The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1881-10-25
Conflicting Statements.

Some time last week gentleman Of the
Chicago bar by the name of w. s. johnson
was skirmishing around here protesting
himself to be law-partner to the famous
criminal lawyer, Emory A. Storrs, of Chi
cago, and intimating that that firm, or at
least lie himself, had undertaken to assist
Mr., Scoville to defend the miserable wretch
Guiteau. This report was promptly denied
by Mr.. Storrs through the press. We have,
however, before us copy of the National
Weekly of April 80, 1881, published in Chi
cago, Ill, in which Mr.. Johnsons portrait
and q short sketch of his life and career as
a criminal lawyer are given to the public
with view to make them anticipate q
brilliant career for Mr.. johnson, equal to
that of Mr.. Storrs, ifnot surprising It.
According to this sketch Mr.. johnson
seems really to DO law partner of Mr..
Storrs, for the latter did not deny It at the
time of its publication in the National
Weekly Now why does Mr.. Storrs take so
great pains to have the public believe that
he had never anything to do with Mr..
johnson? We shall see. There was also
certain gentleman from Chicago here last
week, who knows Guiteau WELL and believes
him to be some kind of crank, though
sufficiently shrewd and mentally healthy
to know what he is doing, and who was in
ClOsC lclcSIupulC WlUn r.
johnson while the latter was in New York
for tho purpose-as the Chicago gentle nan
expressed it-of drumming up witnesses to
prove Guiteau's insanity. Our informant
saw with his own eyes several kilograms of
Mr.. johnson to the Chicago gentleman so.
jOurning up to last Saturday night in
Washington, and questioned him about the
conflicting statements contained in the
sketch published in the National Weekly,
and Mr.. Storrs' denial. "Oh," said Mr..
Chicago, shat denial of Storrs' is all moon
shine. Only yesterday l saw telegram
| from Mr.. Storrs to Mr.. johnson, which read
about as follows For Gods sake, deny that
/ am law partner Of yours etc.
The Chicago gentleman referred to is q
well-known politician of an inferior rank
though ut election times very useful
worker among his class of patriots, and ha.
frequently been rewarded for his merits and
claims by appointment to subordinate posi-
tiOns under the Government. As above
stated he knew Guiteau we'll when the lat
ter was trying to mako himself solid with
the Labor League in Chicago some year,
ago, claiming that he possessed an immense
area of land in Michigan, which he would
dispose of for the benefit of the Labol
League and all that kind of stuff. Our in
formant is of the opinion that the Chicag,
man was here for the purpose of testifyinl
in behalf of Guiteau's or Scovilles insanit,
plea, and left the city when he thought tina
it would be to his disadvantage to testify il
that direction, and when the expectation o
handsome witness fees was spoiled by tn,
decision of Judge Cox.
Speaking of Mr.. Scoville, he said tina
this gentleman was not equal to the occa
sion, and that the case might turn out diff
ferently with the aid of Mr.. johnson, VIII
is considered a very shrewd and able law
yer, which he proved to be in two or thrc
of the most desperate and complicate
criminal cases tried in Cook County, Ill.
One thing is certain that the Chicag
would. witness was short of money an
did not get the money he expected by tele
graph from some source, for our informan
loaned him the funds necessary to return t
ChicapO