The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-14

DR.. Keith hurriedly brought out
his automobile and made quick time
to the place indicated, little house
near the Santa Fe tracks Finding a
neighbor standing near, DR.. Keith or
dered him to accompany him inside
the house. By a lighted lamp stand
ing on a table the two men saw
woman, moaning with pain, on her
knees beside the bed, her head buried
in her hands The room showed signs
of scufhe, and a small dog sat be-
side the woman whining in sympathy
Fred johnson appeared from an ad-
Joining room and was present when
the woman said: you've murdered
me. Fred" "You are liar" retorted
Johnson. and left the room DR..
Keith lifted the injured woman onto
the bed and called the police. Ser
geant Jenkins arrived at the house
in few minutes, but the woman was
unable to speak although it was evil
dent that she wanted to make state
n to the officer. She died as the
sergeant stood over her, trying to hear
her words.
Jenkins Immediately telephoned to
the station, and instructed the jailer
to tell every man on beat to arrest
Fred Johnson. The patrolmen report
each hour, and at the o'clock re-
porting time, Jailer Parcels explained
$50 officer c. A Smith, colored,
caught johnson in South Topeka. He
was evidently trying to surround the
main part of the city and escape. AS
Johnson was hauled to the station in
the patrol wagon, the body of the
woman whom he had murdered was
unloaded at Shellabarger's undertak-
ing establishment across the street
He made no comment. and offered no
exclamation or regrets as the officers
searched him and threw him into one
of the inner cells. The lock on the
cell door would not work properly,
and the jailer ordered him to come
ont and go into another compartme lent.
He did so, carrying his coat and over
coat in his hand. He had prepared
for bed as soon as he was turned into
the cell, and was snoring peacefully
in five minutes.
drunkenness hundreds of times, and
was one of the regular customers at
police court. This time he did not
even have the extenuation of drunken
fury, for he was sober when searched
and locked up.
Fred. sometimes called ED" Johnson
was employed by the Merchants Trans
fer company as a driver. 1t is evident
that he had been living with the wo-
man for the past two years Before
that time she owned a small property
in South Topeka, which she sold, and
Johnson did no work while the money
lasted Recently neighbors have COM
pIained about the disturbances arising
Il
sixth street. They were frequently
reused in the middle of the night by
the screams of the woman. and had
complained to the police that it was a
disorderly house. The woman took in
washing, and pile of unironed clothes
Law in the miserable little room where
she was found dying from the effects OF
her lovers brutal assault.
sunday morning johnson made
before the police and county
attorney in which he said that he had
not beaten the woman. His story was
given The lie by the dying statement of
the woman, and the autopsy performed
by Coroner Keith. DR.. Keith found
that the woman had been kicked in the
groin and stomach, and had died from
internal injuries. Johnson claimed that
she was addicted to the use of drugs.
and that the bruises on her body were
the result of falling over a wash tub
last week This fall over a tub, as told
by Johnson, failed to explain slight
hemorrhage Of the windpipe, which the
examining physicians are sure was
caused by the choking
The police say that the woman has a
brother, Henry Mosley, who is employed
by the Santa Fe as laborer. but they
have been unable to find him. Johnson
has been transferred to the county Jail
for safe keeping.
Fred johnson IS a brutal appearing
man of medium size. and about 40 years