Rock Island Argus., 1904-12-01

Connecting this statement with the
suggestion of Mrs Johnston in her
morning testimony that she could not
s-y whether her husband made his
customary visit TO the barn. where he
usually had 4 bottle OF whisky. in the
/ half hour intervening while she was
alone in the basement doing her
chores there is an inference of pos
sib-e suicide. Did Johnston take q
drink OF whisky with strychnine in il.
placed there for the purpose of de-
Siroying himself? His closest friends
sCoG at the idea. For they say Joe
Johnston had strong views on suicide.
I Hc often expressed them. He said
ihat no man would Kill himself. Only
coward An he was not q coward.
The paper bag in which the salt
peirc WAS kept was brought from
the Johnston home by Mable. the
daughter. who was accompanied 10
the home by Constable Snow. There
was u hole in the sack. The strych-
nine bottle had stood in close pToX-
unity To this sack. Mrs. Johnston said.
and here there was still another i'll
ference that by mistake some of the
strychnine had been spilled ON the
shelf. and some saitpetre had been
spilled after. and the whole had been
scrapcd into the siItpetre sack. but
the poison was not struck until he
night before Johnstun's death. when
he dissolved his customary dose OF
sa;tpetre in the glass. and left Z
standing all night. drinking it half
hour before he passed away
Complains OF hitter Coffee.
James Irwin. farmer. whose home
IL q mile north OF the village. was ut
the Johusil,l home on the last night
cf Johas;on's lie. lie had come 10
look al the chickens. intending 10
take the lot OF Johnston's hands, as
the latter was leaving for California.
Irwin stated that he was invited to
supper. and accepted the hospitality
Of the family. He noticed that john
ston did not finish his coffee. His
wife asked him what was the matter
with il. and he replied that II mad
a bitter taste. Mrs. Johnston III the
morning denied that her husband had
complained of the coffee. but after
she heard the testimony of Irwin sire
remembered the incident. and so tes-
tilted.
States Attorney Weld. who examia-
cd the Witnesses. informed Mrs. John-
ston in the morning that she was not
required TO answer any question oI an
discriminating character. or that might
be used against her in future. Mrs.
Johnston replied that she had nothing
that she wished to conceal. She want
ed to tell all she knew. and this she
proposed doing. if allowed.
Defies Her Acruscrs.
She said her mind was not as clear
as it had been in her younger days.
but she would tell the truth. Mrs.
Johnston is a woman of remarkably
strong personality. She has heard all
the stories that nave been told about
her She defies her accusers. She
asks no sympathy. She knows she is
right. she declares. and fears nothing
that anyone n..gat tell Of her relations
with her hUs AMI as tendins tn estab-
lish a motive fJr ic- desire TO have him
out of the way. She did not deny that
they had qUaTrels. He was cranky.
and there were occasions when she had
ugly moods: but she asked where there
was n couple that did not have spats.
She told people that she and Joe had
quarrels That was nothing 10 his dis
credit nor to- hers. sne said. Their
differences were soon passed away,
and they thought much Of each Other.
Mrs Henry Brink. the wife OF tire
Methodist minister of the village, ,sap
beside Mrs. Johnston during the hear
ing before the jury.
Waivers Only Once.
Mrs Johnston formerly was a mem
ber OF the Episcopal church. but in
later years united with the Methodist
church. and has long been one of the
active communicants of the Reynolds
church. She told n straightforward
story To the jury. and the only ques-
'tion over which she betrayed the slight
est indecision was the one regarding
her ownership of land in Nebraska
Her narrative To- this point created the
impression that in all her transactions
OF a financial nature. wherein she bor-
rowed extensively. her purpose in not
consulting her husband was TO conceal
from him their straitened circumstanc-
es So as not To further disturb his peace
of mind on account of his physiC.
worries. At first she declined to- com
NIT herself. but afterward declared
that she had not purchased any west
ern land: that she had simply been ne
gotiating for tract of Goo acres. and
might purchase il if she could raise the
money.
Takes One sup of Cone.
Mabel 4. Johnston. the girl adopted
by the Johnstons nine years ago. was
the second witness. She said in part &:
Il attend school and am in the eighth
grade. Papa died on Friday morning.
know OF no physical trouble he had
excepting rheumatism. On the day of
his death | rose at O'Clock. Mamma
had been up before me- was on the
porch peeling tomatoes when papa
came from his bedroom He called to
me 10 put on his shoes. Mamma said
thai I was huzv and she nftf on his