The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-30
1T WILL END In MURDER
ROBERT JOHNSON, COLORED, BEATS
AND THEN SHOOTS HIS WIFE.
The Crime West of HauGhviIIe-Hus-
band, Pursued by the Police,
Still at Large.


fatally assaulted his wife Maggie yesterday
named Twyman, three miles west of the
city, on the Charlottesville road. Although
the revolver used by Johnson was taken
from his wife during the struggle which
preceded the shooting the police and those
who understand the circumstances believe
the affair was premeditated, and that John
son would have beaten his wife to death
with the heavy club he carried had the
more certain means OF killing ..er not come
in his way.
Johnson and his wife have been married
about eight years. According to the in
formation given the police their married life
was never happy one. Johnson was
gambler, loafer and drunkard He abused
his wife and failed to provide for her. About
a year ago she left him, placed her two
children in an orphan asylum and made her
living as best she could. Three weeks ago
she became i'll and took refuge with her
friend, Mrs. Twyman.
Sunday Johnson first made his appearance
as a disturbing element. He went to Twy-
mans house and quarreled with his wife,
threatening to kill her. He also became in
volved in quarrel with Twyman and
threatened to kill him, but Twyman drove
him away from the house at the point of
a revolver. For this Johnson caused Twy-
mans arrest, but the latter was not con-
victed. Since Sunday Johnson stayed at the
house of a neighbor and the friends of Mrs.
Johnson felt that he was waiting a chance
to assault or kill his wife Tuesday Johnson
met Twyman and demanded possession of
his things These, consisted of a bed
stead and perhaps chair. Twyman had the
articles put out in the front yard and told
Johnson to call for them in the morning.
Yesterday morning at $50 o'clock johnson
made his appearance. He found his wife in
the front room and demanded that she leave
the TWyman home and return to him. She
refused and he struck her on the head with
an immense hickory cane he was carrying
Inc dow was a terrible one and Mrs. john
son fell TO the floor, stunned but not uncon-
Scious. Her husband grabbed her by the
neck and continued raining blows upon her
head
Mrs. Twyman heard the scuffle and ran
into the room with a revolver in her hand
She handed 1t to Mrs. Johnson, but the lat
Ter was TOO dazed TO use 1t and 1t only
proved surer weapon for Johnson's das-
tardly work. He grabbed his wife around
the waist and took the pistol from her.
Piaclng 1t against her right breast he fired.
She managed to jerk herself away so that
the ball struck her in the shoulder. A sec
ond shot struck Mrs. Johnson in the right
mana ana third pentrated the abdomen
While this was going on inside the house.
Mrs. Twyman was out in front of the house
screaming at the top of her voice for help.
Mrs. Viola Lepper. a neighbor, came run
ring over and narrowly escaped being
killed. Johnson left his wife after shooting
her the third time, and ran after Mrs. ivy
man, firing two shots at her as she lodged
about large wagon standing in front of
house. of ba bIllI Ivhi
close to Mrs. Lepper's head that she could
feeI the wind against her cheek.
Mrs. johnson staggered to her feet when
her husband fired the last shot at her and
managed to reach the road in time to see
him fire at Mrs. Twyman. She fell almost
at mis- feet, but jumped up again and stag
gered another one hundred feet where she
tainted from loss of blood She was carried
into the house and DR.. J. G. Cain was called
He found the bullet which had entered near
the collar bone on the right side had gone
lung and coming out below the shoulder
blade. 1t is a serious wound and might
prove fatal Of itself; but the wound in the
abdomen is the more serious. In the absence
of an operation it is not known whether the
i 1n were perforated. but 1t is believed
when he examined the wounds that Mrs
Johnson could not recover.
Johnson escaped and the police spent the
day securing the country for him. He
started west Immediately after committing
the crime, travelling along the road for a.
short distance and then taking to the fields
Captain Dawson, with a squad of patrolmen
and detectives in buggies and on wheels
secured the vicinity. but were unable to get
a trace of the man. At 10 o'clock man
said he had seen a colored man asleep in a
corn field. The field was surrounded and
the man found, but he was not Johnson.
Johnson is twenty-eight years old. dark
brown colored skin, about five feet eight
inches tall and about 155 to 165 pounds in
weight.
The affair occurred about a mile and a
half west of what was formerly Haughvile,
just west of the l., d. & w. railroad. The
Twymans occupy a little four-room cottage,
home after her separation from her hus-
band. Mrs. Johnson is twenty-five years