Evening star., 1897-08-26
Subsequent Movements.

farmers wagon drove up near where he
was standing and the occupant of the We
hicle asked him for a match.
Subsequent Movements.
Soon after doing the shooting he stepped
to one side of the street. where he thought
no one would see him, and then approached
the bridge, reaching there just in time to
meet Farmer Bell. then hurrying to the aid
of Marshall. Instead of crossing the bridge,
he said, he went down the steep embank-
ment to the railroad tracks and reached
the city by passing through the Navy Yard
tunnel. Ali day Monday he remained apou.
the city, and late at night he started
through South Washington to the Long
bridge, intending to cross the bridge and
start toward his mothers home in Ten
nessee. But before daybreak the police ar
rested him and he then realized that the
finding Of the pistol on him would surely
get him in trouble, although he had not
anticipated SO serious an ending.
The arrest of the prisoner in South
Washington at SO early hour Tuesday
morning was the result of the crusade
that LieIt. Hollinberger's officers have
been making against tramps ard suspicious
persons generally. who are found about
the Long bridge, railroad and lumber yards
and on the flats. Policemen Bassford, Ver-
million and Curry, the officers who made
the arrest have apprehended quite a num-
Der of suspicious persons during recent
weeks, and several of them We're armed,
SO tnat the arrest OF an armed man was
nothing new. But from the fact that one
shot had been fired from the pistol found
on him and only about twenty-four hours
had elapsed between the time of the shoot
ing and the arrest johnson was looked
upon as the suspected murderer.
Kept in the Shadows.
When the officers first saw him he was
eEdeavorng to reach the bridge, and ap-
peared anxious to keep in the shadows
{,:, lir,lt
his presence there at so early an hour
might not arouse suspicion. But the Off
GERS about the bridge are always on the
alert for just such persons Johnson.
When the case was taken to court Po
licenan Vermilion had charge of it, and
it was through him that the detectives
learned of the arrest and took possession
of the prisoner. Soon after Johnson was
captured he commenced to weaken under
the close questioning, but he thought over
the matter and concluded to get nights
rest, when he hoped to be in better con-
diton to talk.
When the shooting was reported there
was not single clue upon which to work,
and even the arrest of johnson with the
weapon in his pocket. in the face of posi-
tive denial, did not give the officers much
of a basis Detectives Weldon and Lacy,
however, by close examination of the
empty shell and bullet. discovered the first
link in the chain of evidence, which was
afterward frightened about the prisoner.
1t was due to their management of the
case, the officials admit. that lead to the
prisoners confession yesterday.
Chief Moore GratiRed.
Major Moore was particularly well
pleased at the prompt manner in which the
officers had worked to a conclusion in
case which at one time promised 10 remain
an unsolved mystery, and this morning
he issued a general order as follows:
1T is a source of satisfaction 10 the
department to be able to note the arrest OF
Frank johnson, who murdered peacea-
BILE citizen of Maryland within this juris-
diction.
with but meager description of the
criminal, and without knowledge OF a mo-
William Vermillion and Edward Curry not
only displayed excellent Judgment In ap-
pretending the stranger, but also exhibited
wise discretion in securing his detention
as the suspected murderer by the court
.The detective service did commendable
work in securing corroborative evidence
against the prisoner, which lead TO his con-
feSSion.'
johnson Photographed.
This morning the prisoner spent most of
his time in his cell fumbling with news
paper, and he had but very little to say to
those who called ON him. Before noon he
was taken to police headquarters, where he
was measured, and afterWard ne was pno-
tographed for the gallery. When this had
beer done he was taken before Judge KIM
ball in the Police Court. A warrant charg
ing him with murder had been sworn out
by Detective Lacy, and on this he was
committed to Jail until Tuesday. This
done in order to hold him until after the
inquest, to be resumed Monday afternoon.
The detectives are now searching for
man called yellow" to whom Johnson is
reported to have made the statement that
he had shot a countryman in the leg.
Coroner VIII Commit.
When the inquest shall be concluded the
coroner will make out commitment en-
which Johnson will be held in Jail until the
grand jury meets in September, and the
case will, in all probability, be tried early
in the fall. It is likely to be the first mur-
der trial under the new law. under which
the jury fixes the penalty. The law gives
the jury the right in deciding as to the pun
ishment to choose between death and life
Imprisonment. mere verdict of guilty
without recommendation, means that the
court must fix the penalty at death.
This afternoon Detective Weldon wrote
letter to the prisoners mother in Ten
nessee. giving her information of her sons
trouble.
The funeral of the victim Of Mondays
tragedy took place this morning from j.
w. Lees undertaking establishment, the
body being laid at rest in Glenwood GEM
etery.