Daily Republican., 1880-10-27
FOURTH EDITION.
now J0nNsOH WAS .sRIoTED. {"
No Says He was Assaulted snd
made n Taykss OF Last Night
what 8ome other People SAY.

Made n TasEss OF Last Night
what ssne other People Say.
At Q late hour last night the sharp
reports Of pistol startled the people
living In the neighborhood Of Four
tsenth and Market streets, and caused
the rumor 10 be spread abroad that
another riot had taken place In the
city. Shortly afterwards Jesse Urmy
Johnson, dc facto inspector OF election
| In the Ninth ward, came into Q saloon
mp town, and In hurried tones told how
| he had been attacked by 0 band Of
oolcrsd nsn out Market street, who
opened fire upon him with rsvolvers
and tried to kill him.
This morning Johnson told about the
affair to . REPUBLICAN, reporter, saying
that he was passing out Market street
about IL O'Clock, quietly and soberly,
and when passing Fourteenth street,
two oslored men, who had evidently
been lying in wait fer him, rushed out
and one OF them exclaimed. ~ know
you urn Johnson" or johnson we've
got you now" With that they opened
hre upon him with pistols. He re.
turned their FIRE and they took to their
heels firing backward as they ran.
A REPUBLICAN, reporter learned that a
we'll known citizen Of the Ninth ward
had been going ont Market street, and
when passing the saloon into which
johnson came after the shooting, saw
him (JshnSon) coming out Of the plaos
with pistol In his hands. This " as
before the shooting occurred. Thil
gentleman walked out Market stl eel
some distance ahead Of Johnson and
saw no one lying In wait at Fourteenth
street. He says, however, that he heard
Johnson firing OF his pistol, whether al
some one or into the air he does moi
know. This gentleman Is certain there
was no exchange Of shots between John.
son and some one else.
II seems that after the shooting John.
son remained some time in that neigh.
borhood. According to information Sc
cured by the reporter from half dozen
people the actions Of the man who 10 "a
hold the Ninth Ward election were, 10
say the least, remarkable. A lady living
near says she heard johnson coming
down Market street, and, looking out Of
her bedroom window, saw him fire of
his pistol in the air number OF times.
Then he came down Market stree
and paused under the street lamp in
front Of Mr.. Charles Gabke's house, at
Fifteenth street, and loaded his pistol,
declaring In q maudlin tone that he
would kill any Republican who would
come out and say word. He did NOT
appear to have angry feelings sgainst
any colored men and did not talk as II
any one had assaulted him.
johnson appeared to be particularly ,
,desiIous Of wreaking summary ven.
geancs upon Mr.. Bnoch Townsend, but
his particular grievance did not appear.
He called hr. Townsend again and
again to come out that he might send q
bullet hissiDg through his heart.
While standing on the corner he fred
of one shot toward Mr.. Gabke's house.
All this time q number Of people had
been watching him. and saw no one else
in his neighborhood. A gentleman who
saw johnson FIRE the FIRST shot at Four
teenth street, declares that no colcred
men were around, and the only person
he saw besides Johnson Was q oolored
woman, who picked up her skirts and
ran in mortal terror for fear Of being
struck by q bullet from the de faoto
Inspectors pistol.
While johnson was still at Fifteenth
street Iaving for Republican blood and
Threatening to kill Mr.. Townsend, q
young man named James Conwell came
| up. Conwell 10 q Democrat, but when
he saw the condition in which johnson
was, he was fearful that he would shoot
him. Finally by dint Of oosxing and
informing him that he was "s Hancock
man and on his (Johnson's) sids." he
persuaded him to In measure abandon
his blood. thirsty intentions. Johnson
finally went back into town, and some
time afterwards was taken hsms by a
nephew Of Mr.. Townsend.
The REPUBLICAN reporter looked into
the case, knowing from Johnson's story
that the Democrats would make political
capital OF the affair and would mRintai
that colored men assaulted snd tried
to kill him toprevent him from holding
the election.
The above facts put far different
aspect upon the affair. One gentleman
n Democrat, said to the reporter: "Ths
man seemed much intoxicated and in ,
CONDITION to imagine almost anything
do not think he was assaulted BY any
one, but that he was rendered wild b.
drink. One thing certain is that h
was in no condition to give anything
like q correct account Of an assault
Ievsn II one were made upon him
which every one who saw him lie dis