The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-09
JOHNSON HENRY TRAGEDY.
The Trial of Captain E. 7. Johnson for
the Killing of Major Henry.
The Story Of Mrs. Johnson's Suicide and the
Causes Of the Shooting-Senat0r V0or-
hees to Defend Johnson.
Letter in Memphis Avalanche.


slender man with full beard passed down the
avenue, there goes man who is on hs way to
be tried for killing the destroyer of his family
happiness He and his counsel Senator Voor-
hees, leave in day or two for tho scene OF the
beginning and ending of the most remarkable
tragedy that have ever known of in real life"
He was tall, slender man, apparently forty
five or fifty years of age, with long black beard
slightly mixed with gray, an intelligent and
quiet appearance, so that he would be about the
fast man selected as on the way to stand trialfor
killing another. He was evidently in bad
health, as shown by glance at his face as well
rs by his walk, which lacked the elasticity of the
man in vigorous condition Of mind and body.
''Hs name,' continued the gentleman, sis
johnson, e. T. johnson, of indianapolis. He
was one Of the brightest and most successful
lawyers of that city. with beautiful home, ele-
gantly furnished, and a family consisting of a
wife aud son and a daughter aged thirteen. 1t
was az happy home as man ever had or as the
devil in human form ever invaded. Some time
ago his health became impaired and. giving UP
his practicing, he accepted position offered by
Colcne! Dudley as special examining agent for
the Pension Office, taking charge of the noun
tain district of East Tennessee, and achieving
success there that was entirely unprecedented
Hts wife and child accompanied him there After
he had been there a year or more, his wife re-
turned home. A year ago last Thanksgiving
Day he went home, and the following morning
the city OF Indianapolis was startled to hear that
his wife had committed suicide.
She was found lying upon her bed. dressed in
pure white her husbands picture placed where
she could look upon it the last moments of her
life. pistol by her side The bullet had pierced
her heart and she bad evidently never moved
after pulling the trigger. Her husband evidently
overcome with grief, stated that her suicide was
due, as he believed, to insanity. and read to the
coroner and to those who asked for
the cause extracts from her letters, which
seemed to prove it and to show
that she had threatened suicide at other times.
The incident created profound impression in
indianapolis. She was lady of great culture
and refinement of one of the best families,
beautiful woman and most highly regarded
Yet her husband was man above reproach, and
his statement was being quietly accepted and
the excitement was dying out. when suddenly it
was revived and brought to fever heat by an in
Situation that her death was not suicide, but
that she had been murdered by ner husband
This was subsequently traced to some of his
personal enemies but it's origin did not at that
time lessen the excitement which it created
The sympathy which was felt for him before
gave place to the greatest excitement, and the
sentiment was such against him that his life
was in danger. In the midst Of all he kept
silent He denied the charge most earnestly
but would not open his mouth to explain the
mystery surrounding the matter. A note
which she had left on the night Of the suicide
contained some illusions which awakened in
quiries and suspicious of trouble between her.
self ard husband. lie claimed to have been alb
sent from home on the night of the suicide, a
strange fact when it was considered that he had
just come from long absence in Tennessee. The
aged father of the dead woman demanded
thorough investigation. 1t was suggested that
the correspondence between the husband and
wife while she was at home and he in Tennessee
might throw some light on the subject, but the
husband refused to submit these to the inspection
of anybody. This, added to the suspicious
against him, yet he refused to open his mouth
or throw any light on the subject, no matter how
great the suspicion against him. Finally the
matter was thrown into the courts and he was
compelled by legal process to give up the letters.
Then was developed a state of facts which even
the most critical student of the case had not
suspected; and which, while they indicated the
honor of the husband in the fullest sense, were
the greatest of the many surprises in the strange
case. They showed that the wife had during the
time of her stay in Tennessee, In the temporary
absence of her husband on official duties, fallen
q victim to seducer, who gained control over
her through his power as a mesmerst, and that
not until her return to Indianapolis and freedom
from his influence, did she become conscious of
the enormity of her crime and make confession
of the fact 1t this that led to the final fatal
act of suicide. The husband, when made &C
Ouainted with the facts had come home.
and taking the family pastor with him had
talked the matter over with her in the quiet Of
the home and telling ner that her fault should
never be known; that she should be amply pro.
vided for. and that while he forgave he could not
vet forget and could not at that time take her
again TO his arms And having said this much
In tenderness and sorrow, left her for the night
with promise to return in the morning and
complete arrangements When he came back
- E.
her dead as have told you. His first thought
was to prevent a knowledge of her shame and
the result was the statement of insanity. Had
it not been for the prosecutions of his enemies,
who made the false and groundless charge of muir
der against him, the matter would have rested
there. Even when this charge had been made
and the public of his native city, where he had
met, and loved, and married her, was
manding his life for that mystery which
they could not understand. he steadily
refused to open his mouth to remove this dark
est of charges against himself by letting the
truth be known. He had calmly determined to
finish his life under this cloud of suspicion
rather than make known her shame. But the
law, which is sometimes most cruel in its Justice,
stepped in and compelled the disclosures, the
most startling and painful of the numerous acts
ia this tragedy. But this was not the last act
The despoiler of his home and of human virtue
was still at large. Henry was his name-Major
Henry-a New Yorker who, twenty years ago,
had gone Into the mountains of Tennessee as an
emplOye of furniture company which estab-
fished some unsuccessful iron works there He
had been there ever since, separated from his
wife. who still remained in New York. but
quite prominent in county and neighborhood
affairs When the facts became known public
sentiment turned against him. and he was re-
viied and execrated by all who knew him or the
facts in the case. His name became by-word
in the mountains of Tennessee, and he was
Stunned by all men OF respectability. Captain
Johnson, a lawyer and a student of the law
besitated to violate the law by avenging this
double crime against his wife and against him
self. He returned broken hearted to the scene
of his wifes fall to finish the official
duties in which he had been engaged Mean
time the prosecutions of mis- enemies continued
and by these prosecutions the elimination
came in the announcement that Horny had not
only boosted of his crime, but attacked the rep
,,tofiou of the dead woman by asserting that she