The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-05-18
Trial Of John johnson for the murder OF
Betsey Bolt.


BIscHAMpros, (Broome Coz May II, 1896
BENJAMIN THuRBER sworn-I reside in Greene; was
Of those who found Mrs. Burdck; was in the wagon
with Mr. johnson when he was taking her TO MIR. Ham,
he proposed to carry her directly to his own house.
The prosecution rests here.
The defence opened by Senator DICKINSON, in a
very clear and able manner; and did space permit
outline of it would be gladly given He adverted to the
dreamy and delusive character of the evidence which
had already been receiv ed-to the mprobabes which
il presened-staed the points upon which the prosecu-
ton relied the proofs by which they were sustained and
Sn ha h ~ hs
the night Mrs Bolt disappeared instead Of being in Tr
angle and that he could not have been at the house Of
Mrs Baxter al the time had been sworn the bones
burned there He would show too, that the statements
Of Mrs Burdick were contradictory and inconsistent with
each other When he had done this il being then appa
rent to every that her statement was the fiction
Of deranged mind, he should ask for verdict Of acqu
tai The first evidence on the part of the defendant
sisted OF two aidayits made before Esquire Lewis
the other before Judge Judson Copies of these
ments, obtained through the poltencss of defendants
counselD will be given with the other testimony
LYMAN D. LEWIS swom--l am Justice of the Peace
and reside in Greene. took Mrs. Burdicks afida
Wit the It'll October. ls45 took her relation Of the
abduction wrote down. read it over carefully to her
and then she to it. She appeared to be rational
the time Dr. willard and her husband each present
part of the time she was deposing The affidavit pro-
duced the she to- she did not sign it, because
she sick and could not do SO. 1t was made a few
This witness proved tho disposition Of Louisa Bolt mode
at Green last fall Parts Of h will be read for the pur
Mrs BAXTER sworn--I am the mother or kGrs Anne A.
Burdck; live in Greene and know the prisoner; he has
never offered or proposed marry me; nothiug
said between about his destroying his wife; there has
not been any conversation between to the
in which Mrs. Bolt was destroyed. saw Johnson the
Sunday before the abducton late o'clock, NJ,
in the road in front of my house, asked him where my
son Charles should go and chop me some weod he told
that day. my John, living with johnson, in the
road talking with him when went to the doors after this
conversation, my son went down to Mr.. Johnsons and
va Va andSo INpac NJ
ram Jo'nson's on the following Tuesday; went there
between 10 and II o'clock A. M to cut and make pair
rode back with the prisoner Anne Augusta had fit
when lived in Smithvc; she had them for several days
brother, who had recently died. and talked with her Sa
vor that her brother wished her to back to the
earth and she did not want to do it. He told that she
friends She prayed and kissed the Bible, and said
great many things afterwards in the Sickness she
requested her brother Charles to place tumbler of
ter the steps, and in the Of bright which
he would he did and then she wanted to be led
damp and that it was not prudent that she should go
there's she insisted and Charles and George Kechum led
her there, and she drank the water.
Cross-eIamined--My husband has been dead seven
years he died in the street about ten o'clock in
the morning, after having eaten his breakfast usual
cannot say how long after breakfast his death !;
something said about opening his stomach to learn
the of his death, and objected when went
to live in the red house Mr. Hammonds which was
in March, ls45 there was Irish family in it they
cupied room and and my family the other lived
with them In TINS manner TWO or three weeks; MIR.
Johnson sent writing them, requiring them to remove
from the house he took from their fireplace and
put in mine this created fuss with the Irish
had formerly lived in house of Johnson's and still
owing him for the rent Of it; johnson has let
have any money. except fifty cents, which borrowed of
him about week before Augusta married have
had some few provisions of him, and have paid him for
them in sewing had not been in the habit Of locking
my house the lock was put either Saturday or
Sunday, before the abduction, by my Charles
JOHN BAXTER sworn.-l am the brother of Mrs. Bur-
dick and live with the prisoner was at my mothers
the Sunday night before the abduction Mr.. Johnson
as Mr.. Hammond's had broken into the meadow
took my mothers to drive the stakes and started
younger brother went along to bring the back
Mr. johnson went to his farm above the house.
THOMAS BIsHoP swor.-I reside in Greene l recol.
lect the time Of the abduction Of Mrs. Burdck saw
her a few days after that at Mr.. Hammonds my wife
Mr.. Burdck, and some Others were there with me
judged that she deranged she was talking abou
every thing she then said she carried by Robert
and Jeremiah Clinton, who live in Penn that they go
to Greene on Monday evening and went to Johnson's
she said nf them-which do not recoect-together
with her mother attempted to carry her of that night
that the next day they to ammonds and succeed
ed she said they in Hammond's barn during the
day; that Johnson wrote to them and sent them some
money to come to Greene she said the bones Of Mrs
Bolt were taken from field in Triangle, where they
buried under stump and that IL they had looked
closely they would have found them sooner; she said
johnson brought them from Triangle in sack carried
them to his side hill and burned them in log heap she
warned her husband to keep in and that an attempt
would DO made to destroy him she said her Life
limited to four six months think the time
has already gone by her husband and tried to
and she started she half hour in giving the rela
tion and in the mcsmerc state all the while think
she gave in the presence of her husband put the
questions at his request.
would answer the questions Of other person she was
crazy, except when mesmerizcd.