The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-26
@ E. Johnson's Examination by q
Sheriff's Jury.
wIFE'S /. TESTIMONY.
Medical Experts on the Phases
OF Epileptic Mania.

social POSITION the husband being tho son oil Charles
Johnson OF tho proprietors OF the Broadway and
Madison avenue stage line, and the vile The daughter
Of Roswell s. Benedict, wealthy retired merchant
living In Brooklyn, gave to the than usual
interest No reasonable could be found such
rashy murdcrous assault, except that the husband
vas Of unsound mind This theory directly
started and IT took confirmation the conanc-
mcnt Of young Johnson In the Bioomingdaie Lunatic
Asylum. The next step was TO have such alleged
lunacy judicnly settled aud II the theory could
20 sustained TO place the young man trial Tor his
heinous crime. As preliminary proceeding Judge
Donohue recently appointed Isaac Dayton, DR.. Will
lam g. Hunter and Bernard Smith commissioners to
investigate tho case, the examination, as usual in
such cases. 10 be conducted before sherif's jary.
Pursuant to this appointment tho commissioners
entered upon their investigation four r. n. yester-
day, In The occupied by Part !, Supreme Court
Circuit Sixteen jurors were chosen, comprising gen.
tlemcn OF well known experience In this cass Of cases
mrs. johnson, accompanied by her father, was
present. as also tho fathsr Of Mr.. johnson.
Young johnson, during most Of the time,
sat in M sdjoining room, in company OF an
attendant portion OF the time his wife sat With
him, but her efforts TO entice him into conversation
were unavailing. do SAT with downcast eyes, wore
gloomy, morose expression, and altogether seemed
picture OF abject melancholy. The proceedings in
Kings county, and General Benjamin Tracy
THH OPENING STATEMENT.
Mr.. Brtton made opening statement OF tho case,
giving epitomzed sketch OF young Job nson's
sareer up tho present time He said that rst he
vas promising boy, but that at an early age no
,yinced somnambulistic tendencies and ut night
would get up from bed and roam around the house,
10 sas % woua DC wno @ o. r.
lost health, aud before his marriage was In coD-
slant care q pnysician. These symptoms
hts parents dia not know that he ever
drank liquor He was kiad ami aaect.onato in dispo-
and mad no .ass' habits. Al the age Of puberty no
bad nervous difficulty Two years ago he became
aud alter family consultation married her against
the remonstrance OF mis- physician. Soon after his
parents noiiced that his Affection ior them was less
and moroseness. He was attached 70 his wife. but
even two weeks aftcr their marriage he would burst
into fits OF passion against her. Once, Tor instance
no suggested that So do fancy work. She did 50,
and he kicked the BASKET OF fancy work about The
he was crazy bu. the father shrank from accepting
ths TACT. Mr. Johnson would 90 down TO the Dase-
the face ana threatened 10 shoot hsr Finally she
became alarmed and went with her child, for pro-
lection 10 her iathsrs house IN Brooklyn. The hus-
band followed her there ana abused hor. She sought
room, and, finding he could no, g.. in, no went
nattred way, saying he wanted 10 see her for
moment, having no consciousness OF what he
Ss Ws,ea 10 always sensa Hs having aooo
when demonstrated with. For somc limo
ne been in a luEaiic asylum ana tbs medical sx-
would tong continue 50, y ne ever recovered. ftAs
iai STATEMENT yoHNsoNs rATHxR a.st
Mr. Charles Johnson, the father, was lno first wit
ness cxalniucd He sale his son was twenty years of
age last December HIS heath has been poor all his
HE. he Womb get w ~, night aud 10 around ghe
house in great distress, and wncn spoken 10 would
promise 10 be a good boy. Next day he would
tion Of what happened. This conunued from ms
fourth year 10 lew years ago He vas married u
had temperate and demonstrated with wit
ness Tor bav,ng wine on tho liable, and Dcysr USED
proane language until after bis marrisge when he
began 10 nave outbursts OF temper, and his wo
pinincd that he tgas becoming more violent SAID
she thought Charley was wrong ~ The head. He has
always suffered from palm In MS head, and ms school
teacher, Mr. Charter, said he was du about learning
and had no memory. Hlaf Eff f.s#H Hafus
The wigs STORY.
tho young wife caIIea 20 the witness
stand. She was dressed IN PLAIN tsck, and u wns
with difficulty she could, DO tnaucea 70 talk ioua
enough heard by the Jury Shs told over IN de-
tsi tins story ~ published In tho HERALD following
Tho attempt on her lie she said sne
sbont i've years ago; thai tho acquain, anco
ripened into strong mutual Affection tnst they
three their married lie her HUSBAND treated
her WIN almost uniform Kindness except when IN
occasional ontburs's 81 passion no would swear
~ her. Sho rectcd various instances Of
his nyipg INTO passion wilnouI any
cause Tor ". On such OCCASIONS he would proaue
language and call her odious names and strike her
and when remonsirntsd with atisrward he had no
RECOLLECTION Of IT, she added that after hrs pas
outburss no kind ana loving ana seemed TO have
utterly forgotten his harsh trcam cnt OF her snc
told u has getting up ono night after gong
70 oea ana ssar"ng 70 Leave tue house. when
him 10 come back, upon which he thrcatenod
70 shoot her. shc said she would often Ind HIM In
his room talking To himself and wildly eersiculating,
anu that although she spoks to him would pay no a.
teniion 70 her Tor several minutos when no would as
lethougb nothing had happened out Of the usual
way. AZ times he would take his revolver
NY ,se,as.o" 20 SHOOT her Occasionally as night
no would complain VI severe pain tho top OF MS
head, ana she would TIC up hs head with = banker
chci. She said that when these Hts on hin he
looked Wild. auu his face, enifofmy rosy, VAS paie
AND his hair seemed lighter than a. other ,mes She
never knew OF his drinking intoxicating liquors.
The rast of her story comprised n recital OF her
complaints TO BITS father and hsr father OF MS harsh
scss finally beng PEELED In seiprotection to
OF his nnaI attempt 10 tax Q. nor ii by
vhootibg her with revolver IL was most pathetic
MS.y .1n IN that sne I nsa w, sae
unSA the shooting. but that no had recollection CT
going to her iatnsls house ON the day Of the snoot
Ing.
STRANGE VISITOR
Mr.. George shepherd, psrincr Of Mr.. johnson, sr,
young johnson from the time OF his blrh; tna. he
never considered him very bright, and that
no aptitude n ior business; BE- gave nam credit how
that \ lew summers ago, being OUT Of health,
young johnson was sent to the house Of air.
Lockwood NJ Longridge. Conn, 10 spond few wesks,
hoping to pcncnt his health, After the nrst night
johnson began 10 got ~ In the night ana about
tho house IN manner that was a. oncc incxpIoaule
and alarming They finally locked HIM securely IN
bis room, alter which he could be heard waking Tor
hours, and always when spoken TO about his strange
conduct had no recollection OF H.
rHE rArnxR.Is-LAwss STATEMENT.
M Benedict rccei now his daughter complained
Of her husbands unkinu treatment Of her, ana how
no talked With his father about tho matter and how
they 10th demonstrated WITH The young man. They
oil finally concluded that not In his right
mind, but Tor all that neglected TO have him cx-
Bmined by physician. lie told OF the shooliug
sGar az his house, ana said that whom young Jonn.
called no let him In, ana noticed nj The time n
strangely Wild expression In bis eyes such as he had
never seen before.
THE MEDICAL TESTIMONY
Dr. Jamos W. Ranuey Testified that on the 18TH of
last January, ~ the request oi Johnsons arhsr he
together with his brother, Dr. ". W. Rsnncy aud Dr.
Drake, made examination oil aim at the Blooming.
dale Lunatic Asylum; tho examination lasted abonl