The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-12-03
CRIMINAL VARIETIES.
Culled Here and There from the Columns Of
the Daily Press.
A Remarkable Case.

| A Remarkable Case.
At Sumter, 5, c., on Friday Of last week
Henry Johnston, coorcd, was hanged for the
murder OF John Davis, also coiorcd Tn,
murder occurred in February last, Il short TIME
before which Davis had married u buXOn
young negress with whom Johnston was in
love. For while he tried hard to seduce the
band, but failing, applied to vaudoo for a
charm to win her love, in which he succeeded
But the story is best told by himself as given
at his trial, the narration being Interesting AS
developing the system OF yaudooism, or fcti
chism to which the negro race still cling in
the south, with wonderful tenaclty. His con.
tesslon was as follows
| was in love with DAVIS wife, woman
near % | being 30. She repealed my advanc-
cs and called in the aid OF a con urer IN the
lower part Of the county, named Orange
Isaacs an old coored man. He gave Inc n
charm known in the language Of negro witch
craft as "A hand This is composed Of various
articles-viz., beeswaX, foxes hair a little sand
from the shoe OF the person intended to be act
ed upon, and a brakes foot. These are sewed
up in small bag. He was told to wear this
charm next to his flesh over the region OF his
heart, for one week and the woman would
serve him. lie followed the njurers lnstruc
tons faithfully. At the end Of that period he
repeated to Orange that Davis wife had con.
fessed her love for Kim, hut had refused to &C.
ccpt him rs her paramOur unless her husband
separated from her. The sOrcerer then gave
Johnston another charm designed to ALLEVIATE
the husband from his wife. 1t was worn the
time prescribed but it did not work success
fully and the woman and her husband still
continued to dwell together in peace and mar
mony. Orange said that Davis must be pos
sessed of devil, and that he would give John.
ston charmed bullet, which he must put in
his gun and fire at DAVIS head as he passed
from the woodland in which he was at work
toward his home on the following evening, Is
the sun began to sink in the west The prison.
er said he objected to committing this deed, al.
though he considered that to enjoy the wo.
mans society the rest Of his days would fully
compensate him for staining his hands with
human blood He urged that il he carried out
the conJurcr's injunction he would be arrested,
tried, aud hanged for the murder OF Davis.
The old conjurer allayeG his fears on that point
by giving Johnston another charm which was
supposed to be proof against law, and no judge
nor jury, he assured his dupe, could ever con.
vict hun while wearing 1t upon his person. The
prisoner, thus fortified, went out to the wood.
land in which the deceased was cutting some
wood. He prepared an ambush IN which he
concealed himself Just as the sun began to
sink IN the west, Johnston says he kissed and
tondly embraced his gun, then raised It TO his
shoulder took deliberate aim, and fired the
charmed bullet at his victim. AS the two men
were only few feet apart, the ball struck Da-
Wis with terrible force IN the forehead, crush.
ing through the skull, and killing him almost
instantly. AS soon as he fired the fatal shot,
the accused came from behind his place of con-
cealment and rushed TO the scene or his uncon-
sclous and dying victim. He took the CHARM
intended to protect him against the law, from
his bosom and rubbed 1t across the opening In
his victims head, through which the ball had
passed. The murderer covered up the body
and fastened to the house OF the widow, where
he was received and welcomed by the woman.
He quietly domiclled himself in the place Of
the man whom he had slain. The prisoner
related the occurrences ID the most unaffected
and matter Oftact way. He did not manifest
the slightest feeling, nor seem to think lie had
committed any ofiense for which he could be
held amenable to the laws.