Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-05-05
Is 1T BLACKMAIL 2
Mrs. Johnson FlaiIy Denies Her
Husbands Charge.
THE SON SPEAKS FoR THE FATHER.

| Mr. Johnson Describes His Capture Of
| the Letter, and the Detective
Relates His Experience in
the Matter
BRooKLYH,t May 4.-Eli Johnson. a tenn.
perance lecturer and Sunday school worker
who has sued Produce Broker Henry A.
Higley for 100000 for breaking up his
home. said yesterday that the act Of his
life in which he felt the most pride was
the making of the Archbishop OF York q
total abstainer. He used 70 be q moderate
drinker, but after Mr.. Johnson had an
hours talk with him he became a total ab-
stainer, and had been ever since a strong
temperance man. Mr.. Johnson describing
yesterday the manner in which on April 10
| HeGot From His Wife
The letter which he supposed sheintendsd
to send to Mr.. Higey, said:
II came home suddenly one morning
and followed the fireman up to my wlfe's
room. She was in bed. l threw off my
coat, and she, hearing the noise, looked
round. What are you doing here? Get
out she said. l refused TO do so and then
l discovered the letter. My wife and had
a struggle for it; she finally gave it to me.
| During the struggle she scratched my
finger, and you can still see the marks OF
her nails. did not strike her. ! locked
myself with her in the room, and two
| policemen i'll uniform were summoned.
| When they came to the door
Thought IL was HisIey.
If it had been would have broken in his
| head with this cane. The policemen, find.
| ing that they had no cause TO interfere,
withdrew, recommending us 10 settle our
| disputes by ourselves. Ny wife was anxious
TO have Mr.. Higley sent for, but would
not allow it,
Mrs. johnson, after leaving the Remsen
| House. went 10 live with her sister, Mrs.
I.add, at 123 Macon street. 1t is understood
that she Indignantly denies his accusations,
| and char ges him with cruel and heartless
| treatment. To friend she said she did
| not believe he was right in his mind, and
| that for some time she had feared that he
might do something desperate Mr.. Higley
| she had been acquainted with for years,
| and she respected him as friend. During
| the absence of her husband Mr.. lligley had
| transacted considerable business for her,
| and the most Of
IHts.Visits 10 the Remsen Il8usel
were on business. She received him as
she did other visitors in her room, and she
| challenged any one to prove that any act
Of improperly had ever taken place. II.
der no circumstances would she ever live
with her husband again, and already she
was in consultation with lawyer, with
view to divorce proceedings. For nine
years Mrs. Johnson was President of the
f,s -.
| Union, but at the last election OF Oi'i-
GERS, few months ago, she was defeated.
| She has continued in the organization,
but she has taken no active part in the
work.
Private Detective Ford, who was EN-.
| ployed by Mr. johnson to watch Mrs.
| Johnson and Mr.. lTigley. said yester-
day that he believed from the start that
w." A Case OF BInckmaiI.
Mr.. Johnson told him on one occasion at
| the postottce, he says, that there were
was plenty OF money in it for four of them,
| meaning himself Ford, Mr. Johnson,
| Private Detective Elliott and Mr.. Mitchell,
| a temperance advocate. Johnson after
ward accused him OF being bought over by
| Mr.. Higley, and when he said ii was not
! So called him liar and shook his list IN
| his face. lie told Johnson it was black
| have anything to do with it. johnson was
| so violent, he said, that he had to draw
revolver and threaten to put hole in him.
Mr.. Ford says lie never saw Mr.. Higley but
| once. That was after his rupture with Mr..
| Johnson, and in response TO a note ad-
dressed to him by Mr.. Higley. In their
conversation, Mr.. Ford SAYS Mr.. Higley
asked him what he thought aoont the mat,
| ter, and he replied that from remarks made
| by Mr.. Johnson to him it was case OF
blackmail. He added that Mrs. Johnson
Avery Fine Lady.
but that he thought Mr.. JOhnso on was
crank.
Mr.. Ford says he went into the case about
| two weeks ago. Mitchell hired him and
| gave him a receipted bill for two weeks
| board in the Remsen House, where Mr.. and
| Mrs. Johnson boarded. lie was TO be
known as James Walker. He told Mitchell
| that he was out of the business, but that
| rs il was an important case be would take
| hold of il and see what he could do with 1t.
| At Mr.. Johnson's request he followed him
and Mrs. Johnson to the Grand Central
| Depot and followed Mrs. Johnson back
home. When he got back to his room he
| found Mr.. johnson in his (Mr. Fordsl
| room Ii was the morning after this that
he met Mr. Johnson in the Postoiiice.
Mr.. BigIey's Son,
who is about lS years old. addressed the
following letter TO the Brooklyn Eagle
Having read the contents Of the column
headed a "A Broken Home. which appear
ed in the last nights issue OF your paper,
and being the only son OF the gentleman
who was there mentioned rs the destroy
er OF Mr. Jobnson's matrimonial happi'
ness" (?l. feel il not only my right but
INV high privilege to be heard upon this
| subject which al first would seem to bring
so much disgrace upon my father. And, at
| first let me say that
am, perhaps as we'll informed upon
the whole matter as any one who IS lmme'
diately connected with the subject. Mrs.
| Johnson. as is we'll known, spent the great
or part OF last summer with our family at
ocean Grove, VI. There some little talk
was raised about her and my father which
would have entirely subsided and died out
| il being so outrageous, had ii not been Tor
one cause. The talk spread. however and
as soon as we reached Brooklyn in the fall
il was revived with more ardor than ever.
! Nv father, being naturally OF LIBERAL
minded disposition. paid no attention 10 II,
and, although not being too
Attentive to MRS. Johnson,
was still her staunch friend. When Mr..
Johnson returned from his travels short
| time ago, hRgIdNa'eu a." N"1'', =: -.
being exceedingly low. and other circum-
stances not favorable, he sought around for
means by which he might raise both.
Finding no other convenient way, he COM
menced this blsckmailing and outrageous
affair. by which he might enlarge bis funds.
Mr.. johnson has for many years been con.
sidered a mean and scheming man, and II
has been with difficulty that he has lived
with his wife as long as be has. am pre-
pared to testify that all have
seen between Mrs. johnson and my
father, which has not been 9 ht-
opep. and now defy Mr.. johnson 70 prove
one instance in which my father has acted
too intimately with his wife. or which ~
the highest social circles would be consid-
cred improper, As regards the letters
which appeared in last night: Eagle. they
| ,hnx nothing which, when nightly inter