The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-25
A JEALOUS NEGROES DEED.
Rebecca johnson FiciOusly As
saulted by Her Husband.

The Nnn Comes From Philadelphia
to Teach His wife Lesson-He
Brutality SInshcs Her with IA Knife
in the Tbroat-Wounds.N Not FATAL.
William Johnson. a twenty -one-year-old
Washington negro with a police record,
came back to the city last evening from
Philadelphia, where he has been living.
10 kill his wife. Rebecca Johnson, twenty
years of age. and only the merest chance
prevented the numerous wounds which he
inflicted upon her from being fatal.
Without warning Johnson attacked the
woman on z Street northwest, between
Twenty-sixth and Twenty seventh Streets,
about 7:s5 O'Clock and nearly cut eff her
head with a knife. Three serious wounds,
two of which would have been sufficient
to cause the death of an ordinary person,
were the r. suit of his vicious attack, and
the physicians of the Georgetown Uni
versity Hospital where the woman was
taken about half an hour after the occur
renee, and the police. are still wondering
why she was not killed. Instead Rebecca
was able to go to her home after DIR. Story
had dressed her wounds, apparently not
much the worse for the experience. john
son was apprehended at the home of his
stepfather. Charles johnson, 1898 - Street
northwest. about the time his victim was
being carried to the hospital
Jealousy was the cause of the act. ac-
cording to the statement made by John
son last night at No. police station,
where he was locked up on charge OF
assault with intent to Kill. Beyond as
cr;bing this cause for the attempted muir
der, Johnson will say nothing in regard
to the matter, although he practically ad-
rnitted that there was an underlying do
mestic motive which had made it abso-
lutely necessary that he should teach
Rebecca lesson.
Johnson arrived in Washington about 8
o'clock last night from Philadelphia, hot
upon the trail of Rebecca, who had de-
serted his home in that city earlier In
the day. According to Johnson. mis- wife
had waited until he was absent from home
to put into operation a plan for abandon
ment which. he claims, she has long con-
templated. In Philadelphia Johnson lives
at 1894 North American Street. and works
for Frank Wright, large produce dealer
on the wharf at the foot of Newmarket
Street. where he has been engaged for
the past two months in unloading water
melons. His work is done at night. Yes
terday morning he left home to go to the
wharf at o'clock, leaving Rebecca in
bed after an affectionate farewell.
He returned at II o'clock and did not
find his wife at home. After waiting for
two hours johnson says he began TO sus-
pect that she had deserted him. The
thought made him very angry, and he
determined to come TO Washington, where
leo &c IIsah ad an
paid off, he said. and with a poeketful
of money and a sharp knife, vowing VEN
geance he took the 3:l3 train from Phila-
delphia, which landed him in the city
early in the evening.
He went Immediately to Georgetown.
On P Street. near the corner of Twenty
sixth Street. johnson saw his wife walk
ing Eriskly toward him She observed
him at the same time and started to run
in the opposite direction, with the en-
ragged husband in pursuit Very few wit
nesses, if any, saw what followed. john
son drew a knife as he ran.
when ] came up with her | never said
a word TO her." said johnson last night.
Il just slashed at her with the knife.
Then went home and told my mother"
The woman fell to the sidewalk covered
with blood. with her throat cut from one
ear to the other and a gaping wound on
the back of the head She staggered to
the home of her parents, 1873 Twenty
sixth Street. but there was nobody home,
and with her head almost severed from
her body the woman CROPPED her way 10
the home of Dennis Carroll. colored. at
1919 Twenty-sixth Street, where she fell
exhausted on the doorstep.
Tom Fairfax. the girls step-father, was
there. He rushed out and informed Off
Ger c. C. Saunders. of No. precinct. II
appears that he knew who had assaulted
her. for he said to the policeman:
''Johnson's cut my gals throat yet he
passed Johnson on the way. and made no
effort TO stop him.
Policeman Saunders informed the Sew
enth precinct of the occurrence, and the
wagon was sent for the girl, in which she
was taken TO the hospital officers ]. w.
Hall and Daniel o'Connor were detailed
on the case. They arrested Johnson at his
fathers house half an hour later.
At the hospital it was seen that the
woman's condition was serious. Her neck
seemed TO be cut all the way around. and
at first it was supposed that she could
not recover. In addition to these wounds
there was long cut on the back of her
head, deep stab and cut on her back,
and a ragged cut on the palm of her right
hand. Thirty-two stitches were taken in
the wounds After the wounds were at
tended to Rebecca was able TO return to
her home, apparently suffering little from
her adventure with an irate husband.
johnson is regarded as a dangerous ne
gro by the police. Two years ago, Just
before his marriage to the woman, he was
fined s. in Judge SCOTS court for knock
ing out one of the girls teeth with a
brick. About three months ago he was
also in the hands of the police.