The New York herald., 1872-12-14
DETAILS OF THE CRIME.
How Mrs. Thompson Fell Into
J0hnson's Clutches.
Remarkable Chances of Escape
Allowed the Culprit.
SCENES AT THE GALLOWS.
81 Am About to Die an
Un.justiGcd DEATH

LEXINGTON n. c., Dec la, 1872.
One OF the most nendsh and brutal outrages re-
corded in the annals OF crime was expiated on the
scaIold here to-day in the person OF negro.
Since their emancipation the morals and virtues
OF that race, as compared with the time they were
In bondage, have retrograded to an extent that il
startling, and the question arises, has not civza
tiOn rather served to develop their worst instincts
and increase crime among them than to elevate
and promote higher degree Of m0ralsa
Thomas Johnson, the negro executed here to-
day, paid the legal penalty for the terrible
crime Of outrage committed upon the person
of highly respectable white lady, resident OF
this county, aged sixty-rwo years. This was the
first execution that has occurred here in long Sc
res OF years, and this added to the popular indig
nation against the prisoner, caused u large crowd
to assemble and lively interest to be manifested
In this sad termination OF human life.
HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
On the morning OF the 10th September 1871,
there suddenly appeared IN this village q strange
ana rather mysterious negro, who had come
from the direction OF Salisbury. and carried
in his hand that popular Southern arti-
cle-a carpet-bag, and had sung across his
shoulder shotgun, and from his weary and hungry
appearance his dusty boOts into which his pants
*,
was evident he had travelled considerable distance
on foot The stranger attracted the attention of
large numbers OF his sable brethren, all of whom
observed him from respectful distance both from
q certain bravado and repulsve air which he wore,
and also from his fierce and bandt-like armament
and costume. He paid little attention to either
their observations or remarks, and after purchas-
ing at convenient store can OF preserved oys-
ters, which he voraci0usy devOured, and bantering
for while such Of the negro loiterers he found
willing to exchange word with him in
the streets, he took his departure on the
track of the North Carolina Railroad, in
the direction OF Greensboro. Walking lesurely
on this beautiful morning, in less than two hours
he reached point eight and half miles from here
and one and q half from Thomasvile, the next sta
tion on the railroad Here he met the track, CON-
Ing in the opposite direction elderly white lady
and whose aged appearance and feeble condition
at once proclaimed her to be three years
old. Johnson passed, eyeing her intently. She
had been to the village Of Thomasvie to make
some purchases, and at this time now the after
noon, returning to her home. After she had passed
Johnson, walking at moderately quick pace, she
suddenly heard footsteps close behind her, which
startled her. and upon turning to see who it could
be, she was
VIOLENTLY SEIZED AND ROUGHLY DRAGGED
from the railroad track into the woods. The vii
lain did not say anything to her, but, in order to
prevent any outcry he ch0ked her with his hand
on ler threat NqtYlshstana!Ig tliis she struggled
inhuman monster, fearing that she might possibly
succeed in giving the alarm, gagged her with
large spike. He then, after throwing hls unior
tunate victim to the ground, accomplished his
purpose, and, leaving her with torn clothes bleed
Ing from wounds, bruised and more dead than
alive went as before upon the railroad track in
the direction of Greensboro. During his stay at
Thomasville his strange manner aud excited ap-
pearance, as II he dreaded to encounter the gaze
gun he carried attracted the attention of several
citizens many OF whom remarked that there
seemed "t0 be something wrong about HIM.
THE BRUTAL DEED
was committed not far from the residence OF the
victim, and as soon as she recovered her con-
sciousness and sufficient strength she retraced her
steps home. 1t was with the utmost difficulty,
when she arrived there, owing to her extreme
fright and terrible suffering condition, that she
could find utterance to communicate the fearful
tale Of her outrage to her nephew, whom she for.
tunately found at the house. The nephew started
brownsville he related the facts OF the case to Mr..
w. T. Moore, whOimmedlately collected crowd OF
the now ynso
were divided into squads, and nrst they
secured the woods and surrounding country,
! thinking the negro was still lurking somewhere In
the neignborh0Od OF his crime. This search lasted
until late that night but neither OF the parties dis
again renewed the pursuit. and, taking the track
oi the railroad, they succeeded in tracing Johnson
distance OF about thirty t11,tyra miles ess ana
within four miles OF Greensboro, still on the rail-
road track. lie was greatly terrified when taken
into custody, and Obstinately denied all knowledge
OF the brutal outrage he had committed. He said
he formerly belonged to Cyrus p. Member
ing ma,'' to revisit ''e' the old ID familiar scenes
where the days OF his boyhood were
passed. He was brought back here, however, and
upon his arrival was identified by his victim and
by several other persons who, on the afternoon had
passed and met him on the railroad track near the
scene OF the outrage The news or the shocking
crime had such an effect upon even the negroes
along the route OF the return that they followed
hlm In crowds and evinced strong desire, both by
threats and observations, OF lynching johnson,
and il was with some dif1culty that they could be
| restrained from taking the prisoner from the
OF the lady was at that time very precarious, the
severe choking having nearly ended her life,
and her extreme s,,, age rendered iids her recoy.
the magistrate, the Jail here being deemed inse-
| cure, the prisoner was removed to salisbury for
sale keeping and to be held for trial. At the en-
! suing October term OF the Superior Court he was
! arragned for trial before Judge Cloud. Upon afil-
/ davt OF want OF Witnesses the case was continued
| till the Spring term OF the Court. IL was
/ opened, the court room being crowded to sufIoca-
ton ny large and deeply interested throng OF
4 spectators, and never In the history OF criminal
/ jurisprudence was more positive aud convincing
| evidence adduced. That OF the aged victim caused
great emotion among the audience. Her neat and
| ladylike appearance, her age and trembling
| voice while on the stand aroused an intense inter.
est in her behalf She fully identified tue prisoner
AS the villain who had SO louly GU ragged her. The
! prisoner, although deiended by able counsel, was
/ convicted by the jury and
l. SENTENCED TO ne HANGED.
From this sentence the prisoner made an appeal to
/ higher Court, on grounds which were considered
altogether too insufficient, but 1t was granted in
| order to satisfy the condemned man ttlat justice
had been done him. The cause was then taken to
| the highest tribunal in the State-the Supreme
! Court-and the Judgment OF the Superior
| Court was affirmed. While the cause was
| under consideration In the Supreme Court,
the prisoner being In jail here he very nearly sue
ceeded In escaping by cutting through the walls OF
| the Jail with chise. This effort was discovered
by the jail officials in time to prevent Johns0ns exit
through hole ingeniousy made ior that purpose,
and through which number OF other prisoners
would have escaped. The hole had In the begin
ming, been cut through the floor to lower story,
thence TO a chimney where the brickwork was only
matter to gain access to the outer world. just at
the time that the project was about completed n
deputy taller accdently saw the aperture and thus
the h0nea Of the criminal for liberty were frus.