Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-03-02
Andrew johnson, Shot and In
stantly Killed by Frank B.
Cunningham
THE MURDERER suRRENDERs
Cunningham Tell. Hi. Story of the
Shooting and Claims it Was Done in
Self Defense - Is Now in Jail -
Verdict of MansIaushter in the Fin
kelstein Murder Case.

Des Moinas, March Frank b.
Cunningham, white, shot and instantly
killed Andrew Johnson, (colored)' dur
| ing d row in the yard separating their
homes at the southwest corner of West
Seventh and Elm streets at o'clock
yesterday morning. Cunningham s
housekeeper, a colored woman, and
Johnsons wife, a white woman, were
the only witnesses to the shooting. The
roofing and its removal by Johnson
from a shed belonging to Cunningham.
/, After the shooting Cunningham
! walked to the police station and sur
rendered himself to Detective Yeager
and Patrolman Lavender, turning over
to them the revolver with which he
shot Johnson, making statement and
claiming to them that he acted in self
defense. Johnson, when he was shot,
called to his wife, who was standing
by. saying do not let me fall, Sis, !"
and dropped on the sidewalk, expiring
before his wife could reach his side.
He was shot thru the heart.
Cunninghams statement, which he
signed, is as follows:
Il, B. +. Cunningham, make the fol-
lowing statement. My name Is b. IL.
Cunningham. l live at the southeast
corner OF West Seventh and Elm
streets. Sunday, March 1, at a. M.
I was just outside my house, when
Andy Johnson came out of the water
closet. / said to him. Andy want to
speak to YOU He stopped and asked
him what he wanted to take the clamp
off the door of my shed for and asked
him why he took the screws off the
window. He said they belonged to him.
/ told him that they did not and that
i did not think he was acting the part
of gentleman in doing this after l
had given him rent of the shed free
for a year. Then he started toward me
and said: Don't you talk to me that
way l said: I am talking to you
like a gentleman. Your wife told hes
about me and came around fussins
with my housekeeper when was away
from home. Then he jumped at me and
I jumped back the best way l could
and told him to keep his hands OF
from me as he knew l am not a we'll
man. He said, Damn you, don't you
say my wife lied said she did lie, and
he grabbed me. and to protect myself
/ pulled my gun and shot in the air,
He made another lunge at me and
struck at me, and saw that was In
for it and shot him, not intending to
Kill him. All this claim did In self
defense. 1 then gave myself up to De-
tectiye Yeager and Policeman Lavender
surrendering my gun to Them
Cunningham claims to be an invalid.
He denies there was ever trouble pc
tween him and Johnson before and de-
rjes that he went out to pick a quarrel
with Johnson.
His statement is borne out in part by
the condition of the revolver, the state
ment of the woman, who goes by the
name of Mrs. Frank Cunningham, but
who he says is not his wife. but his
housekeeper and by Mrs Jackson. as
we'll as by the condition of Johnson's
body, but in some of the material parts
it is denied both by Mrs. Jackson and
his mistress.
There was but one bullet wound in
Johnsons body. This was in the left
breast, and the bullet passed thru the
heart. Two shots had been fired from
the revolver This would indicate that
one shot had been fired in the air, as he
claims.
Mrs Cunningham said: johnson
tore cleat and screens out of our shed
Saturday and Cunningham went out
saying he was going to talk to him
about it. I heard thsm quarreling and
1nhn tn6 nj
ningham and was swearing at him. 1
went between them to stop them, be-
cause knew they did not mean to
quarrel. living neighbors as they did,
and Cunningham shot over my shoul-
der, the powder burning my arm. There
were two shots fired. The quarrel was
not about the tin. Cunningham did not
like it because johnson had torn the
things off the shed and not paid the
rent for 1t and because he had fused
with me when / was aicne. No. am
not Cunningham's wife. am his house
keeper"
Johnson was a burly negro slightly
gray, weighing close to 200 pounds, and
has been working on q farm east of
town. He was well known to the police
and on different occasions his premises
have been searched for stolen goods. He
old not bear good reputation, but was
not considered quarrelsome. Cunning
ram is small man and shows the
marks of dissipation He has no occu-
patton and has frequently been arrested
for petty crimes. He was in Jail in jan
uary and when released promised to
leave town, but did no. go.
The shacl1s occupied by him and by
Johnson are within ten feet of each 9TH
er and are dilapidatesl affairs, built
OF wood and s'lap tin taken
from the dumps along the Coon.
BODY AT MoRGuE IDENTIFIED.
Sixth Victim Of Cedar Rapids Fire Was