Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-06-27
CAPTURED.
JOHNSON, THE MURDERER, SAFE IN THE
PENITENTIARY.
He is Caught About Four Miles from
MOundSville, Early Friday Even
ing, but the Fact Kept
q Secret.

J. II. Thatcher, has Deen cdptureu anu 10
now safe within the walls of the Mounds
vile pcnitentiary, where he will remain
until his examination before Justice Ed
wards, at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning.
The capture was made about half-past eight
O'Clock Friday evening, by Samuel Dorsey
and Hanson Riggs, two Marshal county
farmers, through information given by Mrs.
John NJ. Flanagan, who lives about a
mile off the Waynesburg road and fOurand
one-half miles from MOundsvile. The muir
derer. who had never crossed the river into
Ohio, despite the persistently circulated
and universally believed rumors to that
effect, called at Mrs. JOhnSon's house about
half-past seven O'Clock and asked for SOme2
thing to eat. The woman told him she
had nothing to give him, and few mo-
ments later, when her husband came home,
told him of the visitor she had had, and
pointed out the way the murderer had gone.
This information Mr.. Flanagan conveyed
to Mr.. Dorsey, the two men having had
previous understanding about keel
ing lookout for the murderer, and
Dorsey got Mr.. Riggs and started on John
sons trail, posting Flanagan and his two
boys along the road to keepwatch. MeSSrS.
Dorsey and Riggs came up with johnson
ON the roal ne; r Mr. John Garrett JOre'
house, and Dorsey ordered Johnson to
throw ND his hands. Johnson said he was
unarmed, and gave up without resistance.
He complained of being hungry and Mr..
Dorsey gave him his supper, after which
Messrs Dorsey, Riggs and Flanagan took
a wagon and drove him to MOundsvillc
and placed him in Jail, the vehicle being
driven rapidly through town 10 prevent
the prisoner being seen and recognized.
About midnight, to prevent any possible
attempt upon the life Of Johnson, he was
removed from the Jail to the pcntentInry
building. where he will remain for the
present at least.
A REGISTER reporter, through the kind
ness of Colonel w. +. Wilkinson, had IN IN
tcrview with the prisoner, shortly after he
had hada consultation with McSSrs. Dove
ncrand Criswell. his attorneys In answer
tOquestOns he detailed with some minute
ness his flight and experiences up to the
time of his capture. After firing the shot
which killed the Marshal, Johnson said he
went into the house, picked up his coat and
hat and nut them on, and then,
taking his shoes in his hand, he went down
the railroad from the camp ground and over
to the river. Making ior the fringe OF Will
lows along the shore, he proceeded along
the river bank nOrthward for half mile.
Every once in while he would peep over
the educ of the bank and could see people
running in all directions. When oppo-
site the C0ckaync farm he saw four
men enter the willows behind
him, and ut the same time saw
three or four hOrScmcn riding RAPIDLY along
the county road, Thinking he had been
discovered, and that the hOrScmcn were
endeavoring TO enter the willows above HIM
to cut of his further advance, johnson
said he took favorable opportunity ami
crawled into Il field OF oltS, through which
ne proceeded on his stomach till HI reached
the county road. The road was deserted
when he reached it, and he dashed across II
and made his way up the MI To
the woods. lie then proceeded directly To
the poor house farm, which he reached /
about : o'clock on "Wednesday morning
Here he hid in the hay, remaining in con-
cralment until . o'clock Thursday night,
the building being i'll the meantime
searched by number of men, two OF
whom, Kinsey Hughes and James Dorsey,
walked on the hay oyer his body, one OF
them stepping on bis foot:
When he left the barn, on Thursday
evening, he took the main road, with the
idea of walking to Wcllsburg by round
about way. but only proceeded as
far Us the residence OF a
man named GritlithS, reaching that
point soon after midnight Friday morning |
lie hid in the barn, and three men, George
and Wvlic Griffith and George Jones, |
worked near him until 1 o'clock in the
evening. When the men left, Johnson
crawlcd out of the straw in which he lay, |
and went to the house of Jacob llcnshaw, |
where ne got some food, it being the ilrSt /
he had eaten since the fatal shot was fired. !
lie then continued along the road until he /
reached Mr.. Flana%an's house, where the
facts narrated ut the outset OF tins article |
TRANSFERRED. i
Johnson seemed to be perfectly cool and
collected, and answered questions directly, |
save when they came in conflict with adj |
vice given by his counsel He said h" did
not consider il dangerous to hU confined in .
iail, and only came 20 the penitcntiarY at /
the suggestion Of the Sheriff and Detective /
IIagcrty. When asked why he shot
Thatcher, he said:
"A man has right to protect himself.
EMr Alex Johnson, father Of Gene, was
also interviewed, hut nothing Otimportancc |
was gained only that Mr.. Thatcher when
shot by Gene exclaimed, johnson, catch !
me! hold me! Lay ne down and go for
doctor as quick rs YOU can" He claimed
that he knew nothing about what was 90
ing on when Ne went to Genes house. lie
is now in jail and will have his cXamina-
ton tomorrow with Eugene and his wife.
johnson claimed to know nothing about |
the nature of Mr. Thatchcr'S wound until |
he was taken by Mr.. Dorsey and Mr.. |
Riggs. He then inquired as to the nature
of the wound,
In McmOrian.