Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-07
The JOhAs0n-J OhnsOn Murder Trial


son, q young white man, for the murder OF
James E. Johnson, colored, on the 18th of
March last. was resumed-Messrs Corkhi1 and
Jerry Tor the government, and MeSsrs. Cook,
Williams and Falls for the defence.
The sick juror, Mr.. Divine, came IN with the
olners, looking rather Ill. and the court heard
| statement rom DR.. Sheckels, TO the effect that
ne regarded Mr.. DiVtne's present condition such
| although one more days further rest might be
| beneficial. Mr.. Divine said that he never felt
stronger In his lite, and felt that he was COM
| petent TO hear the testimony. The court decided
| that the trial should proceed.
A Da1li1 here placed large easy chair for
Col. Corkhill beside Mr. Perry, who remarked,
| man On each side OF me- (auuding 70 Dol. Cook,
| who was sick for some days In the early part of
the Trial, and Col: Corkhill, who was quite Ill
| last week.. Mr.. Wllliams-"I am glad that all
seem to be conValescing, and hope 1t won't
| spread any further down the line
| Mrs. Margaret A. Johnson, the mother of the
| accused. was sworn, and testified that her sou
John was twenty years OF age last April; that
| when he was four years OF age he was badly
| frightened, and after that.he was very excita-
| Die. When six years OF age he had a suustroke,
which connned him 20 the house Tor four weeks,
| and this affected his mind still further. Pre-
yious 10 this he had fall which injured his
/ own family, but there was insanity in NJ.
Johnsol5 famtly-an uncle of BIS Chas john
| SOD, OF Baltimore. and cousins, E:izabeth k3t-
| linOeck and Chester Johnson, OF Cumberland
| Nd. She had also heard that two aunrs OF NJ
| Johnson were deranged. She remembered I'll It
about the time OF the Htr;n murder
that on the Sunday afterwards he rsrasei
to eat. and he continued in an exclted ate
| until he was arrested. He was asleep waeu
| arrested, and was awakened by her with ONE
difnculty. After the HIrth murder his sleep
seemed troubled, and he would call Ion. Oh -
| At one time she found him out Of bed, eXclaim-
Would i kin ne He did not seem ike the resi- rest
! or the children. When boy he could not keep
his mind on anything like the other children
and after the birth murder she thought from
his actions that he was out Of his mind. He
| procured pistol about two months after the
rest. A'' al
Cross eXamned:-Her son wGs employed at
| the time OF bis arrest at what is known as Dl.
bant'S restaurant as barkeeper from about two
weeks after the murder or Hirth; had before
worked with his brother as a painter; worked
| for Martin at the restaurant for over two years
He could read, write and cipher Chas. johnson
was her husbands uncle.
Re-direct:-WitDess knew that he had some
objection to going back to the business OF bar
tending, and was then going to church regu-
larry at the corner Of 18th and X streets, from
whence the funeral OF Hirth took place.
AT this point Mr.. Cook asked through the
court. how Mr.. Divine felt.
Mr.. Divine, rising" May it please your
honor: | have Lot had any tobacco in my
mouth for eight days, and have just borrowed
chew from my neghbor."
The Court.-"The signs are favorable, gentle
licI anu yOb HAY proceed
The dispositions Of Maria Sanders OF Pitts
Dufg; Joanna Johnson and DR.. s. T.. Herman,
or Cumberland. Nd, were read to snow hered-
ltary insanity on the fathers side OF defend
ants family.
Catherine Thomas, OF Baltimore, testified to
fright and sunstrOke affecting the defendant.
Gertrude Darlington testified chat she lives
at 1900 l4th street; that defendant was at her
mouse on the Goth OF March {the date OF une
homictde) from half-past eight to quarter OF
nine. Fred Cook was with him, and while there
fhrln yrIl
Gained for Johnson, but did not come In. After
he left witness went out with Frederick Cook
and started to go to Mrs. Reeds. While going
JneTe neard shot and went In that direction
and saw deceased lying with his head towards
the north. Defendant was much excited when
az the house, and was talking about the Hireli
murder.
During MIR. D1vine's illness he mas been at
tended by DR.. Smith Townshend and DR.. Sheck-
ell's (hls family phySician) and one OF the
palllffs-T G. Dorsey-being physician. has
been constantly In attendance and rendered
valuable assistance by his careful nursing Of
the patient The symptoms now are that there
will be no further delay In the trial from the
indispOSitiOn OF Mr. Divine.
TIE ICE ON TIE RIVER is now as hard as 1t
was previous TO the late thaW, and none OF the
steamboat men are attempting to make move
The Alexandria Gazette says: Reports from
Quantico about thirty miles down. are that the
Ice has been broken a few miles below that
point by the wind. and has commenced to run
out, but this side is quite firm yet. Wild ducks
are reported to be plentiful from Qaanttco
down on Fort Washington there Is a lam In
the channel said TO be ~ feet thick.
TIE Reformed CHURCH IN WASHINGTON.
Rev. Dr.. Thee. Apple, OF Lancaster Cty. Pa.
preached yesterday morning for the Reformed
mission, in SoVereigns' hall, 80 18th Street o.
which the Rev. ChaS. F. Sontag Is pastor. Dr.
Apple Is general superintendent OF missions In
ne eastern part OF the Reformed church in the
I1lted states ana has the oversight OF mis-
slonS in Pennsylvania, Maryland. Vrginta
kansas. California, oregon. South Carolina
and Florida. The particular object that he mas
In view In visiting the city OF Washington at
this time is TO inaugurate movement Tor the
erection OF chapel or suitable house OF Wor
SIP 81, loT ms mlss!on-the chapel to b. built
during the coming summer. The doctor thus
lar mas met with an encouraging degree Of sue
cess. To-day he was Joined by the Rev. &. L.
LEHMAN I'm OF Somerset county. Pa, minister
or the board, Who has come On TO assist in he
prosecution or this object. The board OF mis-
S1onS has secured a very eligible piece OF
ground on 18th street, above Rhode Island ave-
nue.. Ior Inc new church. and Is paying for 1t
Oy contributions from the Reformed churches.
The Reformed church In the United States re-
sembles In many respects the Dutch Reformed
cnuTch In New York and New jersey, having
the same form Of church government which is
presbyterial; In other respects II resembles the
church OF England, In That II retains the rite OF
con1lrmatlOn, observes the leading church feS-
tlValS, and uses to limited extent liturglcal
services in It's worship. The only standard of
doctrine held in this church Is the Heideo burg
NatNC. .ioH oLiati SoiApSH0 VI t8ftStfaH H.
struct1on, which Is now over 800 years Old.
A ROUGH TRITON Saturday afternoon the
train on the POpe's Creek branch of the Il. a p.
rallroad brought here number OF passengers,
who had quite hard time OF IL last week
They were from landings Oh the Rappahannock
river. which they left on the steamer Theodore
MeemS for Baltimore, and arrived of the mouth
OF the PatuXant river on Wednesday. Two un-
successful attempts were made to get through
the Ice. The party crossed on the Ice TO Solo
mons Island, and proceeded to the mainland
where they remained at the hotel until Friday
Friday they set out In dnuhla team sIeirhs q I'D