Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-03-12
MURDERED FOR MONEY.
The Murderer of William
Shumate TO Suffer the
Death Penalty on
April 9th.
MONEY WAS THE TEMPTER THAT
CAUSED HENRY JOHNSON TO
TAKE THE LIFE OF A
FORMER CITIZEN
OF MEXICO.
Brief History Of the Crime-Cruel and De-
hherate Assassination Of an Old Man
The Execution Set for the Anni-
versary Of the Crime.

Mr.. S. M. Gilbert has just re-
celved from his wife, who is visit
ing in Texas, copy of the Green
vile Daily Herald, from which pa
per is clipped the following account
of the death sentence passed upon
Henry Johnson who, In last April,
murdered in cold blood, Mr.. VIM
Shumate, once prominent citizen
of this city and formerly of Ken
tucky. A brief history of the
cowardly assassination is also re,
lated. The Daily Herald says:
1t would be difficult to find o
more cruel and deliberate assassi-
nation in the annals of crime than
was committed in the peaceable
Ii tie county of Rains, April 9th,
1890.
William Shumate was respected
citizen Of Grayson county, over
seventy years of age. Henry
johnson was young man, less
than twenty-five years of age, and
as fine specimen of ply sical n.an-
hood as one often meets. A little
above medium height, jet black
hair, dark, piercing eyes, slight,
dark mou stache, form slender
but erect, with a restless, dare
devil look, showing unsurpassed
courage and nerve.
Though almost stranger in the
community, with his manly looks,
his ready wit and plausible speech,
he wooed and won Miss Nettie
Ferguson, the seventeen,yea old
niece of Jasper Ferguson, the
wealthiest and one of the most re-
spected citizens of Bells, and also
closely related to many of the best
citizens OF Arkansas.
A few months after his marriage,
Johnson was involved in personal
difficulty with a nelghbor, which
resulted in his being fined, and be-
ing too poor to pay he was COM
mitted to Jail.
Nh. Shumate was friend of the
family, the girl having become es,
tranged from her relatives on ac-
count of her MARI age, and he pro-
posed to Johnson that he would
take him from prison If he would
60 to Rains county and take charge
of farm for him, agreeing to
furnish him a team, tools and sup
plies.
| Johnson agreed to this and Mr..
Shumate carried him with his
young wife to the farm, furnishing
wagons, horses, mules and such
implements and supplies as were
neede4, and he remained with
johnson to direct him how he
wanted the work done.
johnson soon became discon-
tented, and began to murmur be.
cause of his poverty while Others
were rich, and while in this mooC
MIR. Shumate sent him to Emory
for an express package of money
which he received. The package
was marked. "Said to contain $40.
I00," and johnson, seeing three ci
piers, thought the package con
tained $1,000.
This money was the temper tina
caused johnson to take the life o
Mr.. Shumate. johnson fed witt
all of the property, including th'
pocket knife, pipe and watch o
his victim, taken from the bod.
after death. He was arrested il
Fannin county, just before h.
crossed Red River, with the wag
ons, horses, mules, and other prop
erty he had taken. He was brough
back, indicted, convicted, aud tn,
death penalty assessed, which wa
affirmed by the court of appeals.
Mrs. johnson was acquitted, tn
evidence showing that she did no
participate in the crime, but onl,
attempted to shield her husban'
after he had killed Shuma.e, ap'
our law does not punish a wifi
for so aiding her husband.
johnson, since his confinement
ha. visibly changed. ali the bold
defiant look is gone, and he ap
pears as humble as any repentan
sinner can be.
He was carried to Emory Wed
nesday to be sentenced, aud OIL
yesterday afternoon the sentenc
of death was pronounced upo
him by Judge 1erhune.
He made two requests, one ths
his execution be private, the othe
that he be allowed to be kept i
the Greenville jail so as to receIv
! the benefits of the religious serv
; ces he SO much desired.
Judge Terhune granted both n
iques::s, and set the day ofexecutio
for Monday, April 9Th, exactl
one year from the day he ASSASSIN
ated Shumate.
; Johnson was calm, probably lei
affected than any man in the cou