The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-06-16
LOCAL MATTERS

/ for the murder of Emelins Johnson, vas proceeded
with.
Mrs. Germon, the mother Of the deceased, was
recalled by the prosecution, and testified that she
saw piece of powder paper lying near the head
of her daughters bed. She found powder IN
the closet the next morning.
! Dr.. F. Howard, sworn. He assisted in the post
norton examination of the body on Friday
morning, the goth of September, and spoke
of his observations on that OCCASION He could
not say positively, from the appearance of
the stomach, that death caused by poison
Srychnine has peculiar effect the ner-
vous system, and particularly on the organs of
respiration and the spine; and be enumerated
the general symptoms produced by it. Medicines
of the same class produce similar effects, with the
exception of sensitivencss to the touch.
During the cross examination he said that it
death ensued an hour or two after taking strych-
nine, his opinion that small portion of it
would be found in the stomach. He further re
marked that strychnine ia a vegetable poison, and
used as dog bane.
Mr.. Carlisle. 1t ia also employed in brew-h houses,
and MIR. Savage can give you some statistics.
John III Wallace, sworn. He knew the prison
by sight, and cav him last September 10 Evans's
drug store, where be purchased two grains OF
strychnine-less than be asked for-with the view,
as Sasscer said, of killing dog belonging 20
neighbor, the animal being great annoyance to
him, bowling at night and thus disturbing him.
He did not want to shoot it, he had valuable
dog himself The witness heard of the death Of
Emeline Johnson two days after he the pris-
oner in the apothecary shop.
Miss Fanny Germon said that she the de-
ceased, her sister, on the evening Of her death.
She seemed very lively, singing, and playing on
the ACCORDION. She went out about seven O'Clock
| in "a hfrb tuna ,hod
was gone about fifteen minutes The witness, on
the return of the carriage, (Beasley on the box
saw Sasscer get out of it. Her sister, after get
ting her bonnet, walked with the prisoner towards
Pennsylvania avenue. She returned at nine
O'Clock. She (the witness) heard the door close
fifteen minutes from that time, and afterwards
heard her sisters screams, and the exclamation
sob, for Gods sake, help me / am stabbed - 1t
was then she and her mother went to the window
and cried murder % After relating other cir.
cumstances connected with this subject, che said
she saw Sasscer at the house when they lived
the Island. He came there chill doctor. Mr..
Robinson, messenger in the Post Office Depart
ment, brought her sister letter, which her sister
read, then tore il in strips, which she replaced
the (brown) envelope, and handed it back to Mr..
Robinson
tilted that be his sister the evening of her
! death, (after he came home from work, between
six and seven o'clock.) Having changed his dress,
! he passed through the room where his sister was
/
| on and singing. He returned between nine and
ten o'clock. In the room where his sister at
| that time lying be saw piece OF white paper on
| the hoor-picked it up, then threw it down. and
| did not know what became of it. He, did his
sister, gave evidence as to the appearance of
| their sister while she was suffering. The witness
said, further that be never saw Sasscer till be
] him in the court room, but he had seen his like
ness in the possession of Mrs Germon both before
and after the death of his sister. [The likeness
| was produced-a daguerreotype in a locket.l
| On the cross-exa mnaton he said he had not
spoken to his sister for two or three years. The
only member of his mothers ia mily intimate with
the deceased was Fanny. The mother had had
| falling out with her.
| J. F. Sharretts testified that be was very well
| acquainted with the prisoner, and had known him
| between two and three years, ne being a clerk
with him in the Sixth Auditors office. Poet Office
! Department. He had had constant opportunities
of seeing his andwritng.
MIR. Fendall handed upwards of forty letters
| (Which were addressed to Mrs. Johnson) to Mr..
Sharretts, who, having examined them separate
ly, expressed his belief that all, except two,
| in the handwriting of Sasscer. Mr.. Fenda said
he should only offer some of them in evidence, and
| submit the remainder to the counsel for the de-
I fence
MIR. Sharretts, in response to question by Mr..
| Bradley, said that Sasscer had kind disposition;
that there was nothing in his character to associate
him with cruelty towards any individual; and
that, independently of the pending case, his gene
raj reputation was good.
George Beasley testified that at about fifteen
| minutes TO eight o'clock in the evening, the day
before be heard of the death of Mrs johnson,
Sasscer hired bis carriage at the corner of Sixth
| street and Pennsylvania avenue, and proceeded to
| Mr. Germon's, where Emeline Johnson Joined the
| prisoner. The witness then drove them out to the
! Cross Keys and back again. He said that he had
| frequently driven them out and had carried two
| letters from Sasscer to the deceased. Last fall
Sasscer requested the witness TO look out for a
| house for a lady. He knew it was for Emeline
johnson, having been acquainted with her befor c..
| He bad carried two messages from Mrs johnson
| to Mr.. Sasscer
At this point in the proceedings some of the let
| lers above alluded to were placed by Mr.. Fendall
IN the hands of the counsel for the prisoner for
| animation; and subsequently,, without being read
| openly, they all submitted to the Jury for
their private perusal, with view of economi8ing
| time.
The court then adjourned.
! DESPERATE Enthusiastically afternoon at
about four O'Clock, three quick successive reports
of pistol in the house of Mr.. Berkeley, on the
south side of Pennsylvania avenue, between Ninth
and Tenth streets, accompanied by a scream,
startled the residents in that immediate neighbor-
hood, and instantly led to inquiry. 1t was not Ion
| bpfOre a dense crOu;d