The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-04

prominent member of Plymouth Church,
and he has also been strongly identified with
the temperance cause. Mrs. johnson has
also been a temperance worker of note. A
short time ago she was president of the First
Brooklyn WoInan's Temperance Union. She
was married in 1850, and was then nineteen
years of age. Like her husband, she is a ma
tive of Ohio. The Johnsons belonged to DR..
Cuyler's church, but Mrs Johnson removed
to Beecher's, and occupied a seat in Higleys
pew after her husbands departure for Aus
tralia. Mr.. Johnson explains that the allu-
sion in the letter which he took from his
wife to a European trip has reference to
proposal made by Higeley to join Mr.. and
Mrs johnson in trip to Europe. The Mr..
Conklin alluded to in the letter is said by
johnson to be mutual friend.
The Unsigned Letter-How johnson OBJ
tanned Possession of 1t.
New York Special
Eli Johnson described to-day, the manner
in which he got from his wife the letter
which he supposes she intended to send to
Mr.. Hgley. He said
81 came home suddenly, one morning, and
followed the fireman up to my wife's room.
She was in bed. 1 threw off my coat and
she hearing the noise looked round. What
are you doing here? Get out, she said.
refused to do So and then discovered the
She finally gave it to me. During the strug-
gle 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 IN uniform were
summoned. When they came to the door
thought it was Higley. If it had been l
would have broken his head with this cane
The policemen, finding that they bad no
cause to interfere, withdrew, recommend
ing US to settle our disputes by our
selves. My wife was anxious to have Mr..
Higley sent for, but l would not allow it."
Mrs. johnson, after leaving the Remsen
House, went to live with her sister Mrs.
Ladd, at 1872 Macon street. She Indignantly
denies his accusations, and accuses him of
cruel and heartless treatment. To a friend
she said she did not believe he was right in
his mind, and that for sometime she had
feared that he might do something desper-
ate, Mr.. Higley she had been acquainted
with for years, and she respected him as a
friend. During the absence of her husband
Mr.. Higley had transacted considerable bust
ness for her, and the most of his visits to the
Remsen House were on business. She re-
ceived him, as she did other visitors, in her
room, and she challenges any one to prove
that any act Of improperly had ever taken
place. Under no circumstances would she
ever live with her husband again, and al
ready she was in consultation with lawyer
with view to divorce proceedings. For
nine years Mrs. Johnson was president of the
First Women's Christian Temperance Union,
but at the last election OF officers few
months ago she was defeated. She has con-
tinued in the organization, but she has taken
no active part in the work.
Private Detective Ford, who was employed
by Mr.. Johnson to shadow Mrs. Johnson
and Mr.. Higley, said to-day that he believed
from the start that it was a case of black
mail. Mr.. Johnson told him on one occasion
at the postoffice he says that there was
plenty of money in it for four of them mean
ing himself (Ford), Mr.. Johnson, Private
Detective Elliott and Mr.. Mitchell, a temper
ance advocate. Johnson afterward accused
him of being bought over by Mr.. Higley, and
when he said it was not so called him liar
and shook his fist in his face. He told John
son it was matchmaking scheme, and that
he would not 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 he never saw Mr.
Higley but once. That was after his rupture
with Mr.. johnson, and in response to a note
addressed to him by Mr.. Higley. In their
conversation, Mr.. Ford says, Mr., Higley
asked him what he thought about the mat
ter, and he replied that from the remarks
Mr.. Johnson had made to him it was case
of blackmail. He added that Mrs. johnson
was very fine lady, but he thought Mr.
johnson 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. He was to be known
as James Walker. He told Mitchell that he
was out of the business, out as it was an i'm
portant case he would take hold of it and see
what he could do with it. At Mr.. Johnsou'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 Mrs. Johnson in his (Mr
Fords) room, 1t was on the morning after
this that he met Mr.. Johnson in the post
Office.