Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-24
The Johnson-Joho.on Murder Trial


To-day, In the Criminal Court. Judge James,
the trial Of John Silas Marshall Johnson q
young white man charged with the murder of
James E. johnson, colored. on the 29th of
March, 1880. on 14th street, above street, was
resumed-Messrs Corkhiu and Perry for the
government and Messrs. q. B. Williams and F.
ID. Falls for the accused. Mr.. Coos, the senior
counsel TOR the accused was still absent on
applicants for admission to the court room.
but under the direction OF the court there
were Out few admitted.
Nh. PERRY OPENED fHE CASE
for the government, stating that after DELAY
Of Zine months the government YVES az last
ready to presentthts ctse for trial. He referred
to tie responsibility resting upon the jury, for
by their verdict they were To say whether the
prisoner should live or die; and to the county,
be slain In the public streets with impu-
nis5. He then, by the aid OF map,
pointed out the location Of the parties, and
described the prisoner with ClerKson, Finn, Nor
Ills and two others passing up l4Lh street beyond
the place OF the hOmicide. and Johnson return
lug, against the advice Of some OF the Others,
after a few words, drew pistol and shot
the deceased, VINO uied about one hour and
hall a1ter"aTds He remarked that from the
evidence he ex pected q plea or insanity would be
1DteIpcsed. al d he said that this was q common
defe c. with all whose cases were desperate.
[Mt. Willia,Ds.-''Thati Is only one branch of the
!
tLele welt-he toak only that OF record. In
conclusion. he u'gsd them, II they consclent1-
tusl! believed, afJer the evidence Was in, he
Was Lot guilty, they should let MIN go free.
THE TESTIMONY.
The first witness was DR.. H r. Bigelow who
testified that he attended the deceased. he
found wound and depressed fracture Just
atoye the right angle Of The right eye, and a
smaller one above 1t made by splint from the
| bali A portion o. the brain was oOzag from
| the Low er wound. Drs Ramsey and Blair sub
sequently came In. Death was caused by shock
and hemorrhage.
| Mr.. Per1y.-What caused thesee
| Or: Blgelow.-The entrance OF foreign body
into the brain.
Mr.. Perry.-What was that foreign body?
DR.. B.-A ball-a comparatively small one
not such one as / would attribute to a
musket.
DR.. Bigelow then described the post mortem.
In which 1t was found that the ball passed
upwards through the front brain and was
| tmteoded near the junction or the fore and
hind brains. The hemorrhage was probably
from the cerebral artery. Deceased he thought
was large man, nea: six feet in height, and
| Well built.
DR.. j. French Hartigan testified as to the
| autopsy, showing pistol shot opening over the
| eye as also smaller ene which did not pene.
trate the skull, but the scalp only, the former
| having CAUSED death.
Mr.. Mary Ann johnson. mother of the de-
| ceased, testified that she lived adjoining her
| son on Samson street. near 14th; that she saw
| him about So O'Clock, some 10 minutes before
uc was huOl. NeAJ 6aW Nun WneQ ne was
| brought In the house and laid on the floor.
Christian NJ. Pearce testified that he was a
| witness before the cOrOner's inquest: that he
has known the accused for six years; knows
| ClaTkson, but 0Oe5 not know where
| he is; knew also John Finn, Frederick Cook,
| Turner Hickman and Richard Norris, and by
sight knew deceased. Met the accused at
ClaTk's grocery store, 1906 l4tn street, about 21
| O'clock on the day of the occurrence. Mr..
| Clark was there and MIR. C!arkSOn also; re
NAMED there Is TO 80 minutes and drank
| some beer: went out l4th street to defendant g
house, between and w streets; then went to
| the stand-plpe, on 18th; to T and 14th street.