Morning journal and courier., 1885-01-15
THE COURT RECORD.
Superior Court-CriminaI Side-Judge
 Granger.

COURT RECORD.
 Superior Court-Criminal Side-Judgs
 Granger.
 The Superior court, criminal side, resumed
 work yesterday morning at 10 o'clock, Judge Granger on the bench. The unfinished case of Henry Nichols was resumed. By advice of his counsel, c. K. Bush, Nichols changed
 his plea to ''guilty of simple assault' anc
 was fined $25 and costs, amounting in all tc
 about $S5.
 The case of William Johnson, the wifi | murderer, was then called and the jury i'm | panellsd. Johnson's counsel were Messrs Lowell and H. F. Hall, of Wallingford. | The following are the jurors: | J. Sherman Buell., Madison; s. s. Clark, J C. Hinsdale, Meriden; George w. Clark l Dennis Fenn, Milford George B. Twitchell l Naugatuck; Willis G. Jones, North Bran | ford; R. T. Lins1ey, Amos A. Futile, Nort1 ! Haven; Augustus Minor, Wolcott; James w | Rice, William Tomlinson, Woodbridge. The oath was administered and the indict
 ment of the grand jury was read, setting forth that the accused wilfully and with nal ice aforethought did assault and kill his wife
 
 12, 1884. Testimony relating to the location of the house where the homicide took place and surroundings was taken, also that of the ct, tending physicians. Mrs. William Smith, in
 whose residence the murder took place, gave
 testimony to show that Mrs. Johnson did not
 sleep with Arthur Jackson as Johnson al
 leges.
 Roger S. Austin, constable in Walling- ford, testified concerning the arrest of John son. When he was arrested he said: By -, you've got me-"
 Then he added that he had killed his wife and wished he ''had killed the other nigger."
 On the cross examination MT. Austin said Johnson had been drinking and was more talkative than usual He appeared to know what he was talking about. Constable Brogden, who helped arrest Jonnson, testified to the same effect. He said Johnson had apparently slept off the effects of liquor, and that Johnson said he had had trouble with his wife and had sent her money to come and live with him.
 Daniel Mitchell, colored man living near Wallingford, two miles below the depot, was called. He saw Johnson on Saturday morn ing about 3 o'clock Johnson called him up and told him he had killed his wife; that he had got in through the window of Smiths house and killed her. On being cross exam ined witness stated that Johnson had been drinking and appeared to be out of his head, crying and asking witness to take care of his children.
 Arthur Jackson, the man who excited ,ohnson's jealousy, is solid negro with a curling moustache and a calm manner. He was asked by the counsel for the defence what was the first thing he knew about the murder and he replied nonchalantly that he was hit on the side of the head and dragged down stairs unconscious of what was going on Jackson said that Mrs. Johnson slept with her children.
 Thomas J. Wormsley, a young negro with a mild voice, told about being wakened by noise of running on the stairs, saw a negro hit Mrs. Johnson with an axe and then begin slashing around the house. He made up his mind that the best thing for him to do was to get out of the way. At that remark the attorneys, jurymen and court loafers. includ- ing the young men from the Law school, laughed incontinently, but the judge was very sober.
 The defense, after a recess of five minutes, Arthur Jacksons court record to mpeach his testimony. The papers were lot admitted. The marriage certificate showing that Johnson and Miss Sullivan were married on the 7th of September, 1874, n Wallingford, was ad mitted.'
 Henry filling, a man for whom Johnson lad worked, testified that Johnson treated lis wife well at all times. He had seen Johnson crying about his wifes conduct. At imes he acted strangely and entirely unnat lral. His mind was greatly exercised about | lis children, whom he thought were i'll l reated. |
 Attorney Doolittle worked himself up into | terrible state of mind about the way in | which Attorney Hall asked his questions | md Judge Granger allowed the answers. MT. l )oolittle was also much excited when he l anne to cross-examine the witness, but he | in entangling him sufficiently to 1 make Attorney Hall scowl with impatience. | The witness stated that he did not know that l warrant charging him with attempt. to com nit rape before the assault The witness eemed to have but little effect on the jury.
 Johnson was put on the stand and asked | o tell the story of his trouble with his wife. | Ie said: "After got through working for IT. Allen last April my wife came from Mid Lletown with my children with rags enough n to play checquers on. I thought l would rovide place for them. I didn't have any honey at the time. I told my wife to go own and stay with her sister, and she said | he would. I went to work picking up ones and then hired a few rooms of MT. Saw CT, in Haudep. We stayed there and then
 4o Uo11. 1al hings pretty comfortably fixed. I went to the 18th day in August to get york on a farm. I wrote to my wife, and I idn't get any answer and thought something 7as wrong with her. So came home and ound my wife living at Bill Smiths. I then aid, "My names mud" wanted her to go D to Massachusetts. She was at Bill Smiths nd I went after her. I stood by the win ow. It was up three inches. I thought I 'ould go in and get my wife out. I went ito the west window, went up, got into the est room, and saw my children and Smiths wo children lying on straw tick. l went long little further and found my wife and ,ent down, got an axe; went back and struck ackson and my wife got up and ran down airs I went down too" Here thescounsel ,r Jackson asked him to stop.
 MT, Doolittle said he wanted the rest of the ,ory. The court said he couldn't stop in the l1Qdl6 or the story. ne W6AG Ou tO say LHdl ! e didn't know whether he struck his wife or ot. He admitted telling Constable Austin nat he killed his wife, but said that he idnt strike her that he knew of. He had, ccording to his story, periods of bewilder- lent while he was in Smiths house, but he new that he hit Jackson twice and then went own stairs and went out the opposite side of le house. Nothing new was developed, al lough the prisoner was somewhat reused up y Mr. Doolittle's questions. He seemed to ave his story well learned and delivered it libly, being well up in dates. He said he i'd not know that a warrant had been issued ,r his arrest previous to the murder.
 The court adjourned until 10 o'clock this lornnig.
 uperior Court Civil Side - Judge
 Andrews. In the civ'l side of the Superior court yes rday these divorces were granted by Judge ndrews: Lucy O. Northrop, of Waterbury, from