Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-08-01
DAILY EVENING STAR,
an EXCITING MURDER TRIAL.
Alleged Murder OF Wife and Child by a
Baptist Minister .i8

Alleged Murder OF Wife and Child BY a
Baptist Minister " .'a
Nearly three columns of the New York
Tribune of the 29th are filled with the
details of the trial Of Baptist clergy
man, named johnson, for the murder of
his wife and child. We make room for
the following extracts: .i.aseb s7a4
Some three years ago man named
Joseph r.. johnson came to reside with
his wife and family in Saugerties, in this
State, as minister of Baptist Church.
Up to Aughst'5, 1854, he so dcmeaned
himself as to give but. slight apparent
cause for animadversion. On that day,
i'll company with his wife, babe, and
al infant child of2a years old, he set out
in a small row- boat in the afternoon for
an excursion on Esopus Creek. lie was
next seen under the following circum-
stances, as detailed by witness: who
deposed that as he was at work in COM
pany with his brother cutting grass for
his father in August last, when the sun
was about one hour high, johnson came
toward US from the south alone; I first
discovered person five or six hundred
yards off; [ heard a great noise as of
some one carrying on in the direction
from whence he came and saw him; it was
loud noise; could not understand any
words; he was coming toward us; think
he was running, heard more noise, and
looked up again and saw him nearer;
think | understood him first that his wife
and child were in the water drowning,
and he wanted help; went toward him
with my brother; I understood him to say
something about blood being upon him;
don't recollect the form ofthe expression:
tsaw no blood on him; I then walked up
to him, took him by the arm and said,
"Dear man, what is the matter with YOU l''
he said his wife and child were in the
water drowning; asked him where; said,
| came that way. e., south; my brothe,
came up; | then started with Mr. John.
son, and kept hold of him; l ran with
him; he then said he could not run any
more; called TO my brother. and told
him We must take prisoner with US to
show us the place; he said, you will see
my tracks; we followed his tracks until VIC
came to the woods; l asked how happened
this Che saidsomething about nursing the
child; asked no more questions; when UP
in the woods we got oft his track, we fol-
lowed another track into the woods apiece;
he then gave out and could not walk any
farther [ tried to lead him on he said he
could not so, must let him rest: he did
not help himself any more; 1 told my
brother to let him set down to rest; [ could
not tell the distance to The creek /; l told
my brother to go enas quick as he could;
would stay with Johnson and let him
rest alittle; my brother started and Just
after Major Oyerbagh and his son over.
took US; the Major inquired what was the
matter; l told him as quick as l could
that Mrs. Johnson and her child were in
! the creek johnson said something to the
Major; we then started and got to the
creek when we came to the waters edge
saw no boat Johnson was anxious tc
get down to the water Il got down as low
as | could; he jumped Down bank te
the edge of the stream; Ikept hold Of
has arm he stepped into the water near.
ly over bis boots; he then looked botf
ways up and down the stream, and could
see nothing can't say whether his clothes
were wet or not: they were black he
had no hat on when he came to me he
came from the south: tiie stream was
north and west of US where we came to
the. stream it was over mile from the
bridge the channel was on the other side
Of the stream; the stream was low :;
told him not to go IN the water; I pulled
him back on the shore we went down q
little further /; he said we must 20 down
the stream VIC did SO we first saw the
boat in. the stream below US; should
Judge the boat was about 800 wards OF
lover from me when I first saw it thu
boat was on the side of the stream, abou,
one-third across johnson said that wa.
the boat; l told him the little cir
was safe in it ; I do not renembe,
what he said when we came about 2O(
yards from the boat, we saw some
lthing atloat in the water; 1 think John
lson saw the child floating first h,
lsaid it was his child: | told him it wa.
only craVat he said it was his child
we then went down to the boat; Over
bagh's son swan to it, and brought i
ashore; helped johnson into the boat
and my brother went into the boat
the oars were hanging in the row-locks
two oars were attached to the boat will
swlvels; there was shawl folded ant
blaid in the stern of the boat, the Iittl,
girl sitting by it.; there were two seats
in the boat, and the platform; rowet
to wnat | took for orayat, and found il
to be the babe; it was dead; after W,
had found the child, johnson told me W.
would find his wife farther up; 7 roweo
up the stream as fast as could, keeping
near the east shore; he said it happened
near the shore; we went near two hun.
dred yards from where we found tn,
child; l first found his hat; he said W.
will find her, and we must find. her;
told him it was too late, that she must be
drowned and sunk; the hat lay still il
was close to the shore, within five OF six
feet, against bush, filled with water;
told johnson it was his hat; he told md
not to pick it up; we did not yet see her
l rowed up stream again. two or three
strokes of the oars, and discovered her;
told him saw her now: / don't know
what johnson said; was about the
length Of the boat from her: he told me
not to row the boat over her; her face was
down :; l did not touch her; rowed the