The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-05-21
is BROUGHT BACK
John Hopkins Once More IN
Wake County Jail.
THE STORY OF HIS LIFE

A Unique Chapter OF CRIME ne
Strange and Checkered Life of his
Svengali of the Jaii--His Name Has
Often Appeared on the Court Re-
cords,
queer and checkered life has John
HOPKINS lived in this world OF ours:
Denlltv Sheriff Brooks brought hlm
hack from Danville, Va, yesterday
afternoon, and placed him BEHIND the
bars of Wake county Jail. hopkins mas
been in the county road gang serving
ont a six years sentence Tor forgery
and subornation of perjury La.~ssep-
TENDER he escaped, and had not oeeh
heard from until he was captured
dav or two ago at Danville, Va Gov
arnor Carr made requisition on the
Governor of Virginia and secured ms
,,eturn to the State, to serve out the
sentence.
The first time Hopkins figured IN
the court records was In 1874 or "a
when he was tried in Chatham county
for assault with intent to commit
rape on a little girl nine years old. Al
Ter n sensational trial, he was con-
victed. and sentenced to fifteen years
in the penitentiary. Up to this time
he had never been regarded as crlliliI.dl
or vicious. and even after ms conV1c-
ton many believed him innocent OF the
charge against him. -,
Even a brief association with the
hardened sinners in stripes developed
the. cunning and daring OF the crlml-
nal After serving several years OF the
sentence. be escaped from the prison,
and il seemed as if the earth had swat
lowed him: he left behind mo cleW for
the crackers from the penltenuaTy.
Net. he never left the State. He went
TO Alamanee county. There married
a rosy-cheei>ed country S1rl, ana set
tied down to steady life. Some years
later he was tried and convicted IN
Alamance eoanty of assisting prisoners
to escape, and for this offense was
sentenced to the penitentiafy Tor hhfee
years; the authorities did net know ne
was an escaped convict. during ms
term the penitentiary aathor1ues
searched out his record, and traced
him up. When the three years expired
the penitentiary management tried to
force him to serve out the remaining
norton of the fifteen-year sentence.
The solicitor. MOST of the memhefs OF
the bar and number of prominent
citizens who had attended his hrst
trial for assault. signed petalloi ask
ing that the sentence be reunited lie
was then pardoned by the Governor,
and returned to Chatham free man.
One small effense after another was
laid AT his door, and he figured largely
in the courts. At THE time the jan al
Pittsboro was burned he was connneo |
there for some minor otfense. lie was
transferred to Orange county jan
while the new Chatham Jail was build
IalI ha
nlaeed in the same cell with crazy
man. The maniac had sudden at
tack of frenzy and attempted 10 XIII
Hopkins. They had a desperate tight
in the cell. and the lunatic broke Hop
I<ins' arm in the encounter. Hopkins
sued the sheriff of the county 1ef
damages. but the case fell through.
In Chatham Hopkins engaged in that
sayorite occupation of the free and IN
dependent Tar Heel, "moonshiuing,
and was arrested time and again for
infraetions of the internal revenue
laws, The revenue officers at last
made him weary of the trade. lie put
out the fires under his stills, ana re-
tired from business.
Immediately he set up q genefal
bureau of information for revenue
officers, and was regarded as autnof-
ltY on the NHeItdDOuto VI tAiN " hAN -
stiUs of the county. At each term OF
the Federal court he. was q star wit
ness, and he and Uncle Sam were COM
rades.
His experience as Federal witness
drew him into the ticket forgery. lie
had Federal witness ticket, TOOK IT
10 the authorities, and got 1T cashed
ia the usual way. He took the same
ticket and got his attorneys to receipt
for the amount on bill that he owed
for services rendered. Then carried
the self-same ticket to Z. A. Johnson,
the eolored lawyer, and got 1t casned.
For this fraud lie was promptly ar
vested, and put in the county jail. lie
proved to be the Svengali of the coun-
ty.prison. lie had never seen any OF
his fellow-prisoners before he entered
elrre iail yet he persuaded them 10
testify for him at his trial. Two OF
them -swore they were with him at the
time, the transaction occurred, ana that
Ed johnson did not cash the ticket.
The perjury was so apparent that Tor
this false swearing both the witnesses
are now serving terms on The roads.
And an extra sentence of four years
was imposed on Hopkins for inducing
the witnesses 70 swear falsely.
But yesterday no one would nave
thought the understanding manacled
prisoner that followed Sheriff brooks
80 meekly was a master liz the trade OF
crime.
CONCERNING THE COMING STATE