Morning journal and courier., 1884-07-07
The Johnson Murder.

John A. Whtpper arrested, Charged
 With the Crime That Excited North
 Madison and Vicinity Seven Months
 AgO-The Prisoner Locked Up in the
 County Ja1l-The Story of the Horrible
 Urine Told Again. .
 After many months of investigation and waiting there is possibility at least that the murderer of EIdridge F. Johnson, the North Madison farmer whose body was found buried in one of his own charcoal heaps on the third of last December, will now be brought to justice Saturday forenoon John A. Whip per was arrested in Madison on bench war rant issued in the Superior court, and brought to this city by Deputy Sheriff Hart, the man who has been sticking to the slight clues he had during the past seven months.
 Whipper was suspected from the first He had motive, it was argued, for desiring Johnson's death, in that he had been court ing Johnsons maiden sister and Tn opposition to Johnson's express desires. The property of the Johnson family was equally divided between the child ren, and by Johnson's death more of the property would accrue to the beloved Of Whipper. Moreover, Johnson had go disliked Whipper that he had threat ened on several occasions to put Whipper out of the house. He is twenty-nine years old, daxen-hsired, and a farmer and char coal burner. Johnson was burning charcoal at the time of the murder. It was in the night that the deed was done but neither his lantern nor his axe could be found. The night was terribly cold, dark and stormy. The coal pit was on a road that ran through wild and deserted district. Johnson left home early in the evening, His dead body halt , roasted was found sticking through hole in the side of the pit the folloWing day. One leg was nearly burned to the hip. Farmers, burning with revenge at the horrible act, dug the remains from the smouldering pile and carried the remains to his home on the knoll For weeks Pinkerton detective and Coroner Bollman tried to find the murderer. Suspicion pointed to Whipper. He denied emphatieally. He said he was at his own pit that night. When the body was found is was hacked and bruised. The murderer tried to bury his victim in the heap of burning charcoal, expecting the flames to remove all traces of the crime But his scheme fail ed Investigation proved tat Johnson's mapgled body had been dragged from the pit to ledge of rocks at first. Stones. stubs of bushes and bare ground were covered with blood. Then seemingly the murderer changed his mind and determined to cremate the body, hauling the remains from rocky cavern to the smoking charcoal.
 Deputy Sheriff Hart took Whipper in charge Friday and kept him in his house until Saturday. Whipper did not eyince much consternation as he had heard stories about the new evidence against him. The officers are reticent about their evidence The missing lantern was found buried be- side the spot where Whipper said he slept on the night of the murder. It is said the axe was found in pond which Iaves the shore opposite Whipper's cabin. It is thought, too, that direct evidence can be produced to show that Whipper was at the scene of the murder that night, also at the pond.
 Whipper at one time lived in Waterbury, where relatives of his still reside. He has followed the occupation of a charcoal burner for several seasons. He is a pleasant look ing fellow, not appearing like man who would commit murder. He is to be tried at the October term of the Superior court.