Telegram-herald., 1886-10-07
He SAID HE'D KILL HIM
Prison Walls Closing Around
Boyd TIE Murderer.
INSANITY THE PLEA CT TIE OlfEASE.
Very Strong Testimony Against the
Respondent a ouching Scene
The Trisl Viii Probably
End Today.

Il c>ttfd11 morning eitti ci+htt -itC zen
tlemen had been examined a. jurors and
seventy three of them had been asked 10
step aside since the trial commenced. John
| B0yd's trial for murder proceeded. Mrs.
| Johnson. the wife OF the murdered Iasn,
| vas the first witness. she testified as fol-
| lows. u am the widow OF Wm. b. John
| sou: on the morning of August IA last /
was al home in the village Of Rockford,
was in the kitchen doing the work, nay
| husband was ia the Kitchen near me when
| saw John Boyd come up the street,
| through the gate. and up the WAX 10 the
| door; my husband appeared al lhe door
| between me and Boyd, Mr. Johnson said
| To BOYD, Where are sou going Boyd
| said Il am going hunting The next
| heard my husband say, on" aud heard
| the report of gun, my husband fell down
| | ran around the house and into neigh
| bors house 10 gave the aiarm-Mr. Wood
ruii 5; the first l heard Of Mr.. Johnson's
| death Was from Mr. Woodruff. who return
| ed from our house ami tOiu me my husband
was dead: | think il was ia the last of April
| or first of May that my husband bad some
| trouble with Mr. Boyd about a debt for fur
| nituTe or rent at the time OF the trouble
4
| build and was moving the Old house around
upon the lot, Mr. Boyd occupied the old
| old house at this time; The trouble hai
| been settled 80 far a. | was aware. the debt
| al least was liQuldated by MIR. Boyd, al the
| time Of the shooting there was 10 trouble
| existing between Mr.. Boyd and ms
| husband that ] know Of" During the tes-
| timOny Mrs. Johnson remained cool bus
| the rAvases Of inward grief at her loss are
L Iaf.r tod nfn ..rtx n.4r Ia w..
| dressed in mourning. J. ii. Nutter followed
| with the testimony that he saw Boyd with
| a rifle on his shoulder pass hls house the
| morning the shooting occurred aud Mr..
| Woodruff, who was AT witness house then,
asked Boyd where be was going. 20 which
| the latter replied that he was going 10
| shoot squirrels" Shortly after the report
| of gun was heard and Boyd was seen re-
| turning 10 the village with his gun He
| did not stop but said as he passed witness
| house II have shot ". b. Johnson 10
| which statement no crSdence was given.
| Later they heard that Mr. Johnson was
| sho. and. gong TO his house found the
| man lying dead in a pool of blood on The
| kitchen floor. The testimony was c0rrO-
| borated by Mr.. Woodruff. DR.. Burch tesii-
| fled that a post-mOrtem examination
| made by him on deceased discovered he
| aOrta severed by bullet near its connection
| with the heart, and that instantaneous
| death was the result. Mrs. DOckray and
| Dr. Apley testified that Boyd told them
| johnson was dead. but they thought II was
| a Joke, until MIR. Woodruff cOrrODOfated the
| statement. Christopher Post. a saloon keep
| eT, saw Boy q early on the morning Of tho
| murder and remarked to him that Le
| wished he could get some one 10 60 fishing
| with him. 10 which Boyd replied that he
| would 20, were il not for tie fact that he was
going 10 hunt a squirrel and that that squirrel
was w b, JOhnsoh. Boyd had not been
| drinking and had no gun with him. lie
| went away and returned soon after with
| gun on bis shoulder, and said be had shot
his squirrel, w. b. Johnson. The witness
| further testified that he was uncertain
| whether or not BOvd had drank any liquor
| at his saloon. Oliver Saunders testified
| that some one broke into his brother shop
and took a rifle: and that he saw Boyd on
| the morning of the shooting with SAID Tliie.
| The gun had fire cartridges in II. Boyd
| said he was going to nunt squirrels. and
was apparently IN his right mind Miiiard
| Picket said that h saw b lyd on the morn
| ing Of the fatal dav aud heard him say that
| w. b. Johnson ought To- be shot aud At
| lie was going to DO it, BOYD drank two
glasses OF liquor with witness and appeared
nervous a. f be had been up all night.
| Witness was shown The gun later ani the
| same remark about squirrels was made
4
arrested Bovd. wh) said u him, II have
shot W B Johnson. wanted TO get him ont
| of the wav.' Witness related the occasion
of the trouble between McssTs. Johnson and
! Boyd, as already printed - this paper.
}. N. Drew testified thar be saw Boyd in
the Justices office after the murder and
! asked him hov he ielt 10 which BDvd re-
Piled tha, he felt bad for his folks. and
! when il was suggested to him that be would
have TO leave t.fem tor good. he said that be
| did not know about that. BDtd said that
he had drank two glasses OF liquor before
| be killed Mr.. Johnson anu rea ized what be
| had done Witness asked Boyd II Mr.
| Johnson hinched or docged when he shot
hlm and Boyd replied that he dii not give
! him time
!. ". spord livei next door 70 Boyd. and
he testified that last Nav be overheard
| conversation between johnson and Boyd.
| during which The latter ~ rec e. pay cash
| upon a debt be Owed the former then and
| there II johnson would discount il 3
| Johnson said be would no; discount 81 a
cent. and then hot words followed on both
sides the men becoming quite angry
| Boyd came 20 witness house and ibe tso
saiked doKn town together oD the Way
Boyd remarked that he would get even
with Johnson. and said. u that
man crowds me or troubles ne cT my
family. II riu his CUTS out. ~ I II tear his
/ heart 0uf" The witness did nor remem hfr
which ROrd was very angry ~ tae time
/ Later. Boyd t9ld witness that he bal l,sii
up in flll and that Boyd xoui not slye
up The mortgage. fhus intending 90 make
him further trouble To Prank Nuffer
Bova said rhen asked shout fhe moving
! of his goods 'He da-en g seli TBS goods.
Ia fix him 81 he would NOT sei suV one
se's e be- did Henry srnfr Ras en8-
/ plo7 ed f0 move Tire house Owned ~ John
son ard occupied by Bagd and family
/ Ho7d fo'd iim ihsf sf johnson would
/ drive BIS family out - tais 6ue
of fhe vesr he ought ~ he ffei
johnson made arrangements f0 have the
hruse moved Tith fae fsnlf in Isffr.
witness heard Boyd oher johnson s. 90 cash
fhe debf square to which johnson rsp .ed
/ that De did nof need TIE money and vel |5
frsfer to wait fiil it became One Boyd vas
angry A. this ard remarked thar johnson
Vss no' ff 81 i've among white folks sH1
ftsf he vorIi fx bir1.
TIE pefrrse.
Tie lelsnze Fr' isoed tae Introduction q.