Morning journal and courier., 1883-12-06
Sousnd sas GOar;sr.
Thursday, December 6, 1888.
The North NIadison Tragedy.

Farther shocking DIscOverteg-COroner
 Bol1man's Work at the Scene-A Pink
 ertOn Detective WorktnG-NO Clue to
 the Missing Axe and LanteFn-The Ex-
 eit0ment for Miles Around.
 The excitement in Madison and North Mad ison over the horrid tragedy discovered last Monday continues unabated. State Attorney Doolittle of thls city, went to the scene of the tragedy yesterday and Coroner Bollnan, of this city, was busily engaged most of the day yesterday in investigations regarding the crime. Dr. M. c. White, the medical exam iner, is assisting in his department of en- quiry. The funeral of the murdered man, Eldridge F. Johnson, of North Madison. takes place this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. There will be very large attendance of peo' pie from Madison and North Madison. The remains will be inferred in a knoll not over 800 feet from the scene of the tragedy. Rev. Mir. Gideon, of Madison, will efficiate. Dr. White did not go to Madison yesterday, but left a bundle with the coroner at the close of a conversation had with the coroner at the depot here before the latter left for Madison. A Pinksrton detective arrived from New York yesterday and was at work on the case in Madison yesterday. The place where the deceased lived is seven miles from the Madi- son depot. People kept stringing along from all directions to the scene of the tragedy yes terday on it's becoming known that the team with the coroner and detective on board had driven up from the depot to the scene of the murder. Deputy Sheriff Hull, of Madison, and Hart, of Guilford, were at the scene of the tragedy at an early hour yOstsr- day. Since the murder people have been constantly calling at the house where the sisters and brother of the murdered man re- side, attracted by morbid curiosity and sym pathy Yesterday 8 large stone or rock weighing SIX pounds was round near the charcoal pit with blood and hair upon 1t. The hair was like the dead mans. That there was fearful struggle nobody doubts. One spot was pointed out where Johnson must have fallen under 8 staggering blow. The ground was rooted up. A pool of blood was near by. Neither the missing axe nor the lantern which Johnson carried to the pit have yet been found. The dead mans mittens which be wore Sunday night are stained with blood. The discovery of the mittens on the ground indicates to many that he was attacked while at work at the pit. It was very cold Sunday night even beside 8 warm charcoal pit. John sons hat, which could not be found Tues day, was yesterday morning picked up at Buck Hill ledge of rocks. It is right back of the pit Blood stained the hat. Two large stones were beside the hat. These were also covered with blood.
 The sheriffs now think that the dead mans body was dragged to cleft in a ledge ot rocks to be there secreted and that this plan was given up and the body dragged back to and put on the charcoal pit, in order to con- sume it and the evidence of the crime. Two men are suspected. One is John Whipper, 6 charcoal burner, who used to work for John son, and the other, William Downs, a basket I maker. Whipper of late had a charcoal pit on his own hook. His pit is about mile | from Johnsons and he took his meals with the Johnson family. He is about 2S years
 old. He shows no sign of mental excitement
 He says he met the deceased Sunday | night. Both had lanterns and Whipper asked Johnson what time it was. Johnson said il | was haIf.past 8. Johnson went home after
 this and stayed till 10 and then went back tt l the pit to return no more. Whipper say I after he met Johnson he went to his own pi
 and stayed there all night and did not know | of the murder until he saw it in the paper
 Downes lives a half mile fromi ohnson's pit | He moved into the neighborheod about sever
 months ago. Coroner Bollman spent som
 time in Downes' house yesterday in close ant private interview with Downes and his wife The investigations will be resumed to-day.