The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-18
GEORGE JOHNSTON.

Wincna, and was staying all night with her
cousin. George Johnston. when the crime
was committed.
Mrs. George Johnston at the time was at
tending the Rsbekah lodge. and the little
girl had gone to bed with George.
According 10 the evidence given before
the Coroner's jury. tney had gone to bed
about 3 O'Clock and at between 10 and II
O'Clock some unknown party entered the
room. and with George Johnstons AK.
dealt the blow which took the life of lit
tie Della Johnston.
ONLY ONE: BLOW.
She received only one blow. which almost
severed her head from her body, and her
death must have been almost instantane-
Gus.
George Johnston. who has several slight
wounds his body and one on his face.
says that he srappled with the murderer
and received the wounds in the encounter.
Before the Coroners jury he testified as
follows:
II went to bed about o'clock. after
talking in the front room with ny sister,
in-law, Mrs. Chiffon. Mrs. Chiffon and her
husband have recently parted and she was
staying with her sister. Mrs. Johnston.
Il told her that l was tired and had been
losing sleep. and that 1 believed 1 would
go to bed. The little girl had gone to bed
some fifteen or twent- minutes before L
did and vas asleep, and did not awake
when ! went to bed.
SOMEBODY IN THE ROOM.
THE first knew something in the room
woke me up, and thought it was my wife
coming home from lodge, and / said. Ella,
you have made it back?
There was no reply. but at that moment
1 was jerked off the bed. Still thinking 1t
was my wife, trying TO fool me, l said:
Take care. you can't fool me- But just at
this time l discovered that the dressing
was not that of woman. and I began to
call for help and do what l could to keep
him off.
He suddenly left me and went out at the
door. l thought had left the door locked.
but it seemed to be open. 1 followed him
to the door. and kept calling for help. but
did not see him after reached the door.
The first person l saw was Mrs. Chiffon
She was standing near the gate. don't know
Il thought of Della and ran back to get
her felt for her. but did not find her: sup
posed she had run out while l was crap
ping with the man. heard the blood drip
ping on the floor. but thought 1t was water.
which we had turned over on the stand
table.
l.
| over the ak in the floor. BY this time I
noticed that was bleeding, and my wounds
began to smart. i thought l was cut to
pieces with the ak, and kept calling for
help.
FOUND CHILD DEAD
"Hanley Russell. living next door, came
| running over, and We in the room.
! hunting for Della. As we went through the
| front room I picked up the lamp. which was
| burning low. and turned It up and carried
! It into the room where had been sleeping.
| She was lying there with her head hanging
| off over the back Of the bed. and was dead.
l. did not know that she was dead until
| them
Mrs. Chilton's testimony corroborated his.
! che heard him calling and ran out of the
house and around to the gate in front OF his
! door, and did not see any one.
No satisfactory explanation can be given
| of the murder. Many theories are advanced.
| the most likely being the theory that The
child was not the intended victim.
| Two physicians examined the corpse and
| found no signs of violence excep. the one
| blow. The mother and father of the child
| tad not reacn Union until Sunday evening,
| Mr.. Johnston having gone to Jacks Fork
Saturday night with q fishing party did not
| receive the word until Sunday morning.
They are almost Frustrated with grief.