The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-02-13

called. He had conscientious scruple
against capital punishment. Even if tn
evidence warranted taking the life of
person he could not bring in such yer
dict. He was excused by the court as no
being qualified
There was no response when the nam,
of John j. Morris. of Burlington, wa
called.
Ernest Haines, of Southampton, wa
challenged by the state
Aaron B. Lewis, of Burlington town
ship, and James Arlington, of Delran
were excused The latter is colorec
man.
1t took Just thirty minutes to secure the
following jury: Alfred B. Davis, Mount
Laurel; Charles M. Bunting, Chesterfield
Isaac Brown, Delran; Augustus B. Gro
bier, Pemberton; Philip Schneider, Med
ford; Philip T. Lyons. Burlington; Harold
Shreve, Mansfield; Frank Wright, Mount
Holly; Charles E. Poinsett, Mansfield
Henry G. Claypoole Mount Holly; Nor.
man G. Graham, Palmyra; Walter E. Ear
| lin, Pemberton township.
The case was briefly outlined by Prose
cutor Atkinson, who said the testimony
would justify verdict of murder in the
first degree
The scene of the murder was described
to the court and jury from map of the
premises. which had been prepared by
John W. Harris. surveyor, of Mount
Holly.
Miss Anna Cooper, of Philadelphia, who
boarded with Miss Atkinson for six weeks.
went to the city to consult an oculist on
January 18, and when she returned Bessie
Walker told her that a colored man had
been at the house, and that he was not EN-
ployed on the farm. To Benjamin Funk
Miss Cooper said it was strange that Miss
Atkinson was not about Funk went to
the barn. and when he returned he repor-
ted to her that something terrible had
happened.
Benjamin Funk, of Bridgeboro. had
called at the house to leave the weekly
supply of oil. He became suspicious at
what had been told him about the colored
man. and going to the barn he found the
body covered with blanket.
One of the important witnesses for the
state was DR.. Joseph Stokes, of Moores.
town, whose statement that Miss Atkinson
had been assaulted was corroborated by
DR.. Frank G. Stroud.
Mrs. Eastlack, sister of the murdered
woman, was supported by lady attend
ant while on the witness stand. She said
Miss Atkinson was born in Liverpool, and
that she had been in this country since
1897. She came here to accept position
as nurse in Philadelphia hospital Amid
tears the witness identified articles stolen
from the house.
May Walker, bright girl of about IL
years, said the dog barked that morning
before the house was opened. When the
animal got out into the yard it went direct
ly to the barn and barked She said John
son looked like the man who carried gravel
over the farm last fall
Mrs. Sallie Rudderow and her daughter.
Anna. identified johnson as the man they
saw running away from Miss Allinson's
house.
Mr.. Rudderow was nervous over the
frequent robberies in that neighborhood,
and as johnson seemed very much excited
and was constantly looking at his house
as he was crossing the field, Mr.. Rudderow
called the attention of his wife and daugh-
ter to the fact that colored man was
spotting their house. The women went
to the kitchen window, saw johnson and
him in court.
Emma Woodhouse, who lives on Elbow
Lane with her brother, Charles Goodenough
and whose house johnson robbed. said
the prisoner had carted for them from
September to 8.
The recovery of the watch stolen from
the Atkinson house from a pawn
broker in Philadelphia, was described by
the clerk, Harry J. Mcmillan.
When johnson called at the house of
Ella Allen, of Philadelphia, on the after
noon of the murder, she called attention
to hay seeds in his hair, and it was there
that he exhibited the stolen brush and
mirror. Mary Hicks was also at the house.
Johnson wrote letter to Mrs Lethia
Smith, of Baltimore, on paper taken from
Jhe Atkinson house. At his request Mary
Hicks addressed the envelope, all of which
were secured by the authorities and iden-
tified
DIR. W. P. Melcher, Detective Ellis Il.
Parker and Deputy Sheriff Joseph B.
of Mount Holly, and Robert
Peacock, stenographer, testified as to a
second confession made in the Jail by the
prisoner showing that he was properly
cautioned as to his act, and that what he
said would be used against him. The
was read to the jury
Of the Baltimore witnesses who came
10 Mount Holly to tell that end of the
story, Lethia Smith, who caused the ar
rest of johnson, and who received the
$500 reward from Mrs. Strawbridge before
she returned to the Monumental City, was
she most interesting witness. johnson
went to board with Mrs. Smith, who is an
intelligent woman of apparent respecta-
Dility. He told her that he had been coach
nan for Mrs. Strawbridge for three months;
hat he was enjoying vacation, and was
going back to work. There was a nice
white woman on the farm that he thought
of. To Mrs. Smith johnson
said that he had been charged with the
murder and released under 81, 900 bail.
The officers took him to the dead BODY,
when Bessie Walker said: THAT isn't the
man, he works for Mrs. Strawbrige. John
son even told Mrs. Smith that the woman
had been strangled and her head beaten
with stool. He said they were just put
ting bloodhounds On the scent, but they
get any person but the man who
spent two years in the Eastern peniten-
tiary. After johnson made these queer
Mrs. Smith concluded he knew
something about the murder and she had
him arrested. This witness was corrobar
ated by her brother, Henry Williams.
Mrs. Strawbridge said she furnished the
house for Miss Atkinson to live In. and she
paid for young ladies to board there.
Johnson was never her coachman. He
never called at her house for work, and she
never saw ulm U6IOF0.
In opening the case for the defence, Mr..
Hendrickson said his duties had been alb
breviated by the fact that the prisoner
kill Miss Atkinson. eff thought that the
prisoner was going to add perjury to the
crime he has already committed, | would
submit the case to you without comment
want you to have the benefit of his state
ment when he says he did not commit
assault upon the deceased
When johnson took the witness stand
he faced the vast audience for the first
time, but he failed to vince at the venge-
full gaze directed toward him.
During the past year he has resided
around Moorestown and has been in New
Jersey for about four years. He first
worked for Congressman John ]. Gardner
and then sought employment at various
other places. Referring to the murder he
said that in the struggle with Miss Allin-
son he fell on the milk stool and broke it
with his knee. The injury to her head
was caused by her falling against the barn
door, He did not strike her with the stool
or club. He tied strap around her
throat to keep her quiet while he robbed
the house. He did not assault his vic
tim and did not intend to kill her. His idea
was to put her in such a condition that she
could not cause his detection before he
had an opportunity to get away.
In summing up the case Prosecutor At
kinson occupied three quarters of an hour.
during which he reviewed all the evidence.
Jacob G.. Hendrickson spoke but a short
time. He commended that there was no
evidence that johnson had assaulted Miss
Atkinson, and asked for a second degree
verdict.
In his charge to the jury Judge Hen
Erickson first called attention to the fact
AhnA &c n rnornnr, tnk 90 tho lifo of anothar