River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-02-26
MURDER WILL OUT.
what "A Guilty Conscience Brought
About.

A young Swede walked into the police
headquarters at st. Paul few days ago,
and inquired for the Chief That gentle
man responded in person and be then re-
quested secret interview. The parties
retired to the private sanctunl, where
they we're closeted for a considerable
time, keeping the reporters and other out
sidcrs on the dragged edge After some
time the door was opened, and the Chief
made his appearance, but declined for
some time to render any information
relative to the private caucus, After
some time, however, he thawed out, and
furnished the following particulars to a
reporter of the DIsPATCB.
lie said that when he went into his
private room he was knocked into a
cooked hat metaphorically by the open
ing sentences Of his visitor, who said
"Chief, am come to surrender myself to
you. committed murder in New York
some years ago and cannot rest" The
Chiefs eyes sparkled. He thought he
was on the track OF the athan murderer
sure, and visions Of those twenty-five
thousand dollars which are awaiting the
discovery Of the perpetrator Of that crime
doomed up before him; but these visions
were ruthlessly dispelled by the next few
words which fell from the self.accused
murderer's lips.
The Chief asked him to give the par
ticulars of the murder and he made the
following statement:
81 came to this country in the year
1857, and got work in the book bindery
of Smith x Miller, l8 North William
Street, New York, and boarded in Vande-
water street; my name is George John
son, native of Sweden. Sometime in
October or November of that year, after
had been about three months in the
country, | went down one evening to the
battery for a walk. Returning thought
| would pay a visit to friend Of mine re-
siding on Rector street and went up West
street on the North River for that pur-
pore; had money about me, and walked
along the river bank. | had proceeded
but short distance when | met q man
who attacked me without any provoca-
ton, suppose to rob me. We had a
fight and cenched, when | got
him down. lie had hold Of
my ClOLDes Out Il managed
to shake him loose and then rolled him
into the river. After throwing him into
the river ran away, and did not tell
anybody word about it. | did not
know who the man was, and have never
heard since. The thing has preyed on
my mind ever since, and cannot get any
sleep; so thought | would come here
and Civ, myself up. have been in this
city for about six months, working as a
laborer, and boarding at the st. Thomas
Hotel, on Rosabel street.
Subsequently newspaper reporter in
terviewed johnson, who repeated the
same story to him without any variation.
lie was perfectly collected, spoke fair
English, aud made himself perfectly in.
telligible. He said he had been sick
some time ago with rheumatic fever, but
that it had not affected his head at
all. He never intended to kill this
man, and what he done he had done in
seli-deiense. lie Delieyeu the man Would
have robbed and killed him if be had not
killed him.
The Chief found he had an elephant on
his hand, and thought the best thing he
could do with the man would be TO send
him to the county Jail until he underwent
q medical examination