The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-21
THE JoHNsoN-H1GLEY SCANDAL.
4 Temperance Lecturer Who Bought Wits
ky by the Wholesale for His Wife.

4 Temperance Lecturer Who Bought Whis-
ky by the Wholesale for His Wife.
Brooklyn Union.
Mr.. Henry A. Hgley has made an amended
answer in the 100000 suit brought against
MN by Mr.. Eli Johnson for alleged alienation OF
OF his wifes affections In his answer Mr.. Hig-
Icy specifically denies all charges of improper
conduct with Mrs. Johnson, and assumes the po-
sltlon OF a friend of the family who pitied Mrs
Johnson hard lot in being linked for life to a
husband who was, to say the least, unappreci-
atlve. His frequent calls at all hours when her
husband was away Mr.. Higey attributes to so
ncltations of the lady and her husband, aud ne
alleges that the charges against him are merely
launched for the purpose of blachmall lie
charges that Mr.. Johnson was in the habit OF
beating his wife, and specifies dates, extending
from 1866 to 1882, dwelling upon the various
alleged assaults, blows and chokings.
In reference ME- Higley's answer, Mr..
johnson said to a Union reporter this morning:
'Mrs. johnson has kept a journal, and Mr..
Higiey has evidently got the grounds Of the
charges from this book In 1866 she charges
that knocked her down. Now, just before that
time, while we were in Cincinnati, DR.. Judkins,
famous physician of that place who had been
attending my wife, prescribed Intoxicating
drinks for her, and 1 bought champagne by the
ease port by the gallon: and at one tme ten
when she made an entry in her journal concern
ing my beating her she was under the influence
of liquor"
"Would she not know better than that when
she wae again soberY' inquired the reporter.
81 fancy not. That is my theory In relation TO
that charge"
~Do you dispose of the other charges in this
answer in the same manner2'
''No, sir. That charge of my assault upon ner
while living at 10 Schermerhorn street has
foundation. objected to her going out so much
at n ght, and one evening when she insisted on
attending meeting when had forbidden hef
doing so took her bonnet and refused 10 let her
have it,. We hafa struggle over it and she
screamed and made great noise"
What was the upsh0t of that matterf
"My Impression is that she remained at
home"
md
"No, sir; and want to say right here that |
never struck man or woman in my hfe-aDd
only once boy; and fattened his nose out for
him then daughingJ. That was when was q
boy at school,"
"The next assault alleged see is in the early
par. of '76; you are then accused of choking
"The first ever heard or saw of that was in
Mr.. Higley's papers. deny it in toto as pure
manufacture"
chow about the subsequent assault alleged to
have been committed by you upon Mrs. john
son, While Lec1uring in Ireland and stopping at
the house of Mr.. John g.. Richardson, OF Moyal-
Ion, county DOWN.
Il deny that also positively. I never laid my
hands on her in the house, though / did once
outside on the estate to save her life. 1t hap
pened this way We strolled ont along a lane
one day and climbed over into a pasture field TO
view a pretty hit of landscape. There
some cattle grazing there and bun was among
them. They did rotice us till we had got
well clear of the fence, and then the old bull
| looked up and came to inspect He seemed in
hurry, and also seemed annoyed about some
bnlng. stald to speak to h1n, and told my wife
to keep close behind but she Kept backing ana
screaming and screaming and backing till she
tumOled into a brook. There only eighteen
inches of water, but she was frightened she
could not get OH her feet and was drowning.
Jumped down and helped her up, and
friend the bull looked down from the high
bank, and not liking the look of the water
went away. That was the only time [ ever
remember my wife doing any great scream
saults alleged by saying that deny them every
one. have read Mr.. Higley's answer carefully
over and deny every one of his allegations con-
oerning my cruelty to Mrs. Johnson.
Here Mr.. johnson was seized with q severe fit
of coughing. This was but repetition of other
similar fits, and, together with his highly ner-
Vous manner, made the reporter ask him II he
was not i'll.
Had this cough twenty years." he said, 81
suppose am ILL.,"
elias this trouble worn you down much?'
Indeed 1t has. Mr. Elliott, my lawyer, can
reli you that; l want to get this trial over as
win you then go back to your temperance
workg''
allow can with this milestone about my
neck2 am an outcast, and will be so till have
established my innocence in regard to these
charges. II were TO hire the Academy of Mu-
sic for some night this week, how many do You
suppose would come to hear me speak on tenn
peraneeG
$50 many that the Academy would not be
able to hold Them"
81 beg to differ with you; don't think would
get twenty-five"
1.-The temperance cause has had your life
work, believe; will you resume 1t when these
, cases are disposed Of2'
81 have been at almost everything, and don't
, know what Ill do what can. | get TO do; who
will take met I'll give you an instance co show
you how few friends have L was talking with
the cashier OF a bank the other day, and be asked
me, as you have dOne what | was going to do
and why didn't get place. [ asked, to try
HIM, whether he could not take me i'll his bank.
He hesitated right away, and then said he could
not. Then I asked if he could not get me "a
place, and he said No again. The next day /
learned that he haa Just taken on trial a man
WIN far lasa rel i'm hup / WV
have BEEN"