Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-09-05
The browning OF Charles Johnson
ACCIDENT, SUICIDE, OR MURDER?

Ca|osed Fcople-RssaT Of he IascstigstiSa D,
tie CoToHtJ.
About two weeks ago THR STAR published an
account of the drowning OF a colored man
named Charles johnson, by falling overheard
from canal boat above Georgetown, and the
subsequent recovery and burial of the body
Some circumstances connected with tie case
gave rise to the rumoT among the relatives OF
the deceased and the colored people OF G eOrps-
tOWD That there had been foul play. This com
Ing 10 the knowledge Of District Attorney
FISHER, he directed Coroner Potter 10 have ~ I,
bodN dsinterrsd and an inquest held which wa;
done On Sunday, the 18th u!t. After the body
had ieen dsinterrea on that day, the followin z
Jury was empanneiled and admitted into TIL.
grave yard: JOS. T.. Rawlings, Louis ID. Wine.
Geo. u. FIlebrown, Th0s Kenny. A. j. McCan,
ley, Waiter Linkins, Dennis Nolan, Saml. Tan
n ,n, Tenn > =. w, Etwprd WondeElegh, Peter
At5cr viewing the body, the hour growing
late, the jury were dismissed until the follow
lng Monday, at O'Clock p. ~. al the First
Ward Station-house. In the meantime a post
noTi'Ht examination was made by Dr. HartiCan
after which the remains were again buried.
on reassembling the following evening IL was
fouHd that one Of the jury and several impo.-
tant witnesses were absent, and after waiting
Tor some time the examination was furthaI
postponed until yesterday, (Suuday,) at ;
O'Clock Y. m. when the Coroner iurv AMI VIII
neSses were all present, at the k-street station
house, and a large crowd OF colOred people
collected in front OF the building and rem line
two witnesses. which lasted till nearly dark
The first witness examined was Tdw'i Krausa.
captain OF the canal boat William Il. Love the
boat Oh y iilch deceased wa employed rs driver
WHO testified that johnson al been ia his en-
rlCyment since last March, and was est EN- !
by him a. faithful and steady man. Deceased
wi> drowned on the canal two weeks az, la--
Saturday, about O. clock p. m The ,it wa
al the seven locks, seven miles above George
ioWn. Two men had that day got on tie b. 4
% !thc passage 10 town, aud they had been a.
slstng johnson TO trim the boat 10y removing
some stone which was aboard, johnson cam
TO witness cabin and asked him il he was coin /,
TO give the men some dinner. On benz an
SWeTel IL the affirmative deceased went away
and witness went into the cabin. On eflraifi
10 the deck witness observed Thomas Burns had
hCId OF the Tudder. and johnson was stiudiul,
or tue race plank with piece of scantlinr in
nlS hand, a6cat three feet long, which he used
IN IrI ing thc stones with. He fell backwards
apparently into the water. Witness stoned
the boat at once. The water was some threa
ieet deep at this point. Never had any dit
hculty With deceased, and good unlerstaa,lin,,
existt between ttcm always.
Thomas F.. Burrows cOrrob0ratcd the allow,
and testified that the water is about three and a
half feet deep where tie drowning Occurred
and there are rocks at the bottom.
EDWARD Morgan ard Andrew Mcintirs, pas
sengeTs, testified to seeing the man jump or fan
overheard.
RicEerd ". Brown. sexton to the Eolmeal
Cemetery, testified as TO the intsrmen.
Spencer johnson, father OF deceased, testified
TO Charles being good swimmer, and that he
had saved a mans life by diving in the Potomac
when he had sunk to the bottom and bringin.
him ashore. His son was temperate and peace.
able.
Louisa johnson, wife of deceased, testified to
hearing Der husband say that he had had cross
words with the captain on several occasions;
that II appeared the captain wanted to discharge
him and employ Gh white men.
Dr. Hartigan testified to making a post norton
examination at the request of the Coroner. The
body was much purified, having been buried
ten days. Examined the chest and abdomen
but or account of decomposition could not dis
cover any evidence as to what eau sed death
EeAt examined tie head, and found a cut in the
scalp over the left eye. The wound did moi
reach the skull hone, nor through the membrane
that covers the bone. The brain was in "a Il aid
state. Examined the Uranium from within, but
could detect no fracture of skull. The cut wa
three-fourths of an inch in length, extending up
and Gown, with edges somewhat lacerated
There WAS a coagulum of blood round the edge
OF the wound showing that the wound had been
made before death. The cut on the head was
clean, and could not have been done by the
wood which he held in his hand. Could not
account for the wound; ii must have been made
before deceased went into the water.
number of other witnesses were then exam
ined, but no new facts ELECTED, and the evidence
closed.
The jury were closcted about half an hour,
and the verdict was rendered that Charles
johnson came to his death at the Seven Locks,
in the county Of Montgomery, Md, by drown
Ing, after having received blow Oh the left side
OF the head; and that the said blow was inflicted
in manner which they are unable to determine
from the evidence before them.
AFTER the verdict was rendered, Capt Krause
(who was under arrest was called in and the
Coroner dismissed him. after congratuating
him on the result of the investigation. He
seemed gratiiied at the result, and inquired OF
the Coroner what he should do about the threats
which some OF the colored men outside had
made TO kill him. DIR. Poter advised him if he
felt in danger, To obtain warrants for their ar
Eaxra tharn hon fn le
resi-, ana nave 'nem pounu o'e' W H.-ep the
peace.