The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-06-06
CORONER LINCOLN
PROBING DEATH
OF JOHNSON

The inquest into the death of Joseph w.
johnson, who, on May "a. was drowned in
Mashapaug pond, following quarrel dur
ing fishing trip. and OF whose death
Stephen snead IL accused. was begun yes
terday by Coroner Lincoln.
The witnesses examined were Mrs,
Georgia May johnson, wife OF the
dead man: Michael Moore watchman at
the Gorham Manufacturing company's s
works. who recovered the body; William
II. Winston, who sat at the oars during
the quarrel that led UP TO the incident
Elmer A. Westcott who witnessed the
tragedy from the shore, and August j.
Forsberg.
Winston testified that the party drank
2l9 pints OF rum and three pals of beer
during the trip. He said Mrs. Johnson sal
In the bow and johnson and Snead in the
stern. The two men got into a quarrel
over the payment of Is cents for the boat,
and this led to a discussion as 20 which
was the best man I'm the water. He said
Snead put his arm around Johnson s
shoulder and pulled him over the side OF
the boat into the water Snead himself
went with Johnson. but was on top and as
he could swim he got ashore. Johnson
had his wifes coat around his shoulders.
The water at that place, Winston said.
was 30 feet deep.
He said Johnson and Snead were in
tQxicated winston said Snead threatened
tc give Mrs. johnson the same treatment
when she accused him OF numbering her
husband
Moore related how he recovered the body
several days after the drowning
Mrs. Johnson corroborated for the
most part the story told by Winston The
party started out little before O'Clock
in the afternoon, she said, and all was
peaceful until after 8, when Winston
rcwed to shore to land a small boy who
had been with them. They had rowed
but little way out into the pond again
when Winston asked her husband how
much he had paid for the boat. John
son answered, 81 cents. Winston and
Snead affected not TO believe him, where
upon she told them 10 "cut out" the argu-
ment, as she could pay II her husband
had not. Winston then told Snead 70
"cut IL out" Snead exclaimed: ITO hell
with you. niger" and throwing his arms
over Johnson's head both went into the
water,
She remembered no more, except that
Snead got into the boat and they some
how reached shore, where she begged
Snead TO go back and help Winston find
her husband. Her next memory was find-
ing herself at the home OF Johnson's
grandmother.
Elmer A. Westcott was walking along
the shore of the pond. he said In his tes-
timory, when he saw boat with a
woman standing in IL and then saw two
men IN the water. One climbed in over
the stern, the other sank three times
while he looked on, and the last time
did not rise again. He saw no effort made
by those In the boat TO help the drowning &
man, although he was close to the boat,
and their acts convinced Westcott that
the whole party was intoxicated.
Forsberg. who Is carpenter, was out
on the pond in a boat. when he heard
screams and saw the other boat same
distance away. Rowing down 10 II he
found Mrs. Johnson crying out that her
husband had been murdered and the two
men in the boat exchanging recr1mina-
tions for not doing something 10 save him.