The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-03-28
A WHITE MAN HUME FOR KILL,
ING A NEGRO.
A Desperate Who Had Committed
Eight Murders.

iNkht @H"'NNies
Rome, Ga, March ld,--This rapid little
city WAS packed on Friday with the larg>
est crowd that ever gathered within is
limits. The occasion that brought It TO,
gethcr was the execution Of Augustus
johnson. which has Just taken place II il
roughly erimatod that twenty thousand
people were in the city nj one o'clock on
Friday.
Augustus johnson Us about twouty-ai
years OF age, By his own confession lac IA
the slayer OF eight persons, all OF whom b,
killed ia violation OF law, with one posi-
bic exception. lie WAS hung yesterday
Tor the murder ot Daniel Afford, colored
being tho hrs. white man ever hang ir
Georgia Tor the murder ola negro John,
son relatives claimed that ho MAS insane
and Indeed a verdict of insanity MAS enc,
returned against htm by jury. lie wat
confined Ia tho State LunAGic Asylum
from hich he escaped.
The Crime aud Arrest.
The testimony shows that On the morn,
iug OF the murder be Was riding thIousl
tho country. lie Was in unusually lin,
spirits. a. several witnesses who met him
just before the murder testified Al length
he reached the ferry, and found the boat
on the opposite side H. dismountcd from
his horse and called 70 the forrymAn, Dan,
iol Afford. 10 bring the boat over 4 num-
Der Of negro school children and one OF
two white men were standing near him on
the banks uf the river. Al kls command
the negro irrryman LETT companion with
whom he Was talking, and started 10 the
boat johnson ordered him 20 hurry
up The negro replied. III you want
the boa. any quicker than I'm goiag to
bring il over, you had better come and
fetch /. yourself johnson made some
reply and took hold OF his gun. The FER.
ryman cried "Don't fool with me with
that gun lie then turned % loose the
boat, when his companion called to him 10
look out. Ho turned aud discovered that
johnson was leyeling his gun n. him. Be
s-.l -, =. ~, -. - -
the boat mortAlly wounded. His c0mpAu.
ion, it MAS thought al lrsl, Was also wound.
l, a.. 5f.r,ys,.l .c..,.-I
hat 'hs MAS only through eAei.sment
t.... J,Au,ru had duug the shooting. ht
......... ....n,,..t -. -. -, - .gr
..t..... Tim, 49, -. -. -,
.... ......i.. .,.,-,.t,,,l Ill &C.
...........r -. A. A. '''
aa ...-aaan,o shortly ancruard. he
ss..a ..u il Ae thought his gun would
a..a . u ayr.a, tar f.Yer. adding III i.
a.... St.. at4.,I uigger, Tor | sho, one
..a. .t ... 'grry awhile ago" lie pro.
..s.s. .... lo unr would dare 10 arres,
... .hy .ricrrs we're all afraid ofhlin.
a cqUrn,!y took his time In making
ats Arran Rsmenu 20 leave the ccua,y Tor
Texas. One day. shortly amer the mur,
der a lig Iog,To.iiHg was in progress. the
saur,a be.ns IA attendance, when johnson
quietly walked into the crowd lie War
heavily armed. Some oi his friends beg,
sed him 10 - away, add ng that be would
certainly be arrested lie declined Il
leave, adding ,ha. any man that attempt.
q 10 arrest him vas looking Tor certain
death. The SAeria however, summon
ca the crowd A. a posse, and surrounding
johnson. demanded his surrende-. See,
!ng that ho could hope f1r nothing In 4,
eoH,es, v..h such odds. johnson ,arrsp,
IeEed.
The Day Befbrs the Hapsip,
J.b,.., ~. .,-;r... O.. h.-t
r3ti.h.T. - - - -
10, - -. 80 = '''A'
.s,. ,.w.,,,,.4;.,t,IT..'--S't'., 80 -. =.
10 us N'A"
OF committing saiefas ~. ,y-..ir,,- 80
nd sister ys,,eraav in nj. cell f,,e.v;,,
and drove them ou, II, ,o,s,,.i,.l ~
friends All n. evening bv r,i,r,,g,,n a.
Atlanta Sheriff and ,ell,ge y,rv i,l., u
ep. Quietly having s,.,k 81 a..
Priests .peB, The mo-,i,y vI,b t,,, =.
when ordered 70 20 10 the ,r,aeIJ h, :.
fused 10 leave hl, esIl miles, .y.t..
morphine. Being fooled With oui,ig. =.
went su, ,..ktns. r.,.- y,s.a IN a..
way with tho sheriff and .,,ils3 - "a
asa q, The bva,nd.-. R.sshir. ~.
scatro!d he refused to r,Y,rpl b.E.5
drink Of wbi.kev. whil, ski,.,, g..
eyapreli,, apnrossbeB him sr8 .,g.4 A..
about hi. soul The n,io., o-ls,.5 -,
evangelist OF. saving Johnson baa rbo.s,
him as hi. adviser. The evanrclis, po,n,.
= a ..4.....s g..