The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-20
SAYS SHE'S NOT A MURDERESS
THOUGH SHE STOOD PISTOL IN
HAND OVER DEAD MAN.



A quarrel between John johnson. 81
years old, bartender, and May Hutton.
20 years old. his common-law wife, resulted
yesterday forenoon in the killing of the
former by bullet wound in the left temple
In the front parlor of a furnished-room
house at lis Lawrence street Brooklyn,
which the couple had occupied for three
weeks. The young woman declared that
Johnson had shot himself but she Is locked
up on a charge OF murder.
Ever since the couple came to the house
there had been numerous quarrels between
them. william Rasmus. the janitor. says
that the disturbance In the front parlor
became 40 violent yesterday morning
that he decided to go and try to settle the
trouble or have the pair elected from the
house.
just "a he was about 10 enter the room
there was a report Of a pistol. and on OPEN
ing the door he saw johnson lying on the bed
face downward, and the woman standing
alongside with revolver In her hand
He ran TO the street and told Policeman
Michael Clune Of the Adams street station
what he had just seen
Clune hurried TO the house and found
Johnson unconscious on the bed. with
wound In the temple. He summoned an
ambulance surgeon. but on his arrival the
man was dead. johnson was clad In his
shirt. underwear and trousers and there
was no trace of his coat or waistcoat.
When taken TO the Adams street station
May Hutton declared that johnson had
committed suicide. johnson. according to
her statement, came home drunk about 4
O'Clock in the morning and Immediately
began to quarrel with her, the trouble
continuing almost uniIterruptedly until Q
O'Clock. During the quarreling he threw a
beer bottle and glass vase at her and she
exhibited fresh cash on the head In cor
roboration of her story.
The broken bottle and. vase found on
the floor of the room convinced the police
that this part Of the girls statement was
true.
Finally, she says. johnson Quoted down.
and. picking up his coat and waistcoat, told
her TO go out and pawn them and with the
proceeds and g. additional, which he gave
her. to purchase a secondhand revolver.
He explained that he wanted the weapon
TO protect himself
The young woman started out with the
clothing and In a neighboring pawnshop
pledged them for 81 and then bought a Ave
chambered revolver for 81. She told the
pawnbroker that her husband was all alone
in the house and wanted the pistol for self
protection.
On her return with the weapon johnson
gave her 10 cents to go out and buy some
cartridges and she went out and purchased
them. When she came back johnson
found that they did not fit the weapon
and at his direct ion she had them exchanged
for bullets that would fit
HJohnson. while lying on the bed she said,
fitted the five cartridges into the five cham.
bers of the revolver and while she was In
another part of the room preparing some
cigarette pictures for the adornment Of
the walls, he suddenly exclaimed that he
was tired of life and, putting he pistol TO
his head shot himself Running 10 the bed
she seized the revolver and had il in her
hand az the janitor rushed in.
The janitor explained to the police that
he did not witness the shooting. but that
the woman was standing over johnson with
the revolver In her hand AZ he entered.
His first statement he said to the effect
that he had seen the shot fired was due 10
his excitement at the time.
The Hutton girl became acquainted
with johnson two years ago. while she
was working in a factory in Plymouth street
He induced her TO leave the home Of
her widowed mother and live with him.
She says that for eighteen months she
had been supporting him by life Of shame.
giving him sometimes as much as $50 a
week. She frequented saloons In the
neighborhood of Borough Hall.
johnson was jealous Of her. she said,
and feared that she would leave him
The girl was brought up in the Fifth
ward and before leaving home had at
tended the St. James o-Cathedral in Jay
street.
Capt Bedell Of the Adams street station
does not credit the girls account Of the
shooting. but is strongly inclined to tho
theory that she fired the shot herself while
the quarrel between her and johnson was in