Cañon City record., 1907-08-29
JOHNSON STILL PERSISTS m
SHIELDING ABSENT PARfNKl

no man than thts, tnn man lAy
down his life for his friends.
In a little 2xs prison-cell in Canon
City is a man determined to exem-
plify to the world that he possesses
such love. Prisoner, condemned to
death though he be, yet through his
attitude he has demonstrated that even
the lowest of mankind can possess
some of the highest principles of hu-
manity.
AndreY Johnson II condemned to die
for the murder OF the marshal at La
man. The authorities upon whom rests
the responsibility Of taking his life. do
not want to put him to death and are
fearful that mistake 10 being made
and they are moving heaven and earth
to secure an opportunity to Justly
commute his sentence to life impris-
onment
Johnson has a partner in the crime
for which he was convicted and h0
believes that the partner 10 now un-
der arrest and that what he says will
be used as evidence against the part
ner.
He says the state railroaded him to
the place where he ia and he says that
anything that he might say in defense
of himself would be used against his
partner.
He has been assured time and again
that-his partner is not under arrest
and that the authorities are only try
Ing to get at the facts in order TO
might arise.
Here Is the way he sizes it up:
MY partner and tramped these
states together. We were not At La
mar when that killing occurred and
know nothing about It They testified
falsely against me &nd public senti-
ment forced my conviction. You say
my partner Is not under arrest How
can l believe you after the deal you
gave me! No, gentlemen, II the state
OF Colorado demands my life for q
crime which l am innocent, take 1t,
but I'll not give you one word in de-
fense Of myself for you would immed-
lately say that II didn't do 1t, Phil
did and you would hang him
He Is as innocent as l am II
OF US did 1t and l might a. well 60 as
him. II pay the penalty kindly turn
him loose" -
And all the talking which Warden
Cleghorn and all the assurances which
Governor Harper could give the fellow
wouldn't change him one iota-
johnson Is the prisoner who refuses
to tell his name on account Of his
mother and who refuses to ask for
executive clemency. .
He is the most serious man l ever
knew is the way Gov. Harper de-
scribed him II talked with him for
two hours and he had . feeling that
what he might say would go against
his partner and l couldn't get 1t out Of
him. He is as dogged in his determi-
nation az can be. He refuses to ask
that his sentence be commuted"
That johnson has the state onacials
worried there IL no doubt: there h also
NO doubt in their minds but that he
Is guilty; still, the position he takes In
one that must command respect and
Is one that will command attentio be-
fore he is executed. The idea that
he will go to his death rather than ex-
plain his own actions for fear his ex-
plantations would be taken and used
against a partner whom he thinks In
under arrest Is one that will command
respect all over the state.
Governor Harper said yesterday AFT
ernoon that he had not ~ yet made up
his mind whether he would commute
the sentence or not The governor
stated that twelve men had found him
guilty, that the Judge said 1t was Q
fair trial. and that the citisens OF La
mar claimed that public sentiment did
not convict him. Nevertheless, the
governor does not relish the idea Of
having a man hanged when there is
a possibility of a mistake. AL of the
oniclals OF the state house are OF the
opinion that this case shows to .
greater degree than any case that has
come up In years the adjustment Of
capital punishment.
While they are of the oponion that
the man 10 guilty, still the people OF
the state will always believe that per-
haps an innocent man is hung II they
hang him. The onicials believe that
II the law provided for life sentence.
that NO such Instances Of this kind
would ever arise. II they did, the case
could be fully Investigated and in time
the man would be let out, while II
the sentence of the Lamar court II
carried out and . mistake has been
made 1t can never be rectined.
VICTIMS WIFE