The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-11-27
JOHNSON Is ACQUITTED.
The Court Finds Him Not Guilty Of zafalrs

Murder.
Richard ID. johnson was acquitted al
Cumberland, Md, on Wednesday, OF the
murder of Grant w. Zufall, of Meyers
dale, on Dec. "a, 1894.
The physicians who made the autopsy
testified that Zufall was dead before be-
ing placed in the water, as was shown by
the lungs being inflated and no water
found in them.
Detective Samuel Young testified that
when "A woman named Annie Young was,
in his presence, shown photograph oi
Zufall, she turned TO johnson and said;
''Why, that is Zufall. whom you brought
here just before Christmas" Johnson
became angry and remarked: 81 don't
know Zufall, never saw him and don't
care whether he is in that stove, under
the ice or in hi, and if / could get him
out with my little finger would not dc
it," Then turning to the detective, John
son pulled some papers from his pockets
and said: "YOung, there are the proofs
you are looking for, and | will destroy
them," which he did by throwing them
into the fire.
Lewis Peacock, one of the men on
whose testimony the Grand Jury found
the indictment against johnson, testified
that he came to Cumberland from Berry
vile, Va, on December -, and that al
about IL o'clock on Christmas eve he en-
tered the saloon of John Yaste and there
met William James; that they were
standing at the bar, when they heard
loud voices in an adjoining room, and
looking through the door saw Johnson
strike Zufall upon the head with a club;
said: ''Now, d-n you, Pve been lying
for you and caught you" Johnson then
walked into the barroom proper and lay
ing down twenty dollar bill passed out
of the place. Peacock, with James, then
left the saloon after hearing the barten-
der say: Hes not dead. Take him up
stairs" Peacock then took train and
returned 10 Berryville, arriving there in
time for Christmas dinner.
William James, the ether witness who
caused JohnsoE's arrest, substantiated
Peacock's testimony. Here witnesses
were produced who testified that they re-
turned to Berryville, Va, and that Pea
cock was in that place on last Christmas
eve and participated in a Christmas en-
tertainmsnt on that night. Several other
witnesses gave testimony that Johnson
was in their company mt Henry Ashes
restaurant between 1880 and ll:3O o'clock
on Christmas eve.
johnson testified i'm his own behalf
that he had not been in Yaste's saloon on
that night; that he was with Charlotte
Rohm and several other parties at Ashes;
that at ILLS he, in company with the
Rohm woman, went to the house of Mrs.
Young, where he remained some time.
He denied any knowledge of the murder;
said that he never saw Zufall in life or
death. and left town shortly after Christ
mas at the solicitation of his father, who
wished him to give up bad companions.
He did not know that Zufall was muir
dered until he read the account of his
death in the papers. On cross-examina-
tion by the prosecution, johnson stuck
TO this statement. The prosecution then
submitted the case to the court upon the
agreement of the defense without argu-
ment, and the court returned verdict OF
not guilty.
Bench warrants were then sworn out
for the arrest of James and Peacock,
charging them with perjury, and they
were held for the next term of court.
These men still stick 10 the statement
that they saw Johnson kill Zufall, and
say that they will get other witnesses to
prove it.