Evening star., 1880-02-07
A Charge of Perjury Dismissed.

THE DIFFICULTIES BETWEEN JUDGE JOHNSON OF
THE WAR DEPARTMENT AND THE LAZENBY
FAMILY.
In the Police Court yesterday the case Of the
United States against Jasper w. Johnson came
up for hearing. The circumstances OF the case
are about as follows: In August, 1871, Judge JAS
per NJ. Johnson OF oregon, procured q warrant
at the Police Court charging one JAS NJ. Wilbur
with the larceny O1certain papers relating to
claims against the Government Of Mexico for
depredations committed by Mexican marauderS
on the Texan frontier, which papers were the
property of'hfm, the said Johnson. Wilbur was
arrested, and upon hearing before Judge
Mills who was on the bench, held for the grand
jury, and committed to jail in default OF bail
tice Wylie, who, upon a review OF the case, dis
missed the prisoner on account OF informality
in the papers. Subsequently, Wilbur was ar
rested on search warrant and another habeaS
corpus was sued out, but this time Justice
Wylie held that the proceedings were regular.
and remanded the prisoner. Afterwards and
them in the clerks office, the criminal proceed
ings were dropped. In July, 1879 Judge john
son was appointed to clerkship in the War
Department at salary of 800 per month, but
January, 1879, Mr.. McCrary, who was then
Secretary OF War; at the request of ,JGnnsou
appointed Thomas A. Lazenby. late secretary Of
The board OF police, 10 ekship in the quar-
termaSter Generals Office Shortly after MT.
Lazeney recer.ed the appointment, he being In
company Nth his son, Thomas j. LaZenby met
Judge johnson at the Ebbitt House, and, ON
separating, placed in his hands a sealed enVe-
lope, which, upon opening, Johnson found TO
contain $50 note. Some months after this
MI. LaZenby was removed from Office owing
to reduction in the clerical force. Then
charges were preferred against johnson by
Thomas.J Lazenby for alleged traffic in offices.
A committee OF investigation was appointed by
the Secretary. which fully eXonerated johnson,
who still holds his office. During that investf-
cation, the elder Lazenby admitted that ne had
given johnson S5O-whfch johnson never
denied-as present, but denied that it was iD
purs uance OF any contract, bargain, or previ-
grateful to johnson, and took this means of
showing his appreciation. 1t was supposed the
matter would end with the committees report.
but not So On Tuesday evening last Thomas j.
and upon his affidavit warrant was issued for
the arrest OF Jasper w. johnson, alleging that
Johnson had committed perjury before the
Police Court In 1877 In the Wilbur case. The
warrant was placed in the hands of an officer at
night, and he was urged to make the arrest
and lock johnson up In the station house but
THIS he did not do. The warrant was served on
WEDNESDAY morning, and Judge johnson imme-
diately appeared at the Police Court, but no
witnesses appeared against him, and he was re-
leased on his own recogntZance till yesterday.
Yesterday MT. Oliver, counsel for Mr. John
son. made brief statement, reciting the facts
TO the court as above, after which Mr.. Padgett,
for the prosecution stated frankly that he had
no evidence to sustain the charge in the war
rant, the time fixed In that paper being the
18th OF August, 1877, whereas the record shows
that the hearing In The police court took place,
on the 2sth OF August, In that year. The court,
Judge Smell, thereHpon dismissed the case
stating that the statute of Limitation he
thought would bar a prosecution to say moth
Ing OF other faults in the case, and that Mr..
johnson had his remedy now In a case, for
damages against Mr.: Lazenby, If he thought he
peared, Mr.. johnson went out OF court per-
fectly cleared or any taint Of perjury.