Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-10-26
GUILTY OF MURDER.
TEE TRIAL or JOHNSON.

evidence for the Defence and Argument Of
the Cnso-yerdlct oTihc Jury.
The trial Of Charles johnson, charged with
the murder Of bis wife, was resumed before Mr..
Justice Humphreys, holding the Criminal Court,
yesterday morning at ten O'Clock.
Tho defendants counsel, continuing the line
Of defence ,st up yesterday, called Tour s SdI,
ant sarah Cole, and II. Turner.
Moses Snowden's testimony related to his In.
timhPy with the deceased,
HrysEinb turner testihsd that no found the
discharge Of the accused In his trunk. The
paper shows that the accused was discharged
lrom the army for mental lncapaclty to be a
The testimony Of the other witnesses related
to the removal uf Johnsons furniture.
THE ARGUMENT BEgUE.
Mr. Harrington opened the case tor the prose.
cution making a resume Of the evidence, and
puntendlng that II showed the commission OF
murder, as charged In the indictment,
Jndue paschal, Tor the defence, discussed the
cause Sf proyocation, and appealed to the Jury to
look back to the time when virtue was not pro-
tsrted from the lust Of mon, as u was among the
slaves During slavery IhS nI't rn ,1qSTy sh r
days labor on tho night OF the homicide, was
Where Is my wlteF" He won't from one neigh
hor 10 another, and found that she had been out
The law Of the District Of Columbia has not
advanced with the civilization elsewhere. Con.
gress has not seen " 70 embrace In the code Of
this District the degrees OF murder that AlWost
universally prevail throughout the United
States. All doubts In regard 70 the Innocence
of the prisoner exist In this District II all the
humannles OF the law l9 not. The Judge closest
take into confederation all The facts OF the naae
| a. adduced from the witnesses.
Mr.. Meloy considered the law relating 70 the
| condition Of mans mind In order to form
| malice and said that he had serious doubts now
| Il It was not the duty Of the jury 70 bring In a
verdict Of not guilty, and pictured the prisoner
| AZ an unlettered, untutured, irresponsible man,
| Mt. Harrington followed for the Government,
/ and asked when would men be taught to respect
| hGman life. The discharge Of the prisoner IRON
| GinentAl Incnpaclty u DO A SOLDIER! had benr
| brought IN, but they should not popshef that
1 for il was simply the oplnlon Of Lieutenant
who was not a medical expert, aud who had not
| been cIon.examinod. II the prisoner 10 HOE
| compos, they should have offered better proof
He claimed that II the prisoner lg guilty OF man
he I%%%sn hIS S~ case
Judge Rush: "He thSt does an act wiliully DOE
| Il on purpose, and Vice yefsa" and vent % X
show that even though the prisoner reflected By
| one hour, or hys minutes, he should be held 70
| spOnslble for murder; also, wharton on Honl
eide, showing that malice and iorsthoughL IN
der tho two heads Of intent 10 XIII and intent 0
do bodily harm. He held that II tue prisonsl
| ftr.cL tsls woman with razor on purpose, d
| was guilty OF murder.
hs then Glued The acts, SloyIDE that N,
| prisoner nh0 n0Nl tue NlNkiiH he1A .RANk
deliberately cut her throat With razor. II
hall that Il made no difference whether she Va
q bad woman " not whether she was true Y
her marital VOWS or not he had 90 ospse OF XIII
ing her, though she may have sold HE furniture
Although aggrayating, the civil coutta we're opel
| 10 him for redress. He then described the "a.
10 which the prisoner did the deed-shoWlng ~
hend like manner-1rst cutting her thrqtt Nhle
| Killed her. but also cutting her again and Rg4l
after she vas dead. He Ia guilty OF douhl
murder.
Judge Humphreys charged the iaTy that til
malice may be implied IRON the weapon use
| and the facts connected with the case. " ma
arise In Ave minutes, or may have been nurse
| live years In the breast Of the slayer. The jur
| are to determine this from the evidence.
Atl'2j the Jury were sent to their room. IN
! crowd fingered about tho courtroom, and IN
usuA! nhatter, Whloh 10 barely sEspended durin
Inc session Of .ha court, set In With 4nugAAi 20
utility, and made the courtroom i0r VINE
| babel nT tongues. There was not long 70 Na
however Soon the Jury appeared, aud lhe bao,
| Of sound was bnshol 10 murmur As they seato
themselves In the usual ptAes.
The clerk asked the usual question, 4nd Na
Informed that tho iuTy he'd agreed upon RYsl
The CLERK. How say youi Is Charles JohI
son guilty Of the crime whereof be stands II
dcted or not guilty.
THE VERDICT.
The Foreman. Guilty IS indicted.
There was q murmur Of tho crowd as OF Apr
baton, but the prisoner gave no sign OF enQtO
other than he has exhibited during the trial.
! This noise OF leaving tho courtroom here
CURED the attention Of the baillhs, and y
Judge ordered the court TO DO adjourned Unit
this morning.