The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-07


nal Court. The social position Of the victim, the
circumstances OF the deed and the mystery envel-
oping IL have all added to the general excitement
accompanying such cases, till our city has been
looking with intense interest at its progress and
awaited its conclusion with anxiety. The victim
was Calvert H. Johnson, OF Cleveland, Ohio, son of
Seth W. Johnson, shipOwner OF immense wealth
and influence, and man highly esteemed ct nis
home The son was nne-Ooking, genteel, popu-
lar young man, OF remarkable business talent,
ana generally respected for his pure char
acter and many virtues He was engaged
with his father in shipping and in
coal and grain speculatlons. and held considerable
property In his own right. He formerly was en-
gagged In business in Buffalo, leaving there In
1859 and going into general partnership with his
father. Soon after the great fire he came to Chi
cago with q vessel bearing his own name, intend
ing to buy cargo OF grain for shipment eastward,
and bearing on his person considerable money in
bonds, endorsed notes, checks and letter OF
credit from Cleveland bank for unlimited
sum. During the confusion incident upon the fire
he was unable to obtain rooms at hotel as suited
his taste and habits, ana was compelled
to take lodgings in tenement house
on Madison street, kept by woman
named Boyce. his alleged murderess. He took mis-
meals ct the Sherman House, and was actively en-
gagged in specuati0ns on 'Change, buying and SELL
ing, as Ia supposed, to his advantage. He was in
timately associated with several prominent bust
ness men here with whom he had large transac-
tons. On The morning OF the LIST Of December he
was
FOUND DEAD IN HIS BED,
with marks OF violence upon his person. Upon
his throat were discooratiops, showing that a
hand had been applied to IT, and upon his side was
q large brufse, as II made by boot or severe
blow from fist. HIS diamond jewelry, which was
and currency in the pocketbook. draft for
several hundred dollars was missing; also eleven
United States bonds OF $500 each were missing.
Two bonds Of the same amount were found,
badly INITIATED In his boot. Notice was
given to the Coroner by Mrs. BOyce that a man had
died In her house suddenly, with considerable
property In his possession, and the body was re-
moved to the Morgue. She then went to the offices
OF the daily papers and gave information that
stranger, supposed to be from Philadelphia, had
been found dead In his bed, and publication was
made to that effect. The Coroner made a hasty
examination OF the body, found his lungs somewhat
congested and upon his testimony verdict was
rendered by the jury at the inquest OF death from
congestion OF the lungs. The matter came to the
attention Of the FRIENDS OF Mr.. Johnson, and his
father was telegraphed intelligence OF the sad
event. Upon his arrival here, which was some
X Gays ser e eSe ana the notice. "a enoved ny
trace them up.
MRS. BOYCE WAS INTERVIEWED
and severely questioned, who said that the de-
ceased was an intimate friend oi her husband in
Buffalo; that sue had not seen him for two years
until she met him on Madison street one morning;
that they recognized each other, and he accompa-
MED her to her home, telling her OF his difficulty In
finding lodging accommodations; that she offered
him nome with her, which he accepted, and an
intimacy immediately sprung up: She SAID that
eight O'Clock, quite Intoxicated complaining OF
being unwell and OF suffering from terrible pain
n pat
by his bedside until he slept, when
she Lett the house, and Ssr,n aid w not a RE-
retired. She further stated to the father OF young
Johnson that she rose about seven O'Clock IN the
morning and went to his room, ound the door
locked, and attempted to waken the sleeper by
rapping violently upon the panels. No answer
burst in the door and found him dead, with a
CHASTITY expression OF the eyes and irothy mouth.
tation the police were notified. she denied any
knowledge OF the money he possessed or that she
a% he had gwen her. While alive She
prOiessed intense grief at his death, and SYM
pathized deeply with the mother, who was present.
to Cleveland ana thorough postmortem examl
nation made by Professor Thayer, of Cleveland
Medical College, and his assistant. Professor
Cassels, OF the same institution made minute
analysis Of the stomach but found no traces OF
poison, nor any evidence OF the subject having
drank anything of an alcoholic character immc-
diately previous TO his DEATH Upon dissection 1t
was lound that the deceased came to his death by
strangulatien. All the vital organs were heafthy
except the lungs and brain, winch were slightly
bloody serum. and highly iniiamed; the heart was
half hled with stagnanJ blood showing that circu-
laton mad ceased suddenly and unnaturaly; there
were no traces of alcohol In the brain or veins,
which was contradictory to the statement OF the
wcman-that he was stupid drunk" when he went
to bed. The story OF the doctors was that the blow
on the side produced a momentary insensibility,
when strangulation was easy.
SUSPICIOUS OF FOUL PLAY
were thus strengthened and the detectives were
set at work. Onlcer Macy went to Mrs. Beyce's
her. responding to his advances without urging,
and he played upon her memory IN various ways.
Becoming satisfied that she had the bonds, and
that she had obtained them by the murder OF young
Johnson he convinced himself OF her character and
Setec1ive to % her rooms he introduced him as a
gentleman from New Orleans, an accidental &C
quaintance whom he had invited up to spend the
evening. Liquor was produced, and the New
Orleans party got very drunk-apparently Cards
were proposed. and gambling resulted. The host
won, and the drunken Individual lost largely put
he was 'onc OF the boys,n and was not at all "cut
mp" by mis- losses. lie made big showing OF money
and bonds, and lest recklessy. Macy always won,
with hint now and then from Mrs. Boyce.
A QUARREL SOON ENSUED
between the garnesters, and Mrs. B0yce told Macy
to leave. he lett, and then she began her opera
lions on the New orleans party by encouraging him
TO drink and urging him 10 stay the night with her;
he REUSED, and alter much dlicuty lett the house.
As he passed out OF the door the woman saw Macy
standing IN the street and following tue stranger
Macy returned with the bonds and money the
stranger had shown and the watch he had worn,
saying that he had Knocked him down In the burned
district and obtained the booty The woman be-
lieved the story and demanded as hare OF the pot.n
Macy said lie would have the bonds changed to cur
'rency In the morning and would divide with her
then. In the morning papers appear ed an item, as
reported from headquarters, concerning man by
the name the New orleans party had given, who
had been Knocked down and robbed the evening
previous. A man of Macys appearance was de-
scrbed as the assaant, and he read the item, with
the description, to the woman III the morning she
demanded
HALF THE BOOTY, OR WOULD "souEAL."
Macy was greatly alarmed and lett the mouse, re.
his appearance altered. he was cordially well
coined by Mrs. Boyce, but had not been In long
when policeman came in, ana was told Dy the
woman that Macy was "the man." Macy was then
formally arrested and taken TO the police station
where an understanding was soon arrived at and