Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-17
A WIFE'S STORY.
HER HUSBAND GIVEN A LIFE
SENTENCE FOR MURDER.
She, Charged with Being an Accomplish
Is Not Allowed to Testify-Acquit-
ted-Sworn Statement.
Special to the Gazette.

Special to the Gazette.
GREENvILLE, Tex, May 16.-Mrs. Nettie
B. johnson, wife of the Rains county MUIR
derer,, and the only witness to the horrible
tragedy, was at the time of trial under in
dictment as an accomplice, and her evidence
was not permitted by the state to be given.
After Johnson's conviction Mrs. Johnson
was acquitted of the crime, and now that
the general public may read the evidences
that the defense would have presented, she
gives the following sworn statement for
publication, which has also been forwarded
to Governor Hogg:
The State of Texas, County of Hunt:
Before me, the undersigned authority,
personally appeared Nettie B. johnson, and
being duly sworn says that the testimony
that she would have given upon the trial of
Henry W. johnson upon the charge of kill
ing William Shumate on the 9th of April,
1890, and for which the said Johnson was
convicted and sentenced to death, if she had
been permitted to testify upon said trial,
would have been as follows:
IAN the wife OF the said Johnson. Was
married to him on the Goth day of January,
1855. On the Goth of December, 1889, myself
and husband and MIR. Shumate and Bill
Tarver all started from GSayson
county with two teams and two wagons,
and Mr.. Shumate rode horseback, and a.
rived there on the 23d of December, 1859
Rains county, Tex. Mr.. Shumate was
under contract with my husband to furnish
US house, land, teams, farming imple-
ments and provisions for the year 1890, and
give US one-half we could make. l was
also to do Mr.. Shumate's cooking and
washing for him. Mr.. Shumate had Bill
Tarver in about three weeks to leave there
We were getting along very well with Mr.
Shumate, all occupying the same house and
| doing the cooking and washing and Mr..
Shumate furnishing the provision until
sabout the 25th or 26th of February, 1890.
About the last mentioned date, Mr. johnson
was of in the field blowing and there was
one at the house but me, and was max
b4lY fire in the stove to get dinner, and
the kitchen, Mr.. Shumate stepped in and
says to me:
lis Henry comet Where is he2 Let's 20
back in here and go to bed'
l said, "Mr. Shumate, amt going to do
it: Go to your own wife," and he said, 81
will not do it. d you, that's what 1
brought you down here for and mean for
you to do just as want you to-"
81 told him was going to tell Henry and
he said if l did he would kill me the next
time that Henry went off and left me. 1
told my husband about this as soon
as he came to the house I re-
fused that day to cook Mr.. Shu-
NluuCl, ulu uOb COOk nor
work for him any more. Mr.. Shumate did
his own cooking for two or three weeks,
and then took his meals at Mr.. Shepherds
but still continued to sleep at his house,
where we were living until he was killed
Just before going to Shepherds, and while
my husband was breaking prairie, Mr..
Shumate come in and said to me: = .
81 then told him if he did not leave
would kill him. He said he was not
going to leave; id il he was: he
was going to stay right there He
told me not to tell Henry; if did he would
do something. He made SO many threats at
different times I do not remember what ne
said on that occasion.
"Mr. Shumate was very profane man
and would frequently curse me and abuse
me when Henry was out at WORK was
alwaps scared when he was about the place
and Henry was not
son the 9th day Of April, 1890, about
shutdown, I was standing on the porch
Booking for my husband, expecting him
to come home. saw Mr. Shumate
come up on the porch and ran
back into the house and he came ON after