenced him forever. How many were
the victims of these human fends, can
not be correctly ascertained. By the
testimony of one of the hands on the
farm, Patty Cannon had not only aided
Johnson in his murders and other
crimes, but had murdered and kidnapp-
ed blacks herself. She was arrested &
committed to Georgetown goal, where
the miserable wretch terminated her a.
trocious career by swallowing arsenic.
Such is the tale of horrors connected
with Joe Johnson's house in Dorches-
ter county.
johnson, the hero of so many atroci-
ties, it is said, is still living. After his
conviction in 1922, lie went as we have
said to the south. A gentleman living
in Sussex, was in New Orleans about
a year ago, where he saw johnson on
the levee, and knew him. He now
bears another name, and holds the office
ofJudge Of probate in southwestern
State
Michael Millman now occupies
Johnson's house in Dorchester, and pur-
sues the trade of kidnapping.-Two
Sussex gentlemen, (Mr. Houston and
Mr.. Wilson, last year visited this den
ofiniquity, in search of kidnapped ne
groes, and found among others who
were concealed in chains. the poor ap-
prentice boy of John Whaley. Mr..
Houston knew the boy, and in defiance
of the threats of Millman, they struck
offthe boys letters and brought him a.
way with them. a.
Those who may read the preceding
narrative, will now be aware ofthe pol
icy, as well as humanity, of being
''rather severe. in suppressing the
crime ofkidnappingin the State of Del
aware.
A very respectable gentleman ofthis
place informs US, that he was present at
the time of Hamiltons arraignment-
who figured SO pathetically in a tale of
circumstantial evidence. published a