Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-14

| AUBURN, N. Y. Nov. 1.-The electrocu
ton of Johnson took place at 12:4O today
and was perfect His nerve did not deser,
him
JOhnsOn's Double Crime.
The double murder for which John John
son paid the penalty of his life today was
| committed on the morning of April II last
| IN the broom shop of Auburn prison. Nc
| cause other than i'll temper and an uncon-
querable determination to do somethins
desperate has been adduced for the murder
Gus freak which his vicious fancy took on
that fatal morning in April. He was known
as the Blue niger from Clyde" and his
reputation was that of bad man.
He seemed to have conceived a bitter
enmity against the whole body of his fell
lows and had threatene to do up the
whole shop upon the first favorable oppor-
tunity. His weapon was sharp knife
used in cutting broom corn. With this in
his hand he started to run amuck through
| the shop.
Dashing down the middle aisle. where
conVicts were at work on either side, OBJ
livious of danger. he slashed right and
LETT, desperately and relentlessly, bent upon
Staying as many of his fellows as possible
one of his first victims was Charles Peck
an 1noffensive convict from West Chester
county. The blade penetrated Peck's heart
and he fell dead in his tracks. The next
victim was Daniel Britton. the knife pene-
trating the abdomen and death resulting
after two hours of suffering.
Two other convicts had to receive treat.
| ment in the hospital for wounds inflicted
by johnson, while others escaped with
lacerated fingers and slight scratches. The
list OF the dead might have been increased
had not the blade Of the murderer's knife
| broken off during the ARRAY
He. directed vicious blow at Keeper
Mitchell after the blade had been brok en-
put 1t did not penetrate his clothing. The
raxxv lie h,,t l.
was about to pull the trigger somebody
hit his arm and the ball went wide Of its
| mark. 1t frightened Johnson into sur.
| rendering, however, and he made no fur.
| Their resistance.
Johnson was brought to trial in May OF
| this year. Justice Adams presiding He
was called to the stand in his own defense
| and gave dramatic recital of the scenes
handcuffs had been removed for the first
| time since the trial began and his impress
sive delivery and vigorous gestures created
considerable excitement and no small ele.
ment of fear, for upon his original convic.
ton to Auburn prison he established q
| reputation for hurting inkstands and cuspi.
! ing attorney.
In his excitement he would rise from
his chair and advance toward the court
while asking questions.
bench between the prisoner and the court.
johnson also stepped down from the wit.
ness Stanu ana FACED the jury with wild
gesticulations and vehement utterances. He
seemed to possess a remarkable flow OF
| language and was far from being the liz.
norant negro represented.
He asked for a broom handle to illustrate
the alleged attack upon him at the time
| of the murder. but 1t was refused for pru-
dent reasons. whereupon he looked at the
district attorney and gave loud guffah.
The whole tenor of his speech was to
prove he acted in self-defense. He stiG.
| matted the keepers in prison as cruel and
cowardly.
The jurys first vote was unanimous fol-
conviction. The prisoner received the yer.
dict with little show of concern but as he
entered hack and was driven back Ia
prison in the rain he remarked: IT'S a
dark day for me-"