National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-22
THE JOHNSON HOMICIDE.
Opening Proceedings in the CrIHainai
s,ourt-Five Jurors Obtained Yesseasa:s.

!
/ After many delays and frequent p0StponencntS
the trial of John Silas Marshall Johnson. indicted
I for the murder of James Johnson, cOored was
! commenced in the Criminal C0u7t Yesterday bc-
fore Justice James. District-AttoFney Corkhi!I and
his assistant. Mr.. r. Ross Perry, appeared for the
| Government, and MessFS. \. B. Williams and +. II.
! Fall for the defendant Colonel William 4 C5,k
is the senior counsel for the accused. but has not
sufficiently recovered from his recent iiIness to
leave his house and consequently the case had 20
proceed 10 trial without him.
The alleged murder was committed on the 10th
of March last on Fourteenth street, near p within
ten PAGES OF the store formerly occupied by George
Philip iirth, the victim of the noted IIirth muir
der. The accused and five Young white men who
had been drinking, were walking on the street
and passed the deceased. who was watching u boy
put i'll coal The white Johnson turned and asked
/ the c0lOCed Johnson why he had brushed against
him. Johnson, colOTed, denied that he had done
so. Johnson white. then rejOin2d his party, but
had not proceeded far before he turned and re-
traced his steps despite the persuasion of his
friends, When he got back TO where the colOred
Johnson was standing he drew pistol and fired
the ball entering the left forehead Of the deceased
and causing death.
The difficult task of securing jury to try the
cause was begun promptly OFT the cOnvcnIn; OF the
court yesterday. The regular panel Of twcnty-six
men was soon exhausted, with the following re-
suit Aceepted-MeSSrs. August Nickel, John Barr,
Hugh c. Derinc, Daniel smith, aud John Ii.
Mitchell. Expressed all ODiHiOl-McssrS. E A.
Ridgway Richard Fullalove. William Ferguson
Thomas A. Cant AMI Eugene p Miner Excused
by the cOurt-McsSrS. Robert :. Hulsc and John I.
saheIl. Challenged By the Goyernment-NIessrs.
Charles T. Smith, Norman 4. Fowler, William K
Cady, Henry Koch, and Henry HcfcTau. ChaI-
lenged By the dafen>e-AIcSSrs. George W GoodaII
Thomas Wise. George Washington. John W H.
Brown, john NJ. d. Wilson, William Clark. John
II. Brown, john =. Chesney. and William H.
Tucker.
The court directed fifty talcsmen to be drawn
from the box, and. i'll order T. give the marshal
time 20 summon them, said that recess would be
taken until two O'Clock.
Mr.. Williams said that he should ask that The
entire fifty be i'll court before the examination as
to their competency was commenced.
Upon reasSembiing after the recess the marshal
announced that thirteen of those summoned had
| responded.
Colonel COrkhill inquired OF Mr.. Williams if he
intended to insist upon his point that all the tales
men be present. Mr.. Williams said that the court
had ordered fifty name 70 be drawn from the box.
and fifty taie men be brought into court and they
must be there before the examination commenced.
Colonel C,:k!:iil replied that he did not wish to
argue the cas-, but wished 10 know if the point
was insiSedupon
By consent of both sides NessrS. L. c. Bishop,
Thomas J. s. Perry, and Richard Henderson were
excused from service.
Ii being impossible to get all the talesmen into
court that afternoon. an adjournment was taken
until this morning. and The five accepted jurors
were sent to the National Hotel under the charge
of bailifs Dorsey and Douglass