The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-23
CASE OF DR.. JOHNSTON.
Prospects That the Insanity Dodge Will
BE Introduced by the Defense.
A Star Witness.

New Bloomfield, Pa. Jan. 22.--One
thing Is apparent at the close of the
second day of the trial OF DR.. Thorn
as l.. Johnston for the murder of DR..
George S. Henry, the Duncannon drug
gist at that place on the afternoon of
September IS last, that is the defense
has determined that the best chance of
saving the prisoners life lies in the un
cquiNocal contention of a diseased men
tai condition at the time of the COM
,c'ssion of the crime.
If the evidence the commonwealth
expects to get to the jury is i'm line
with the opening address Of ex-senator
c. arles II. Smiley, made this morning,
then there is but little doubt concern
ing a verdict for the people. He de-
clared in addressing the jurors that
the crime had been committed de!iber
ately and with that generalization that
the law says is murder in the first de-
gree. For a week previous to the shoot
ing the prisoner had carried a revolver;
something he was never known to do
in his life before. He had drawn his
money and securities from the bank
ana had in various other ways given
evidence that he was about to do some
tnlnS out or lne ordinary
One of the star witnesses of the day
was Florence May Long, who was q
domestic in the home in which the
shooting occurred. When the common
wealth called her to the stand there
was a lll2X Of excitement and cram
ing Of neCks in the court room to catch
q glimpse of the rather pretty girl who
was called upon to testify against her
former employer. She said that on the
day in question she was on the third
floor of the Johnston home. Between
three and four clock in the afternoon
she said Mrs. Johnston had been called
to the office Of the doctor. Immediately
after she had entered she heard the
doctors voice commanding: Get down
on you knees" and throw uD our
hands" Then she heard the pistol shots
and Mrs. Johnstou's screams for help.
Woman-like she leaned out of the
third story window and added her cries
to those of the Doctors wife. a NOM
ent after the shots had been fired she
saw Mrs Johnson hurrying to the home
of Mrs. Moss, a short distance away.
She did not come down stairs until
Henry had been taken into his store.
With considerable minuteness Miss
Long described the back Office in which
the shooting occurred. 1t was evident
from her manner on the stand that
she could have told much more if she
had been in a proper frame OF mind
When she first took the stand she was
so agitated over the matter that ii was
with difficulty she answered the queS-
tions of the commemorative attorneys
The revolver was introduced in the
case this afternoon.
Next i'm Importance to this direct tes-
| timony of the Johnston's maid was the
story to which Samuel Shelter, next
door neighbor swOre. He said he was
startled and attracted to DR., John
ston's office by the shots. Upon enter
ing the doctors house he met the latter
| gentleman coming out through the hal
door. Johnston said: Come in thi.
way. The inside office door is locked
In there he is"
Upon being asked who was in there
| DR.. Johnson replied:
Or Henry. | have shot the -
take him away. / don't want him il
there"
To the question why he had sho
! Henry, Johnson replied:
That's something else"
DR.. Henry recognized Shelter anC
said to him:
II am shot. This will finish me. Tel
my family and take me out of this.
want to make a sworn statement"
Shelter was recalled later and testi
| fled more fully as to what Dr. Henr!
| had said to him after the shooting. |
was-quoting DR.. Henry-as follows:
Il went into Dr. JohnStOn's office jus
as innocent as a child. | never though
| of any trouble until after Johnston ac
cused me and his wife of being Grimm
| ally intimate He wanted us to confess
that we We're guilty. and | said | coulC
not do it, as there was no truth in tn,
charge. He wanted us to get down ul
our knees and confess our guilt of tn,
crime. and then he began to shoot.
Mr.. Shelter | want you to see tina
| Johnston is punished for this deed. AT
ter he had gone out OF the office into th'
hall he came back into the room an,
kicked me twice while l lay helpless
and in pain and agony ON the floor"
William Il. Reed corrOborated ShelleI