The Indianapolis journal., 1893-11-17
JOHNSON'S CONFESSION.
Officers Not Inclined to Believe that He
Murdered John Young.

Another alleged murderer of John Young
has come before the public. This time the
murderer is sef-accused, and is one whom
no one had heretofore suspected of the
crime, and whom no one now suspects of
ii, Notwithstanding his confession. The man
who has confessed to the murder is Clar-
ence Johnson, now serving a term of five
years in the Prison North for horse steal
ing. He was arrested on Aug. "A for steal
ing horse from James CulbertSon, and on
Sept is was tried, convicted and sentenced
to five years Imprisonment in the peni-
tentiary. Very soon thereafter he was taken
to the prison, where he is still confined. A
few days ago he confessed to Warden
French that he had murdered John Young,
for which crime four men have been ar
rested and subsequently released.
John Young was murdered on the after
noon of April II, at 4O7 West Washington
street, and Charles Seibert, a painter, and
Jeff Springsteen were arrested for the muir
der. Two women, Emma Binan and Mollie
Downs, who occupied rooms in the building
where the murder was committed, claimed
TO nave heard quarreling between Young
and the man who killed him, and also
claim to have seen the fatal blow struck.
Both women claim to have heard the name
OF Mrs. Oliver, with whom Young boarded,
mentioned during the quarrel. When Sci
women both identified him as the man who
bad struck the blow, but both he and
Springsteen succeeded in establishing their
innocence OF the crime The murder be-
came mystery, and man named Marsh
residing in West Indianapolis, was for a
time suspected of the crime, but there was
no evidence tending TO show that he was
guilty. Later Frank Moore and Thomas
Br1Stow were arrested for the murder.
Their arrest was caused by statements
hxr thr. -
that her son had confessed to her that he
and Bristow had killed a man on West
Washington street on the day that Young
was murdered. The evidence against them
was not sufficient to warrant the finding of
an indictment, and they were discharged by
the grand jury this week.
Johnson claims to have become conscience
stricken from fear that Moore and Bristow
might be convicted of the crime, of which
they were innocent, and confessed to having
committed the murder. Little faith is
placed in the confession by the officers, and
1t is the general impression that johnson
had motive in confessing to the murder.
he now has nearly five years to serve for
the crime which he was convicted, and
1t is thought here that the confession is
merely ruse TO escape punishment for
this. If credence We're given the confess
sion and he was tried for the murder he
would of necessity have to be pardoned by
the Governor and brought back for trial on
pardon for the lesser offense he could then
repudiate the confession, and the State
would be compelled to prove his guilt be-
yond all reasonable doubt without the aid
of the confession. AS it would be impossi-
ble to do this the result would be acquittaI
on the murder charge and Johnson would
secure his freedom.
Both Mrs Oliver and Emma Binan have
moved from the rooms formerly occupied
by them on West Washington street, and
they could not be located yesterday Mollie
Downs still occupies rooms at No. 412 West
Washington street. She was seen yesterday,
and told of the confession of Johnson, and
said she had never heard the name She
said the man who committed the murder
was the man called detective, and on that
afternoon he wore a half plug hat. She said
she saw him around the place that day
Mrs. Downs said that, whoever the man
was he could be identified by colored
woman named Cal Duncan, who was drink
ing with him on the afternoon that Young
was killed.
Johnson was intimate with a woman
named Kate Burns, and a search was made
for her last night, but she had moved from
the rooms formerly occupied by her on
East Washington street, and could not be
found II is said that she knew of Johnson's 8
whereabouts on the afternoon of the Young
murder, and that he was not near the
scene.