Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-10-24
ANOTHER CANDIDATE FOR THH
GALLOWS
Trial OF Charles johnson for the
Murder of Mis- Wife

I This morning in the Criminal Court jake
Humphreys, the case OF Charles johnson col
b OTed. indicted for the murder OF bis wife Jane
! +. johnson, on the 2s'h of September. bv cutting
her throat, was called II L. alleged that jeal-
Ousy prompted TIE deed. The prisoner i .
rather ignorant looking man of about middle
height, very dark, has a L at nose. promi nent
NOUN. anu TO-DAY appeared TO he rather in
CiheTent during the trial. A few minutes past
ltociock the prisoner was divested of his hand
cuffs and was shown a seat near his counsel, MI.
W. l.. MelCy and Judge Pascbal. There was a
dense mass OF humanity present, nearly az being
color ed, ard several females being outside the
raining. IL wesTemarked that the larger portion
few weeks
On the witnesses beirg called two summoned
ty tie defense failed TO answer, one of whom. a
MT. Swink, of Virginia. was the former master
Of the accused aud deceased.
TIE defense proceeded TO prepare p paDer
setting forth what they expected - prove by Nr.
=, and while doing 50 an Of Ger arrived from
Virginia stating that Mr.. ). had been sum
mOned, hut was a man Of advanced age, and
was ccItned 20 Lis bed.
The defendants counsel prepared the AFT
davli, IL which The prisoner I-aIe oath, ana
read the same. Ii sets forth that the absent
TESTIFY o. Ia his character and attach meTt To his
wife, ard tie O-her as to deceased committing
adultery 18th party.
Tie court stat, that If the witnesses referred
TO could not be ChtaiEed. the defense should
have TIE benefit of the affidavit.
NJ Pascha! stated that they w02id much ure-
fer Mr. SvirE's presence, and suEEes; ed .h.c a
messenger he sent for birn.
The Court directed the marshal 20 send CON
VeysnCe fer Linn.
II ? Court directed that the selection Of
lrry re Proceeded with. The names were
l2CtG il a hat. and as each was df.vn the
jnT'r vas Torn on Eis rojrs dire eS tOlIows:-
John Nj. Divine, chailCL geo by dtiCnCe, George
W. Dement,, accepted and sworn: Samuel T..
Don -iss. DO; James Payne, do; John H. Rms
sell had for med an opinion: Israel DerninC, ac-
ceIted ard sworn; Justice +. O'Brien, do
Patrick Clark, challenged by defence; George
wilmer, accepted and sworn; Lewis Spauier
had formed an opinion; Lemuel !. Middleton,
SICK; EIhrslm ii. Whitaker, set aside Temporal
Illy; Samuel L. Wall, challenged by defence;
Moses Il. Parker. accepted and sworn; VIM. Il.
Downing, set aside temporarily, q. e. Church,
SEX; Frederick A. West. accepted and sworn;
John III. SeEmes, do; Frederick A. Klopfer,
do; Thomas Il. johnson, do; Robert A. Griffin,
challenged by defence; John w. Green, ac-
This completed the jury, and they were called
as follows: q. W. Dement,, S. T. Douglas, Jas.
Rayyne, Israel Deming, E;E. O,Brien,, George
Wilmer, Moses 4. Parker, F. A. West, John IL.
Semmes, y. A. klopfer, Thomas X. johnson,
and John W. Green.
The indictment was read ny the clerk
and the prisoner put in charge of the iury, and
the witnesses having been sworn, they were ex-
ciudeG from the court room.
Tie court took q recess. and at 1.i5 Nr. lar
rlnst0n opened the case, stating that the
cused was charged with the crime Of murder in
cutting the throat Of has wife. Hc expected 20
prove that the parties had been living together
ioi come tie, that theY mad haI frequent quar-
lUeht 1uaTreis; that on the SCI OF September he
Was arrested on peace warrant, when he made
some threats &c her. hat on the evening Of the
homicide they had q quarrel, and on deceased
cen ne IN from putting her children 20 bed at q
nflgLboTs house, lie seized her and cut her
IL rOat.
Or J. T. Hart 81 vas sworn, AM testified that
ne was called 20 hold an autopsy Vn the body Of
tie deceased; found il in the middle Of tie
room OF the house. Th:re was one wound from
tie right ear to tie LETT, and eXflniin. TO the
SPINE There were four other wounds, bat the
INST named wound was the principal one, and il
lTohably caused death immeGi ltely. Found
ttat Sic WAS advanced s!N OF seven months in
pregnancy. Would infer from the wounds that
the head was thrown back. and, from the ap-
Feerance CT tie body, that there had been a
scUtle.