The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-03-30
n Chattno1a county had IL horse >to

in rhattno1a county had horse >to
len and offered $25 reward for the
horse and SO for the thief. \ few
d,,> after the reward wa. offered
Johnson called on Mr.. Wheeler with
til" horse and claimed the reward
After settling about the reward fo,
the horse. johnson demanded the re-
ward for the thief, showing hat with
two bnllet holes through it. and pull
in" a human ear from his vest pocket
he said Il r"u(d not bring the thief.
but to show yon that | hay" killed
him, here is his ear and his hat A
day or two afterward Il dead body was
found in small creek in Chattonga
county, near the Alabama line. with a
heavy rock tied about his neck, the
bowels cut open and the ear cut off.
Mr.. Wheeler being called on, r"du-
crd the ear that johnson had given
him. and it was found to fit the head
Of the dead body exactly. His last
murder, and the one that lie was tried
for, was for killing a negro Daniel
Olforl) at Kings ferry, in Floyd conn.
ty. The circumstances were AZ fol-
lows: He came to the ferry drunk
and called t" the negro to bring over
the ferry. The negro replied that he
wonld az soon as he got ready. Gus
replied "1'm not in the habit Of taking
sans from Il negro" and raised |.
double. barrelled shot gun and shot
the negro across the river, 100 feet
wide, killing him almost Instantly
Gus walked to his brotler.in laws,
and told him and several Of having
killed the negro. Though he took NJ
precaution to avoid arrest, except ia
60 heavily armed, he was not arrest
ed for several weeks. At Last he ven
tnred to log rolling, where 200 OF
3n0 men had gathered, he says for the
purpose of seeing some friends Of his
and making preparations to throw the
Mill Valley pay train off the track and
rob it, then E" to Texas. When he
came up his friends advised him to
leave, telling him il he did not he was
certain to BE- arrested. He replied, 81
don't think there are many men l.,
this section who are anxious to com
nit suicide by attempting to arrest
me-" They nevertheless arrested him
and he was tried and found guilty fo,
this offense.
The murderer preserved his cool.
ness until the last. He entertained
his friends Thursday evening by mi
micking the Atlanta sheriff, aud tel.
ling racy jokes. He slept quietly
having drank a good deal. The priest
spent the morning with him. When
ordered to 60 to the scaffold he rein
sed to leave bis cell unless they gave
him morphine. Being fooled with
quinine, he went out smoking cigar
He joked all tho way with the sheriff
and smiled and nodded at the bystan.
ders. Reaching the scatf"ld, he refn'
sed to 60 up till he had taken drink
of whisky. While taking it a street
evangelist approached him aud asked
him about his soul. The priest order
ed the evangelist off, saying johnson
had chosen him tor his advisor. The
evangelist pointed solemnly to a big
card On which was printed "The blood
Of Jesus cleanses all sins," and said
"Mr. johnson, this.is the time," and
withdrew. The cuIprit went up the
scatfotd with a drunken swagger
smoking cigar. After looking at the
crowd he asked that the box be lifted
from the coffin 80 he could see it. HI
said, THAT coffin is pretty good" HI
then asked for the judge that senten-
ced him and told him his last reqnes,
was for one more drink. The judge
consented. The priest handed him
holy water. He tasted it with al
oath and threw it under the scaffoId
HI said he thought it was gin. He
then made speech In a defiant way,
confessed to killing four men, and
closed BY saying: "This crowd looks
like straws in a hay stack. I wish
somebody would count them fit don't
take too long" He resisted the nd
justment of the moose, but finally con.
sented if they would lot him tie il
himself. He held cross in his hand
while he made a confession. Wher
he was tied again he again asked fol
it, and died with it in his hand. HI
made no profession of religion. HI
requested that the black cap be dis
pensed with. When he saw that tn.
drop was only rive feet he insisted
that the rope should he lengthened.-
1t was made seven feet. He then ask
ed the doctor if that wonld break til,
neck. He was very much afraid o
strangulation.
The drop fell at las. He died il
seventeen minutes of strangulation.-
In the confession johnson said h,
knew he had friends in the Grove
prepared to rescue him. He sale
there was no use trying it. Severa
alleged confessions were peddlet
about the grounds after the hanging
The crowd was estimated at l5,OOt
people. Excursion trains rat from al
quarters. There were few disturban
ces. johnson asked to b. hung at l,
80. He wanted to get to the mex
world by dinner time. He had had
light breakfast.