Evening star., 1896-10-06
CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY
An Old Real Estate Deal Brought Into
Court.
Requfsftion From Pennsylvania for
1. A. Lyon, Fannie B. johnson
and Nathan Sprague.

Upon a requisition Of the governor of
Pennsylvania, brought here yesterday by
Edward F. Center, agent Of the state,
Judge Hagner, in the abssnce of Chief
Justice Bingham, yesterday afternoon IS
sued a warrant for the arrest of Isaac S.
Lyon. a member of the District bar, Fan
ME B. S. Johnson, a colored school teacher
of this city, and Nathan Spragde. a colored
real estate dealer of this city, and a son-in-
law of the late Frederick Douglass. who
are Jointly charged in the reqaisition with
conspiracy. Sprague being also charged
with false pretenses.
Geo. W. johnson is the PRINCIPAL COM
planning witness in the case. and he states
In an attached affidavit that July II. 1891.
the three defendants conspired, by
false and fraudulent pretenses and rep
resentations, to cheat and defraud him
of all his right title and interest in
and 70 lots 16 and 10, section ., of
Barry Farm, District tract of iaad, by
pretending to him tnat check, dated on
the day in question, and drawn upon the
Capital City Bank of this city for $50, to
his order and signed by Nathan Sprague,
trustee was good and valid. Whereas, In
fact, says the atiiant, the check was az
sClutely worthless, Sprague not having she
amount in tine bank. BY color and means
of said alleged false preteases, swears MI
Johnson. Sprague obtained from him all
his right, title and interest in and to The
said lots
Other Charges.
Also attached to the requisition Is the
affidavit of District Attorney Geo. s.
Graham of Philadelphia, in which he says
that he believes he has sufficient evidence
to secure the conviction of the defendants
and that the ret1Iistion is not made Tor
the purpose of enforcing the collection of II
L 1t t.,v - n
He explains that any delay which mas Oc-
CURED in the prosecution of the alleged
offenses and in the application for the re-
uuiSition was unavoidable by reason Of the
tendency Of civil cola teral litigation in this
District, and which Is now determined ana
enCed.
Also attached to the requstion are two
indictments returned in Philadelphia last
June one of them charges Lyon Sprague
and the johnson woman with ccnspiring to
cneat and defraud Geo. W. Johnson of the
two lots. valued al $500 and the other
charges Sprague with false pretenSeS IN the
matter of the check referred to.
Defendants Give Bail.
Upon hearing of the warrant for his ar
rest Mr. Lyon at once surrendered him
self to the marshal and subsequently, gave
bond in the sum of $1,000 to answer the
requisition, Judge Hagner setting the mat
ter down for hearing before him tomorrow
morning. The friends of Miss Johnson and
Mr.. S;prague assured the marshal that
both would come In today and give bonds.
and that they would be on hand at the
hearing.
An Old Case.
The indictments, it is said, grew out of a
transaction for the s lie of the land two or
three years ago, since which time. it is un-
Gerstood, another member of the District
bar. John II. Adriaans, appeared in the
controversy, representing Geo. w. Johnson
Lyon and Adriaans, once friends, It Is also
said, now bitterly opposed to each 9TH
er and have so appeared in the lot al courts
for many months in several suits and cOun-
ter suits. When the requisition papers
were presented to Judge Hagner yesterday
II is reported that he intimated that he
believed that Adriaans had some connec.
| ton with the prosecution of the parties
| and the judge seemed, it is said disinclineG
| 10 order their arrest. Later in the day
rweveT, he directed the warrants to issue
! setting the matter down for hearing to
! morrow. AT this hearing, it is said there
! viii be some very Interesting developments
I The accused parties. so it Is represented
| Indignantly deny the charges made agairs
| them, and express them selves as being fully
| prepared and able to establish their limo
Cence of any and all wrongdoinS.