, 1879-01-03

4 MYSTERIOUS MURDER.

~ nj 18IElk1OuS MURDER
8pteid' Dtspafth to Tbs 7ffaanx. ii.
JoNEsNoHo, Ca, Jan. "A case OF thrilling
interest has just come into tho Georgia Courts,
involving most horrible murder. In the edge
Of clayton County thcre lived widow over 80
years OF aye, named Farmer, ucli-to-do anI
highly respectable. With her resided her two
daughters, both unmarried. On the 13ti, day OF
October, two mtu. who were working In d field
ncar her house, came Into the yard at asout 9
o'clock In the afternoon, and wont to the well
to get kotne water. As they passed tho house,
tho old lady-a perfect picture pf peace and con-
tentment-wAs sitting In the door, knitting, and
enjoying the sunshine. They had hardly been
in tile field at huur when they heard piercing
SCREAMS, and saw smoke ascending, In the tfirec-
OF the house. They hurried to tho ssene rs
In 1amcs. bursting open the door. they
discovered to thelr horror tte body Ut the old
lady pro.tratc uron tho floor, her skull bcnc
crushed in. pools Of blood settled about her
hca.i, and bloody az lying ncaF. A glance
was sufficient to show that sue was deAl and
I'D been murdered. Several chesta aud trunks
ID the room had been rItcd, and their contents
scattered over the floor. There wa no living
daughter, Who waa scscaming In frantic way
ior help Upon being questioned, ahc stated
that she had been away from tue house for ~
ons Ct aa npoah oana the
sister missing. A number Of netRhbofs having
arrived by this time, search was Instituted for
the missing girl. In short time sue was dia-
near tho hoase. @ .' she was iyne upon % Rsr " fscc,
.unconscl0us, with \ horrible Wuund-evidcntty
nlado BY isatchet-!n tho back OF the head.
She was carried to tho house, and was soon aolo
to talk, but could give TO tntcllgb10 account
of what Ind happened.
The excitement YVES Intense, and Nj. Murphy
IN Atlanta dceoctivc, vAs at oucc sent for aud
put to work. There was no apparent clue an1
suspicion. went wild. In day or two Mr. Muir
ply, to the amazenent Of the community, ar-
rested a tho murdercsa Julia johnson, an elder
ly aud hitherto respectable colored woman
After tue arrest, however, he brought In chain
Ut ctrcumstantiai evidence that was almost con-
vlnctng. 1t appears that the day after the n1ur-
der this woman went to Atlanta and spent In
shopplnE an anouEs Of money for tho posscs~
slon OF Wlich eie could not acconht, aud tho
amount u which very ne.rly tailed .x'sh what.
was known 10 hare been Atolen from tho house.
Thero was also found In her house some
1aTs q sugar and tea identified as hay
juila's cabin wa found, hit buried In tho
woods, Grcss OF hers, on which wefe spots Of,
blood. Upon being confronted with the no-
Rress, tho wounded girl At onco said that bhc
was sitting In tho houae with ner mother, when
Jusn johnson entered, and, nfter talking
while. askcd ller to 20 to the woods With her
aud get some cl,cFry-bafk. 4ho consented, aud,
"AEN aA0 fEuCuEV tllU HQuubt WA4 WHlAlHE
In front OF the nc0ress, Suddenly sns had 4
confused iuen OF haYluR been struck With sono
Instrument, and thereafter rcnuphgrs tlothluG
more The detectives theory IL, that, after
having 10 this manner cnticed tho Elrl awayf
aud. as sho supposed, murdered her, julia re-
turned, murdered tho old lady, and robbed tho
house
Upon these proofs being made, arrangements
wera nIude to lynch the prtaoncr,--lt being pro-
posvd to tuke her from the train at the next
8tatlou, Al she was en- route to AtlAnta+ This
plan was frustrated bv Solicitor Illll, who In.
ducod tho conductor to pass the station without
atopp!ng. Tho husoand Of tho woman and heg
]rteuda tnslst upon her innocence, aud have eu-
sttOu1 theory Of defense, and claim to ba able
to put the guilt where II belongs. Altogether,
the case promises to bo = celebrated case III
Georgia courts,