The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-03-16
COnfeSsing to Having Killed Eight Per-
sons in Cold Blood.
SCHOOL GIRLS BUTCHERED.
A Canadian Charged with Waylaying and
Staying Two Victims.
EXECUTION OF AUGUSTUS JOHNSON
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

Augustus johnson, convicted or the murder OF
Daniel Afford, a negro ferryman. a most heartless
and wholly unprovoked crime, paid the penalty OF his
offence on tho gaows hero to-day in tho
presence OF $1,000 spectators. He had been
confined tor safety in the Atlanta Jail and
was brought back to this city Sunday.
On yesterday Johnson cursed his sister wife, who
crying in his cell, and ordered thcm 10 leave,
saying that II they wanted to cry they had better cry
TO Governor Coiqutt, where It might do good.
Later he entertained the Atlanta Sherin with mimck
ing the Atlanta aier who is noted for his peculiarly
On leaving him he asked him to come down that night
and bring bottle OF whiskey with him, and they
would have good time. Two Catholic priests, one
from Atlanta and the other from Dalton, spent the
morning In jail with him.
FOR RUN.
At ten O'Clock he refused TO loave the Jail un-
less they carried him or gave him morphine The
physician attending compromised the case by giving
him qunne They then had to bribo him with
drink TO got the rope around bis neck. He lett tho
jail with cigar In his mouth and talked with the
Sheriff trivial matters until they reached the glib
bet While the Catholic priests were talking to him
Mr. Lawrence, evangelist street preacher, up
aud told Johnson that he wanted to talk to him on
spiritual matters Tho Atlanta priest nererod at this
iuncture telling Lawrence that Johnson had made his
selection aud had appointed him his spiritual ad
viser and that his interference piece OF imper
Thence. The evangelist, pointing TO largo poster
placed conspicuous place about the head Of tho
crowd, which read, "The blood OF Jesus Christ. the
Son Of God, ceanseth from all SIM" said, ''ur. John
son, there Is whore you must put your trust" and
then Withdrew. Johnson asked Tor something to
drink. and the priest gavo him bottle
Of holy water, which he tasted and then
throw 1t under tho gallows, saying that
he thought II was gin. The priests begged him
to say his prayers but he refused until they would
glvo him drink. They finally consented aud ho re.
peated tho prayers alter them. Or being refused
moro liquor he sent for Judge Underwood, and as q
last request begged for whlskcy which tho Judge
him.
on THE DEATH TRAP
He then assembled the scanod smoking cigar
SO SO sna as0 ne could sec what cor. tney had
smile, GAN right" johnson up to his death seemed
be thinking solely about bodily comforts, taking
cigars from the time he jail Bong asked il
he had anything to say, ne said
81 want evsrybo here TO hear me. The people arc
as thick straws IN . haystack aud know have
friends in this crowd tha! come here to rescue mel
has boon kind to me, and he and his deputy my
friends, and requested INN TO hang me II mud to DO
executed"
MURDERS CONFESSED
He confessed TO four murders The Squire Foster
murder case ne said, his father compromised by pay
Ing tho solicitor General s25. He then started to tell
VINO was with when he killed Foster, but friend
on the scanold nduced him not TO say anything about
them
All tho time he talking he held Catholic cross
in his hand. Whom they tied his hands he dropped II
and asked for II again, and kept IL until fell
through tho trap When the moose was adjusted he
asked permission to tie the Knot himsolf Ho then
made tho sheriff lengthcn the rope so that he would
drop seven feet instead OF i've lie was then NOS
satisfied until the doctors assured him that II would
break his neck He said he didn't want TO take auy
chances being choked TO doath.
NOT TO he BLINDED.
He begged the Sheriff not TO pull tho black cap
his head, because he wanted to sec what was
arc YOU going 10 do 20 jenkins replied. "Yos1
He said, 'Al right" and In another moment tho
trigger sprung and nc diod In about twelve MIN
utes from strangulation.
rnx or A BRUTE
Hc made no alusion to spiritual affairs on the gal
lows but declared the day before that no had no h1pe
for the future and that no only joined the church TO
please tho priests, who had been kind to him. HIS
remains will DO carried to Chattoga county tomor-
row.
MoNsTERs CARRIER.
johnson native Of this state, highly and
respectfully connected twenty six years Old married.
and the father Of child. From boyhood he led q
Wild lite, udulging a hory temper which brooked no
slightest provocation. He was identified win band
Of roughridcrs who were the terror OF this section
Of the state, he openly boasted OF his murders,
morating cight OF them. giving the details with m
air Of absolute sosasiaclion. Ono OF these was tho
killing OF Squire Foster, sick man, whom he shot In
bed and thcn hacked the body In pieces with sabre
He also boosted that occasion at camp meot-
call him .'Daddy' which enraged him. lilo lured tho
baby into tho bushes ut ngbtiaIl and cut lis throat,
He asserted that he subsequently used pieces OF the
babys fesn Tor FISH bait
MS LAST CRIME.
johnson was riding through the country carrying
hts gun and pistol, with which be invariably
armed, one morning. Ho had bottle OF whiskey
with him, and seems to have executed sort OF
royal ride through the rural districts, ravishing
watermelon patches, catching stray negroes and
making them march In front Of his horse
crowd negro school children collected the bank
OF tho near him. On the other side WAS the
Afford, and TWO friends standing the bank John.
son shouted to him. "Brlng that boat over here"
AU orqv Damn s i1;' ns boa.
you wan. me s. boat brought l., faster sto1
Afford was about TO move the boat, when his friend
called to HIM to 'look out" Ho glanced across the
guI and was aiming II directly at him. Ho ap.
pears not TO havc thought johnson was going
tho ieveIlod barrels, and Afford fell a corpse
across tho rope OF his boat. His negro friend, who
the report but. as acrward confessed II was only
through excitement. Johnson lo,tcred about tho
oe s ron nys ana mud vv
Of difficulty with tho ferryman--in fact, II was
doubtful " no had ever seen him before.
EXECUTION OF JOSEPH LApAGE--THE MUIR
DERER OF JOSIE LANoMAID AND MISS BALL
CoNFEssEs HIS GUILT-sCENEs AT TIE
SCAIFOLD.
CONCORD, N. H., March Is, 1873.
At nino minutes past eleven O'Clock to-day the body
OF Joseph Lapago was swung from tho scaIod Of the
State Prison In this city for two OF the most hcnous
crimes recordthe murder. outrage and mu,ilation
OF josie LaDgmaid, at Pembroke, and OF Marietta
Ball, at ST. Adams, Vt--both OF which no
confessed before his death. About ono hun
dred visitors allowed to witness tho execution
Tho march OF death was led by sheriff Dodge and
brought up In the by the good Fathers Barry aud
Miet', tho latter offering up prayers in the meantime
for the rcposc OF tho soul Of tho miserable wretch
soon to be sent into eternity. Upon arriving at the
narrow door which opened directly up to tho
scafIold the shorIn paused for a fow mo-
ments while tho uriests adn tho final CON