The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-11-26
ACTS THE SERPENT
COWARDLY ATTACK UPON JOHNSON
BY Els FARTHER.
He Receivers From the First Affects of the
Terrinsc Beating He Received and Tells
What He Can Observation-Disclosures Was
Made While He Was Asleep-He Had
Been Assisting His Assailant All He
Could for Several Days. and in Turn He
: Tried to Kin Isis Beaefactor-A Good
Description Of the william b Secured.

Johnson, the man who was so severely
beaten in the Santa Fe yards Tuesday
afternoon, recovered sufficiently yester-
day to tell more about himself. 1t is
now beyond doubt, as limited in the
Eagle yesterday, that the partner OF
Johnson is the one who made the cow
ardly attack upon his life. Johnson
stated that ne had been with the fellow
for several days. and had picked aim up
at Purcell. I. T. He had been buying all
the articles of food for both ever since
he first happened across him, and in
short had been as much of benefactor
toward him as his means would allow.
Tuesday afternoon they struck this
city, and went down town together.
Johnson purchased several apples, and
onions and divided them with his COM
panion. He also purcased supply OF
alcohol, and together they returned TO
the Santa Fe yards. They went down
into the yards among the cars, and
found one empty, into which they
climbed; and sitting down ate the fruit
which johnson had bought, and be-
tween them drank the alcohol. 1t is not
known how much of the latter was dis
posed of, but evidently they did not like
to take any chances as to the quality
of the beverage and hence drank the
pure article.
Johnson says that they finished their
lunch and taking off their coats rolled
them up and laid down in one end of the
car to sleep, using their coats for pill
lows. The next thing he remembers was
being struck severe blow upon the
head which was not sufficient TO stun
him. He sprang UP and defended him
self as well as possible with his hands.
The beating continued, and Johnson
made an attempt to get out Of the door,
but was finally knocked down by the
coupling pin with which his would-be
assassin had been beating him. In this
encounter he received many cuts about
the head mentioned in yesterdays
Eagle. The first blow was received just
over the left eye, and was delivered
while he was still asleep, and evidently
the intention was to stun him sufficient
ly to enable his assailant 10 rob him and
get away before he recovered from the
effects Of the blow. 1t is difficulty to
realize what kind of nature could per-
form such deed so foul. To ruthlesly
take heavy iron coupling pin and stand
over a sleeping man who was entirely
in his power, and then to strike him the
biOW EniNA AC dtsts L lfC ldCl ludl tic
man had helped him financially for
some time past. he being an entire
stranger. adds to the Nervousness of the
act. The alcohol also had its part in the
drama, which ended almost in trag-
edy; and il may end so yet.
Just how he got out of the car, John
son can tell nothing. A pool of blood
was found upon the floor of the car, and
blood was smeared upon the door, and
6pattered all over the inside of the car
upon the walls and floor. A pool of
blood was also found upon the ground,
just outside the<car door. The bloody
coupling pin with hair still adhering to
it was also found, and the coats of both
men still remained in the car. The
pockets Of both of them still contained
some OF the apples and onions, which
Johnson had purchased during the after
noon.
The name Of the fellow the man could
not give, but the following description
was secured from Johnson, and the DO
lice are on the lookout for him. He is
about 5 feet inches in height has black
hair and dark complexion. He is about
a medium stout build, wore moustache
of about two weeks growth. His coat
was left in the car and is now at police
headquarters. II is black and a sack
Sodt cut anu SHOWS considerable wear
still whole. His vest and pants
were also black and we'll worn His
shoes were lace in style and he wore a
dark cap. The most prominent part Of
his features was a peculiar squint in
his right eye which would clearly mark
him out among others anywhere. He is
a regular tourist of the variety which
travel by the usual methods used by the
other tramps, and it is hoped that he
may be taken in by the police some
where and receive due punishment for
his cowardly and brutal assault upon the
man who had befriended him.
In the ARRAY in the car Johnson was
struck upon the wrist and the blow may
have caused a fracture, but ii was
thought by the attending physicians that
it was only very severe bruise. IT
swelled up considerably and the condi-
ton of his hands and arms indicate that
the only thing which saved his life was
that he put his hands above his head
to ward off the blows which were being
dealt.
The police think that his assailant in
tended at first to strike him just hard
enough to render him insensible. but
that as soon as he got up the intention
was TO kill him in order to get away
without being caught, as he possibly fear
ed ne would make some outcry. The OBJ
ject was undoubtedly robbery, the fell
low imaging that he had considerable