The age-herald., 1901-01-16

vent in Nashville, and with the idea of en- tering it she offered to pay Johnsons way to that city if he would take her to it.
 When arrested in that city they were found in different cars and had but $1.25 between them. She took $15.60 from her fathers drawer, according to her state ment, and that was all. The mystery ot the $500 supposed to have been taken re- mains unsolved. When questioned the fam fly simply say there was misunderstand- ing.
 The girl denies strenuously that there was ever any improper intercourse be- tween her and the negro. Her story sounds highly improbable, but she sticks to it strictly.
 In justice to her it should be said that she gives the name of the man whom she expected to marry and that her parents and others substantiate her statement as to his intentions and the opposition to the match.
 Johnson's Statement.
 Johnson was seen in the jail by an Age Herald reporter. He is a gingerbread darkey about 22 years old and Is intelligent. He denies having had any improper rela- tions with the girl or having stolen any money When asked to give his statement of the matter he said:
 q have been living at Bessemer two or three years and have been working about q year Wlt0 f16HTy MdTtllO Ne lSli DcSSS- mer Saturday night. I had quit the store three weeks before because she was getting so funny I was afraid she would get me into trouble. She told me: You can leave, but if find out where you are, l am com ing. She found out where 1 was Saturday. I was living up the Alabama Great southern Railroad at my fathers house. About $ o'clock she came up there. 1 asked her: What is you doing here and who came with you? Who told you where l hvedE She said I asked people, l then walked out a piece with her from the house. l then said to her: Let me go round 10 your brothers store and order some groceries She said, You are just trying to fool me- I won't never see you no more II you don't love me why don't you say so. l will kill myself if you tell me you don't love me- Then I said, I'm going to the store and order some groceries anyhow She be- gan to cry and I said, Don't cry. l started like I was going to the store anyhow, and she held on to me and began to hollow lowed to tell her brother where she was if she had let me go to the store, but when she began to hollow, 1 thought l would get killed if I stayed, and l lowed l had just as well run.
 "Then we walked to Powderly and caught the electric car to Birmingham. 1 bought the tickets to Nashville. She gave me the money-I hadn't cent. She had only $lo50 The tickets cost SIP We left about 10 o clock at night for Nashville over the Loulsvllle and Nashville. We rode in the day coaches. I rode. in one end, she in another. l was afraid to let her ride with me. We reached Nashville at S:3O next morning. We rented a room for a week at $1.50. l then went 10 the telegraph office and telegraphed to my brother at Blockton to send me some money, that I was in trouble. My brother didn't send me any money. l was arrested about 5:30 that evening.
 Was Badly Frightened.
 "We didn't get married or try to. had nothing to do with her. I was too scared. I had intended to run away and leave her if I got any money from my brother
 ''They took us to the jail in Nashville We were put in separate cells, but could talk with each other. I was crying and told her, See, told you not come where I was, that I would get killed She said You know that I wasn't going to stay away from you I said Now I'm going to get killed She said, Don't you be uneasy. If you get killed, I'll get killed, too.' l went to crying then and every now and then she would ask me if l was crying, and I'd tell her No
 "We spent two nights and day in jail, and left Nashville for Birmingham at ' o'clock this morning. The girl will tell you that everything I say is true. We never lived together. It was all mistake about the $500. We never stole any money, and only had $15. .30"