The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-16
JOHNS0N'S LIGHT SENTENCE.
-FOUR MONTHS AND a FINE FOR
ROBBING 4 DEAD MAN.

would Kill johnson TO work on
the Gang. and He Was Allowed to
plead Guilty to Larceny-PendIey'
Trial on MOnday-GOV. Gambler Out
Agnin.
Atlanta. April 15.-After having stolen
5000 worth of bonds from a dead man,
who had called upon him to administer to
him in his last hours. and confessing the
theft. c. p JohnsoTrsa was to-day allowed
TO pay fine of $500 and serve four
months in the county jail, as a punish
meat
Besides the conviction Of the theft star
ing him in the face, Johnson was under
indictment for perjury, and in the general
round up of justice The perjury indiet-
ment was noll pressed.
BY the leniency of the court, johnson
escaped the penitentisry by making resti-
tuition of four Of the stolen bonds The 9th
er three he had sold and could not restore,
but the court thought the fact of giving
up what he had, was weight in Johnson's
favor sufficient TO command mercy.
The restitution Of the stolen bonds took
place in the court room after the case had
been called for trial to-day, County Ad-
ministrator Banks, receiving the stolen
bonds TO hold them in trust for the heirs
of John A. McCauey. the dead man from
whom johnson stole them about eighteen
months ago. These heirs consists of wife
and son in Kentucky.
How johnson Got the Bonds.
McCauley and his wife were not living
ha tnnn
death in this city. McCauley was a cat
tleman, said to be wealthy. He became
acquainted with c. p. Johnson, who was
proprietor of the White Elephant saloon,
and for time quite factor In local poll
tics. Both johnson and McCauley spoke
the Irish tongue and this helped to make
them fast friends. One day McCauley
was taken suddenly i'll, and the first man
he thought TO send for was his friend
johnson. johnson divided his time be-
tween the sick mans room at the Jackson
Hotel and his saloon, which was in the
opposite block.
After McCauley died II was found that
seven Georgia state bonds that ought TO
have been among his assets were mys-
teriously missing. investigations developed
that Johnson had presented an order for
the bonds to the cashier of the Atlanta
National Bank, where McCauley had de-
posted them this order being apparently
signed by McCauey The bonds were de-
livered to him by the bank, and that was
the last seen of them until three Of them
turned up In the possession of a New
York broker and the others were deliver
ed TO Administrator Banks in court to-
day.
SwOre He Did Not Have Them.
When demand was made upon Johnson
for che bonds he denied that he had them,
and defeated a bail in trover action in
the court based upon his alleged possession
of them. He declared that he had mere
ly carried the order to the bank for Me-
Cauley and had delivered the bonds to
him.
After the bail in troyer action. Johnson
sold out his saloon here and moved 10
New York, where he bought a saloon on
the Bowery. There he was doing business
at the time the missing bonds came to
light. 1t was proved by the broker who
purchased the bonds that Johnson had
sold them TO him, and he was arrested
and arrested and brought back to At
lanta two months ago, having been in
jail here since that time.
The indictment for perjury was made,
based upon his evidence in the bail In
trover proceedings, and it looked as il
the ex-saloonkeeper and ward politician
was bound for the penitentiary. At the
last moment, however, he and his lawyers
decided to try the restitution act, and by
this means he was saved from wearing
stripes.
Court Let Him Down Light.
johnson has considerable property here
and his fine was not hard to raise. He
is 65 years old, and Judge Gambler said il
would kill him to go to the chain-gan
therefore, when he agreed to enter plea
of guilty 70 the charge of larceny IL was
accepted and the jury sentence admins
trated.
When he gets out of jail johnson will
return to New York, and resume opera,
tons in his saloon on the Bowery. Judge
Gambler, in passing sentence upon John.
son, whom he said he was once glad L
cal his friend said that the most repre-
hensible thing about his self-confesset
crime was that he had robbed a dead man
PendIey's Coming Trial.
John Pendley. the interesting prisonet
now under indictment for the murder o
Policeman Ponder. who has made so man,
confessions in regard to the commission
of the crime, will be placed on trial befor
Judge Gambler on Monday next.
Pendley's defense will be that his comics
sion that he committed the murder wa
made in order TO escape from the DeKal
county chain-gang where he was confine,
at the time Of the confession, because o
the severe punishment that was infiicte
upon him there Pendley will exhibit hi
back to the court showing a row of ugl
red welts which he claims were made b
the DeKalb county chan-gang boss. II
was afraid 10 stand another strapping lik
that which he alleges made the welts, an
so determined to confess to Ponders mur
der in order to escape such treatment.
Gov. Gambler Has Recovered.
Gov. Gambler has about recovered hi
usual health, after having kept his roor
since the first of the week. He was a
the capitol for a short while to-day, an
expects TO resume regular hours neS
week.
RAIEnRn i.ANnED IN JAIL.