Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-06-23
THE JoHNsoN-HENaY MURDER TRIAL.
SOME STARTLING DEVELOPMENTS.

eide on the 9th of November, 1888. Ia
court, on Friday last, number Of letters
from Mrs. johnson, eonfessing her guilty
connection with Henry, were read. The
first letter of Mrs. johnson, which hints at
the subsequent disclosures, was written BY
her the 18th of November. 1t reads:
DEAR PAPA: Iwrote yeu to-day, but l
cannot rest without writing again. Oh,
papa, don't die-don't give up Let me
zee you once more. am 30 miserable.
would gladly welcome death myself, but
dare not court it, for l must do and suffer,
if by that means it will benefit those con-
nected with me. At times think it would
be for the best for me to be out Of the way;
then / think it would be worse for those left.
If there were only something l could do to
relieve you; but am powerless except to
suffer. Tell nae, is there really such thing
as mesnerism? Can one person control
The will OF another entirely|
The answer to this was written from
Knoxville, November l6, 1888:
"Yes, my poor, lost wife, there is such a
thing as mesmerism. 1t is
The Evil Eye.
1t is the very power by which the seducer
always attsins his purposes. More, Mar
cite, several Of yoar letters like the last one
nave been full Of half confessions. What
can be the use of further attempt at con
cealment? You have never yet denied the
tact OF adultery. Why not make a
clean breast and confess everything Let
me assure you that everything will b.
known. am prosecuting an unspariug in
,estigation into your conduct. You know
me well enough to know that | will never
rest until every thing is known. Every
enemy Of yours and Henry is helping me
The strangest part Of your information was
that you forgot my nature, and imagined
hat could be autwitted and deceived
One rational thought would have convinced
you that that could not be done. | will
know all. have begging message from
Henry offering to disclose all if will
Spare His Miserable Life.
lie will no doubt make tuli confusion.
But he shall die if live. /. will De far bet
ter for yon to rely upon my m magnanlmity
than trust yourself to my revenge 1t is
only simple Justice that should know the
exact truth. lhave urged Grifi h to retain
bis respect for you. | have told him
otbipg. If you shoald confess everything
charged against you l shall never tell him.
What ask is that you tell me, so that there
can be no mistake as to what ought to do
and no false ground for me to occupy. II
YOU are no longer worthy 10 be my wife, do
YOU not consider that | have right to know
It? The sacred memories OF the past, the
sauctity OF my own life, the ssnctIty OF the
little grave at Crown Hill, require that you
should inform me, for why, should you have
me polluted? | have not harmed you, and
will not. do pity you. will not cast you
out. You shall have evsry support can
give you, for God knows would bring you
back to the path Of ofvirtle. For Griaith's
sake-for your own saka-you shall never
be exposed. The investigation is costing
|. me, and will cost me, severely. But it is
tall to find the truth. If the truth comes
.irom your OWE lips, that ends it all. 81 far
from endeavoring to
Drag the Facts to Light.
i would then do everything to suppress and
conceal them. do not desire that you &C
cuse yourself of anything of which you are
innocent, but want you to tell me the
ruth. AS told you, have possession al
ready Of many facts, the force Of which
seems irresistible. l tell you again, will
snow all, all. Major Pettibone is with me
10 day. / 20 to Greenville with him to
right. Will return Sunday. Henry is still
IA fugitive, but communicates by some means
ith someone at G. will get the secret
morrow. shall be in uncomfortable sus,
nse until receive your reply.
E. T. JOHNSON"
The response Of the wife to this letter was
| lated November 10, 1888.
! my DEAR HUSBAND Your letter came
ibis morning, just in time to save the las
| let in the scene Of life with me. ! have
everything prepared and tonight would have
been the 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 Griffith's sake, more than anything
else, wanted to see il there was no alterns
live NOT to save my life. No, never fol
one moment. The reason 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 power possessed over me was that
| 20 long as was in q. could not see aud
feel this as knewI should. will tell you
The truth, as know and feel it to be such.
There was never in any way, by word OF
deed, any improper advance made to me
until You and g. had gone to n. c. His
manner and conversation were kind and
such as to gain my coufdence-such as
would feel toward one 80 much oder than
myself, and in position, as | thought Il
make any impropreties impossible. Attel
you left be constituted himself my guardian
coming to take me to meals and various
other attentions, which / did not receiv'
without some protest, as Mrs. g. ant ogher
could attest if they would. One day, afte
sou had been gone some days, 10 the after
noonhe
Came Into Ny Room.
sat on sofa and he was on chair nea
The bureau. / was occupied in some way
not looking Up There had been nothing sal.
TO alarm mel, when felt an influence, and
looking up, met his eyes fixed upon me an
his lips moving. When | looked up b
moved on the sofa, took my hand an
sroked it. said: Don't, Major. you can
mesmerize, me; that has been tried before
and be merely said not, and kept my hand
and ,ptt the other on ny head and dre
il toward him. / felt my viii gi-
ing way, and begged him to desist bt
be kept me, though the door vas vide opsI
and knew any moment ] might be exposes
could not help it; but there was no act
poIlu,ion. Soon he left me, and / dets
J mined | would not allow snch en- opport'
sity again. and thought what ! shogld Y
him Stsl sa~ himi and that ssc-.. c-.:. -, :: .
, end Of our intercourse; bat when he car
sgsin found that he had power I nsv
thought possible, and what he willsd
skouli do / was powerless 70 oppose, ar