The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-05-02

arrested in Columbia charged with
the murder of Mr.. Warn. johnson
is cook who formerly lived here.
At the time of the murder he was
cooking at Johnson's hotel. He has
been living in Columbia for some
months, working at different hotels.
The story is an interesting one.
Last week Mayor Dickinson received
a communication from the author
tiles in Jacksonville, Fla,, stating
that a young negro giving his name
as Frank Nimmons and Bamberg as
his home, was under arrest there.
A few days ago Nimmons dashed in
to the police station at Jacksonville
and cried out that he was not guilty
and a lot of other talk, giving evi-
dences of insanity. The sergeant in
charge questioned him and he told
his name, said he was from Bamberg,
and wanted to get right with God
but couldn't do so until he had told
what he knew about murder.
He then went on to tell about the
murder of MIR. Warn, and said a
negro named Addison johnson had
asked him to go and help knock
Warn down and rob him. At first he
consented, but later declined, and a
short time afterwards Mr.. Warn was
murdered. That the matter had
preyed on his mind ever since and he
could not rest easy until he told it.
On account of the startling nature
of his story and also because he
seemed out of his right mind, the
Jacksonville police locked him up
and communicated with Mayor Dick
inson, who, knowing johnson was in
Columbia, wired there to have him
arrested, which was done.
When first arrested johnson claim
ed he was not from Bamberg. He
had been going under the name of
Baker for some time. As soon as
the arrest was made, Mayor Dickin-
son was notified, and Chief Hand
left here Monday night to bring
johnson back. It was first reported
here that johnson had confessed, but
this proved to be a mistake. He did
tell the detective who arrested him
that he knocked man in the head
in Bamberg, but he was alluding to
a gambling row he had here with
some other negroes several years
ago. johnson was a well-mown
character around town. He was a
good cook, but a rather trlt1lng
negro who loved to gamble. He is
about 25 years old.
Frank Nirnmons is a brother of
Arthur Nimmons, the barber, and is
about twenty years old. He has
been in Jacksonville about a year.
Only a few days ago his brother
received a letter from some friend
of Franks in Jacksonville saying
that he Frank) was very sick.
Arthur then went to Mayor Dickin-
son and asked that he communicate
with the authorities at Jacksonville
and have Frank put in the hospital
and cared for or sent home, he, OF
course, not knowing anything of the
trouble. Last Saturday he sent his
brother Purvis to Jacksonville to
look after Frank and bring him
home, but before Purvis arrived
Frank had gone to the police station
and told his story. It seems that he
had been showing signs of insanity
recently, and this led those who
knew him to write his brother.
Not until Monday did news come
here, when Purvis wrote his brother
and enclosed a clipping from Jack
sonville paper, telling of Franks
arrest: The paper stated that he
had been examined by physicians
after being placed in Jail and pro-
nounced insane. Magistrate W. r.
Wright left Monday night for Jack
sonville to bring Frank back. What
will be done after he arrives here
depends entirely on his condition.
If he is really insane he will no doubt
be sent to the asylum, but in case
his mind gets right he will probably
be detained as a witness against
Johnson. The story has caused much
comment and some surprise here.