The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-06-21
CRIME GALORE
is CLEARED UP
In Confession of Notorious Negro
Criminal Hanged in Atlanta.
WAS THE CAUSE OF RIOT
Will Johnson, Executed for Assault on
White Woman, Reveals Long and
Revolving List Of Other
Heinous Crimes.

VIII JgAANaOM was buo ASb40 WIZ
caused the riot ia Atlanta last Sep
tember On the gallows In Fulton coun.
~ jail Friday. with the spring Of
the trap between him aud eternity, the
flashing Of his conscience was too
much for this devil incarnate,' as
sherin Nelma and Solicitor Hill fit
~ described him, AID at the last mo
menL he confessed all
Not only did Johnson own on the
death trap to having assaulted Mrs.
Hembree, the charge for which he
had been sentenced To hang, but he
alison confessed To other brutal crimes.
The negro began by confessing to
ahe Iem5ree assault He spoke delib.
cTately. The prisoners demeanor sug-
gested that stdl other secrets were
Sighting to come out. Someone CUES
Aloned him with tins In view Thea
hha torrents Of crime came pouring
forth, each gush OF confession more
startling than the last Ii seemed as
ii the questioner had unwittingly
struck the fountain hell of all those
horrors which broke forth in Fulton
county month by month, and in home
after home last year As tae negro con-
Hinued the men about him fell back.
He himself stood uudisturbed almost
No the final moment Then, as the
black cap was about TO be pulled over
his eyes he flung out one last con
fesslon, and sank choking to the
1oor Until that instant 1t is doubtful
sc the total enormity OF his life had
ever dawned upon him When it did
dawn In giant streaks OF gore and
BLACK, even his own bestiality fell
down before IL, stunned and blinded,
Johnson maintained his innocence un-
an q few minutes before he was Ia
Ike TO the scaffold, when be made
partial confession to the two negro
NAAQNhGtH hhN uttu HCGu IA SOAAoAaAb
attendance upon him for the past few
days. Standing on the trap door of
Abe scaHoId he repeated what he had
told the preachers aud added other
confessions to 1t.
1'he condemned man, in a firm tone
OF voice, admitted having attempted
All assault upon Mrs Hembree, con-
fessed to having assassinated j. A.
Moody an Adamaaville farmer; told
OF shooting J w Bryant, an East
Point farmer, aud his sister, Miss
Maud Bryant, which shooting was
done ia the early night, and through
an open window; declared 1t was he
who a few months ago made the bru,
tai attack upon the Lawrence girls
and took the responsibility for the
murder, some years ago, OF man
in South Carolina.
Sheri0 Nelms spraug tue trap at ex-
actly I1:45 and il was 1920 before
the physicians pronounced him dead,
although the negro5 neck was bro
ken by the fall Durpg the So min
utss that his body was suspended
johnson never moved muscle. Not
contordon, not movement OF the
fingers and not single sign of life
was visible The uegco's heart ac-
ton remained quite strong until just
Eve minutes before the physicians
declared life extinct
Although the. hour set by the sheriff
for the hanging was Ii o'clock, a large
crowds gathered in front Of the jail
fully half an hour before that time.
and the officers were kept busy turn
ing away the curious Among those
admitted to tbe jail were Mr.. and Mrs
Hemhree aud theh two young boys,
and J. w Bryant Of east Point. 1t was
for the assault upon Mrs. Hembree
that Johnson was executed: Ii was
Mr.. Bryant whom johnson confessed
to having shot through an open win
dow.
Notwithstanding Mrs Hembroe had
Travelled to the jan for the purpose CT
Witnessing the hanging, her nerve fall
ed her at the last moment, and she
decided to remain IN the Jail ONCE
with her little sons while Mr. Hem
bree Joined the small gathering in
the gallows room Some rs persons
constituted tue audience that heard
Johnson's confession and saw him
Sent into eternity These, for the most