Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-06-27
SEQUEL TO A TRAGEDY.
The Verdict Of the Jury in the 0ele.
brsted Johnson Henry Murder
Case Not Guilty.
Vain Attempt Of a Noble Man to Con
oeal His Wifes Shame From
the World.
Forced BY the Law to Reveal the Secret,
he Kills the Destroyer Of His
Home and Happiness,
A ERMARKAnnr CASE.

Special TO the Gazette.
Granville, TENN, June % AT S
o'clock this morning, after being out
over thirty.slX hours, the Jury In the
long-spuu-out Johrson-Henry murder
case brought in verdict. Although
the people felt confident of the scquit-
tai OF Johnson, the length OF time the
jury remained out led some to fear
hung jury and the tediousness OF an.
other trial. The announcement that
the Jury had agreed found the pris.
oner pale and oareworn in his
place, accompanied by his counsel,
Senator Voorhees,. Every one Of the
vast crowd present held his breath,
and ~ the verdict Of mot guilty. was
announced one could have heard pin
drop; then waiting second, rs II TO
gain breath, the vast throng sent up
one mighty shout,
Thus closes one OF the most pathetic
cases that has ever been brought into
the halls OF justice. A review Of the
parties and the crime reads like n
romance.
THE MURDERER.
T., II. johnson OF indianapolis, who
has Just been acquitted for killing the
destroyer OF his family happiness. has
had, perhaps, the most remarkable ex.
perience In the last two years ever
heard OF in real life. Ii surpasses the
most vivid imagination of the ableet
novelist. He Ia tall, slender man,
apparently forty.live or nifty years OF
age, with long black beard,
slightly mixed with gray,
an Intelligent and quiet ap.
pearanoe, 80 that he would be about
the last man selected as having taken
q human life.
GLIMPSE or "A HAPPY HOME
T.. II. Johnson was one OF the bright.
est and most successful lawyers OF
indianapolis, with beautiful home,
elegantly furnished, and a family con-
sisting OF a wife and SOD and a daugh
ter aged 10. IL was as happy home
ms man ever had, or IA the devil In
human form ever invaded. Some
time ago his health became impaired;
and, giving up his practice, he &C.
cepted position offered by Col. bud.
| ley AS special examining agent for the
pension Office, taking charge OF the
mountain district OF East Tennessee,
and achieving success there that
was EN- rely unprecedented. His wife
and son accompanied him there. After
he had been there year or more his
wife returned. A year ago last
Thanksgiving day he went home, and
the following morning the city OF In
dIanapolis 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 IL the last
moments OF her life, and a
pistol by her side. The bullet had
pierced her heart and she had evil.
IDENTIFY never moved afoer pulling the
trigger. Her husband, evidently
overcome with grief, stated that her
suicide WAS due, rs he believed, 10
insanity, and read TO the coroner aud
10 those who asked for the cause
extracts from her letters, which
seemed TO prove II and To show that
she had threatened suicide at other
times. The incident created a pro.
found impression In indianapolis.
| She was woman OF great culture and
refinement, OF one OF the very best
families, a beautiful woman, and most
highly regarded.
THE HUSBAND SUSPECTED.
| Yet her husband wAH n man above
reproacb, and his statement was be-
ing quietly accepted and the excite
ment was dying out, when suddenly
Il WAS revived aud brought TO fever
heat by an insinuation That her death
was not suicide, but that she had been
murdered by her husband. This was
subsequently traced TO some OF his per.
sOnRl eDtmifF, 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 10 the great.
est excitement, and the sentiment was
such against him that his life was Ia
danger. In the midst Of all he kept
silent. He denied the charge most
earnestly, but would not open his
mouth 10 explain the mystery sur.
rounding the matter. A note which
she had left the night OF the suicide
contained some allusions which
AWAKENED INQUIRIES AND BUs
PIGEONS
OF trouble between herself and hus.
band. He claimed TO have been absent
from home the night OF the suicide--a
strange fact, when II was considered
that he had just come from a long abb
sence In Tennessee. The aged
father OF the dead woman
demanded thorough investiga-
ton. IL wss suggested that the
correspondence between the husband
and wife while she was Ut home and
he In Tennessee might throw some
i a. IA. i. "A
refused 10 submit these 10 the inspec.
ton OF anybody. This added n the
suspicious against him, yet he refused
10 open his mouth or 10 throw any
light on the subject, no matter how
great the suspicion against him.
SENSATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS.
Finally the matter was thrown into
the courts and he was compelled by
legal process 20 give 10 the letters
Then was developed state Of facif
which even the most critical student