The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-09-26
The Awful Remorse and Heartfelt
Repentance of Mrs. Gap
tain Johnson.
Weak, But Not Wicked, She Still Suffered
the Full Penalty Of Her Miserable
Folly, Even Unto Death.
A Glance at the Bitter Truth Which Led
to the Staying Of Loath-
some Llbsrtine.


ry by Captain Z. A. Johnson, at Hays
vile, Tenn, Tuesday evening continues
to be manifested here, where the parties
were so well and fayorably known. 1t
will be remembered that Mrs. johnson
committed suicide last December on ac-
count OF the scandalous developments in
connection with herself and Major
Henry. To those who knew Mrs.
Johnson as hlghly-cultiyated, modest
lady OF Christian character, the story
of her downfall came with crush
Ing force. 1t was absolutely appalling.
Captain Johnson, her husband, whose
pathetic statement was furnished our
readers yesterday, was Supervising EX-
aminer Of Tennessee and North Carolina,
with headquarters in Greenville, Tenn,
be , he was joined in April, 1888, by his
wife and son, the latter a boy of four
teen. Mrs. Johnson remained with
her husband until some time in Sep
TENDER. Shortly after her arrival
IN Greenville she made the acquaint-
ance OF Major Edwin Henry, and he
PRESSED HIS ATTENTIONS
upon her. Captain Johnson's dut es
compelled his absence great deal dur
ing the summer, aud Major Henry found
the opportunity to constitute himself
Mrs. Johrson's gallant and protector,
an he made her his confdant. For
eighteen years he had lived apart from
h wife, she residing in + ushing, n Y
aud he enlisted Mrs. Johnson's sympath-s
his lonely and forlorn condition How
he abused her confidence, she tells ia her
letters to her husband, which, though
published at the time of the trial, will
now be read with renewed interest. The
story they tell is simply heartbreakng.
After Mrs. Johnson's suicide suspicion
was thrown upon her husband, and be
was compelled by order of court to pro-
duce his wife's letters. The first letter
read as follows;
NOVEMBER 10, 1888.
"MY DEAR HUSBAND Your letter OF
the 10th came this morning just in time
| t. save the last act in the scene of life
with me. | have everything prepared,
| and tonight would have beensthe sleep
which knows no waking on earth with
me. The only consideration which has
deferred me before was, that then
all would be known, and for
Griflth'S sake, more than anything
else, | wanted to see if there was
no aIternatiye-not to save my life, no,
never, for one IN oment. | would have
been willing to endure an eternity of woe
If could have saved you and him. The
reason that have implored you to let
me see you all the time, was that
thought to you alone | could tell the
truth. The most unaccountable part of
the lower possessed over me, was that
SO long as | was in G. | could not see
and feel this as knew 1 should. | re-
preached and wondered to myself, but
every effort aud determination | made
seemed OF no avail
WAS POwERLESs.
will tell you the truth as | know and
feel it to be such. There was never in
any way by word Oh deed any improper
advance made to me until you and G.
had gone to n. c. His manner and con-
versation were kind, and such as to gain
my confidence, such as l would feel
toward one so much older than myself,
and in a position, as | thought, to make
any improprietles impossible. After you
left he constituted himself my guardian,
coming to take me to meals and various
other attentions which l did not receive
without some protest, as Mrs. G. and
others could attest if they would. He said
you had left me in his care, and answered
did not believe it, because you knew
could take care OF myself; still he per-
severd. l was too confident. One day
after you had been gone some days, in the
afternoon, ne came into my room. sat
on the sofa, and he was on a chair near
the bureau. | was occupied in some
way, not looking up (there had been
nothing said to alarm me), when l felt
an influence, and looking up met his eyes
fixed on me and his lips moving. WhenI
looked up he moved on the sofa, took my
hand and stroked it. | said: Don't,
Major, you can't mesmerlZe me; that has
been tried BEFORE and he merely said:
Not and kept my hand, and put the
other on my head aud drew it toward
him. felt
MY WILL GIVING WAY,
ana peSSeu MIN 10 ueSlSt, but ne Kept
me; and, though the door was wide open
and knew any moment | might be ex-
posed, could not help it; but there was
nothing criminal"
When the wronged husband, who knew
of his shame from his fourteen-year. old
son, the boy having intercepted note
passing betweeh his mother and her Sc
Queer, wrote back to his wife urging her
to tell the whole truth, she made a full
concession:
"NOvEMBER 20, 1883.
"May God help me, and you too, my
husband. AS told you, there was moth
ing except what | told you In my room
before you came home from N. G.. Then,
after our interview in your room did in
deed, did intend to break away from
him entirely, but he sought an opportunity
In the office to speak to me. told him
l could not talk with him, and that our
relations as friends must cease. Then
he commanded me to meet him In the
parlors to come to an understanding.
So, think, 1t was In the morning, soon
after breakfast, when every one had gone
away-the rooms were oil vacant, l am
sure-I met him there. was so agi.
tated l could scarcely stand. He
TOOK ME IN HIS ARMS
and soUthcd my nerves and talked to me,
and said 1t would never do for US to