The herald., 1897-04-16
HE TESTIFIED
AIva Johnson Changed His
Mind
EVIDENCE AGAINST KID
Story of the Train Robbery Told
Again
SUIT FOR A COMMISSION
MRS. AUSTIN WILL KEEP HER
SUIT FOR A COMMISSION
MRS. AUSTIN WILL KEEP HER
CHILD
Heavy Damage Suit Against an Elec-
tric Company-Other Matters
Disposed of Yesterday

The Kid Thompson trial was resumed
In department one yesterday morning.
Although the court does not open until
10 o'clock. almost every seat in the room
was taken an hour earlier. The an
nouncement of Alva Johnson's refusal
to testify and the expectation that he
would again be placed upon the stand
yesterday morning attracted large
crowd of curiosity seekers. When
Judge Smith came into court solid mass
of humanity was banked all around the
room outside the railing The bailif
was ordered to clear the room of all those
not occupying seats. This was a great
disappointment to the crowd of sensation
seekers, but it had very benficial effect
in purifying the atmosphere.
Alva johnson was not the first wit
ness called, as was expected, and did
not take the stand until late in the after
noon. When he did appear it was evil
dent that he had changed his mind IN
regard to giving testimony, and he an
swered all the questions put to him, tell
lHS tic SAINT StOiy oS a.
the former trial. Only once did he hes
itate and that was soon after taking
the stand. He was telling the story Of
.he train wrecking and robbery. when
Major Donnell asked: "Who threw the
switch that resulted in derailing the
train?"
Johnson stammered and then stopped
His lips began to twitch nervously and
he fumbIed his cane with his fingers
After fully two minutes he said, appar-
emily with a great effort: well, I sup
pose Thompson must have done it.
There was no one else around" That was
all. The rest of his testimony was given
In a perfectly straightforward manner
and without any hestitancy.
Detective Bowler was the first witness
placed on the stand. He told of his pur-
suit of the robbers the morning after
the second Roscoe train robbery. He
said that about the most important in
formation he had gathered from Kid
regarding the robbery had been on Wis
IT paid to him in the county Jail. He had
met Kid in the corridor. Without hav-
ing introduced the subject, Kid spoke of
Johnson's statement. Johnson. Kid
said, had lied about one thing in his
statement, and that was when he stated
Kid had thrown the switch. Thompson
continued that he was willing to plead
guilty and get a life sentence, but If
they were going to hang him he would
make them all the trouble he could. Mr..
Bowler could not remember having been
present in the district attorneys office
when Kid was taken there and an at
tempt made to secure a confession from
him. On cross-examina alton, Mr.. Bow
Ter was asked whether or not he had ever
talked with Baker, member Of the Sal
walton army, and told him, with an oath,
that Johnson did not amount to any
thing. The witness denied ever having
made such a statement and said he did
not know Baker.
j. Doke was then called. He was con-
fined in Jail for breaking into a post
office, and saw a great deal of Kid
Thompson, and according to his story
the two became quite intimate. Thomp-
son was then awaiting trial for the Ros-
coe train wreck. Kid told Doke that there
was lot of money buried on the Alva
Johnson ranch, and asked him to go and
get it. as the Kid wanted to get
lawyers to defend him. This money
had been buried under rock on a hill
near Johnson's house. Doke further
claimed that Kid had stated that he and
Johnson were the men who had robbed
the trains at Roscoe. Kid confessed he
had been the one who threw the switch
and wrecked the train, while Johnson
had stood in the brush and signalled with
blazing weeds for the engineer to STOP
which, however, he failed to do, so the
train was run on the siding. Doke said
that he reported these conversations
with Kid to Sheriff Burr, and in company
with the latter, after he had served his
time, visited the ranch to search for the
hidden money. They failed to locate
. II and when they returned to the Jail
the witness showed Kid a diagram of
the supposed location drawn by Sheriff
Burr, and Kid said that it was about
correct.
Sheriff Burr then added some strong
testimony which was not given al either
of the previous trials. He had once con-
cealed himself in the Jail and had heard
Thompson confess TO Doke that he had
thrown the switch that wrecked the
train at Roscoe. Kid did not know that
anyone was listening and had talked very
freely with Doke about the whole matter
Sheriff Burr was in the east al the former
trials and that is the reason he did not
testify on these occasions.
Mrs. Olive Rogdon, the sister of Alva
Johnson, told story that corroborated
Etzler's testimony in regard to his visit
In company with Thompson to the John
son ranch. She did not add anything
to what has already been told.
Alva johnson occupied the rest of the
afternoon telling the story of the rob-
berry in detail His evidence corre-
sponded in every particular to that given
by him at the former trials
The hearing will be taken up again this
morning.
InIxArcnn1 rnEr cn