Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-11-08
MORE ABOUT THE DOUBLE MUIR
DER.
johnson Indicted for Murder i'm the
First Degree.


trial will come off at the January term o
the Court OF Common Pleas.
Following are some additional point,
bearing upon the murder, taken from
Wauseon correspondence of the Bee, da
ted Oct. 3lst:
The horrible murder which so startled
this community last week is still the priu
cipal topic of conversation. The feeling
against Wesley Johnson, the accused mur
derer daily becomes more intense and
strong desire is shown to lynch the wretch
Were it not for the fact that he is safe,
behind the bars of the Henry county Jail
an excellent prospect of getting his just de
serts, the people would brook no delay.
The officers of this place have been bust
ly engaged in the case ever since the dis
covery of the murder, and they claim thai
the evidence against johnson Is daily be-
coming more positive. There is now M
doubt in the minds Of the people here as
to his burning John Williams barns
though the torch may have been applied
by an accomplice. 1t Las been quite def
nitely ascertained that he had made ar
rangements with a certain woman to 20 tC
the far West with him as soon as he could
raise the funds.
At the time of the barn burning. JOIN
H. Williams had in his possession severa
hundred dollars. This fact was quite well
known in the family and it is thought that
the barn burning was only part of the
programme to secure this money, that il,
the excitement johnson or his accompice
might have had an opportunity to get
this money and effect an escape. II such
was the case the scheme failed.
On the night following the murder, some
time after midnight, Johnson crept softly
down stairs and upon opening the door
into the sitting room showed some sur
prise at seeing the hired girl, who was oc-
cupying couch in the room for the night.
She had been awakened by his entrance
and asked him what he wanted. Though
evidently much surprised, he turned the
matter off with joke, saying he could
not get to sleep and thought if he would
eat an apple or two it might aid him. He
passed out of the room and soon returned
with a couple of apples. Sitting down by
the stove he ate portion of one of them
and then retired.
His actions had been such as to create
suspicion in the minds of his employer
and family that he might attempt to harm
them. The finding of ladder one morn
ing placed against the side OF the house,
and leading up to the chamber window,
was suspicious, as were many other things
HOW recaileu Dy Cno FAMILY.
The money earned by johnson while
working for Williams was drawn by him
frequently, and not allowed to accumu-
late. He always seemed hard up, and the
fact that on the Wednesday following the
murder he made numerous purchases in
this place, displaying considerable
amount OF money, is another ground for
suspicion. He was seen by several with
a pocketbook resembling that belonging
to George Williams, and the fact that he
purchased a new pocket book at Williams
u Henderson's ofthis place, is now kown.
Several persons testified to having seen
him with large roll of bills.
Johnson's attempt to prove an alibi on
Tuesday night is likely to prove disastrous
rather than favorable on account of contra
dictions. The blood found on his clothing
and boots he accounts for by saying that
on Sunday morning he killed chicken,
the blood from which spattered upon him.
Mr.. Williams acknoW ledges that johnson
killed the chicken, but is ready to prove
that at the time he killed it he had on shoes
instead of boots.
1t is feared by some citizens that John
son has an accomplice in this business
who may turn up as witness for him in
the alibi attempted to be established,
though should this be done the fellow
must prepare himself for severe cross
examintion. A rumOr is in circulation
That the conductor of the train in which
j Johnson went west observed his peculiar
conduct on the train and watching him
closely saw him throw a package of some-
thing from the train. On his return, the
conductor stopped the train at the spot
and search revealed bloody shirt.
correspondent of the Detroit Free
Press writes from Delta, under date OF Oc-
'ober 81, and gives additional particulars
of the case as follows:
The employer of johnson up to the time
of the murder, Mr.. J. H. Williams, was
next interviewed. He said that on the
night of the murder johnson left the
house, as he himself states about o'clock |
,; m. and was not seen again uutil about
i p. m. when he returned. His actions
It once excited great surprise, as he
'eemed so uneasy that he could not keep
till. He also made the remark that he
vas not going to bed at all that night, but
etired finally, and after he had left the
oom it was remarked how excited and
trange he acted. 1t was then believed
hat something unusual had happened.
Next morning johnson ate no break fast,
COMPLAINING that he had no appetite. At
loon he quit work and went away, going
Wauseon, obtaining 81 or so before go
ng to pay his fare to Butler, Ind, where
e acclaimed he expected to get work on the
abroad.
On the Sunday night previous when the
arms were burned, Mr.: Williams said
ohnson went to the window three differ
mt times within fifteen minutes, and
eemed to be terribly uneasy about some-
hing. The last time he got up to the
window he exclaimed that the barn was on
ire. Mr.. Williams had 500 in the house
nd at once smelled a possible plot to rob
i'm oft. He therefore took good care to
cave it well guarded while looking after
is burning building.
The clothing of Johnson, worn on the
light of the murder, was next seen, and
2 number of places was dimly bloody,
d one place, however, a vine-like mark,
pparently made by the squirting ofa small
tream of blood, was plainly visible. His
oots were also bloody in several places.
he entire lot of clothing, however, is to
e subjected to a chemical ANALYSIS to set
rest all possible questions that might
therwise exist in the matter. A rubber
Dat with blood stains upon it. and the
roperty of the murdered man, was also
,und in the room where Johnson put on
is new clothes at Wauseon. As it was
1oYed away up under an old piece Of
;ove-pipe in dark corner of the room
nd could only have been LETT there by
it is looked upon as an important
EN- for the prosecution.
1t is known, also, that johnson on We'd /
esday, when he quit work, was nearly {
ut of money, but the detectives have ]
und where he spent upwards of 800 on {
lat day, and taken in connection with ,
le fact that he refuses to tell where he 9
1t it the fact is looked upon as another 4
sry strong piece of evidence, going to es- t