The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-12
WANTED TO CURE THE MULE.
Johnson, the Negro Detective, Turns
Veterinary Doctor

There is a hitch in the proceedings
against Mason and Morgan, the two
white men who were arrested Wednesday
bv Detective Wetherhorn, charged with
counterfeiting George johnson. the
negro. claiming to be a railroad spotter,
who caused the arrest of the men, has
been acting very suspiciously and this
morning will probably see him behind the
bars of the Jail.
Johnson told such straight story to
begin with that he convinced everybody
who talked with him of the truth of his
statements, and no difficulty was ex-
pected in corroborating it. The corrobo-
rative evidence has not been secured as
yet. largely owing to Johnson's miscon-
duct.
The fact that johnson had been drink
ing freely since he reached town may ac-
count in part for his contradictory ac-
lions In the first place, when he was
sent out with Constable Britt on the day
after the arrest of Mason and Morgan, to
search for the counterfeit money, which
he claimed the men arrested had hidden
in the woods, he showed no disposition to
aid in the search, announcing that the
exertiOns of the last few days had worn
him OUT and that he did not feel like
noLzing around in the woods. This looked
Yesterday morning Constable Britt
was sworn in as special officer of the
United States court, and sent out to serve
subpunas upon parties out on the Louis
vile road. upon whom Johnson said
counterfeit coin had been passed. John
sOu went along to point out the parties
The Otficer's experience with johnson was
exasperating to a degree, but highly
lauphable to an outsider. The two
left the city in a buggy, about 10 o'clock
al,
miles from the city they met a negro
driving an old blind mule. Johnson had
been imbibing freely from a couple of
TASKS of whisky, which he
took with him on the trip.
When they met the old negro John
son Jumped from the buggy and offered to
cure the mule of blindness for SO.
He examined the mules mouth
and declared that it was only necessary
TO scrape the gums with piece of glass
and sight would be restored Immediately
Officer Britt told johnson that he had no
time for his foolishness, and as they had
good many miles to go he had better get
back into the buggy at once.
Johnson then became obstreperous and
declared that he would not go on with the
OFFICER. Finding that johnson would
not continue the Journey the Off
Ger told him to get back into
the buggy and come on back to town.
Johnson would not do this either,
and finally the deputy had to come back
without him. When Britt came back
and reported the circumstances of his
trip Detective Wetherhorn went out and
picked Johnson up The latter in the
meantime had telephoned Special Agent
Paul at the custom house to meet him
outside of town and go out with him to
serve the subpRnas.
johnson could give no other explana-
ton of his conduct than that he was
afraid of Officer Britt. He professed his
willingness to go with any of the other
officers. His actions convinced the
officers that he knew more of the
counterfeiting than he was willing
to admit. He was told that he
would have to be held as a witness,
and that if he could not make better
showing than he had, he would be ar
rested on the charge of counterfeiting.
There being no other officer available,
Johnson was handcuffed and sent out
again with Officer Britt at 2 O'Clock. AS
they had about twenty miles to travel
they are not expected back until some
time this morning. The officer was in
structed TO place Johnson in Jail for safe
keeping should he return before day