The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1907-05-08
MURDER In FIRST DEGREE
Andrew Johuson Found Guilty As
Charged and Sentenced to
Be Hanged.

first murder case has been written SO
far as Prowers county is concerned
and there only remains the painful
necessity of ending the life of the
brutal murderer for the protection
of society generally, and this will be
done in the privacy of the penitenti-
sry at Canon City.
The murder of Night Marshal Fris
bic by Andrew johnson on Dec. 26,
was an unprovoked and unnecessary,
(even from the criminals standpoint)
crime, and marks the closing of the
career of one of the most dastardly
desperate and deprsved criminal
records in the west. Taking only
that portion of Johnson's record
which is absolutely known and it
represents in the space of two
months previous to December 26th,
at least four desperate crimes in
three OF which murder WAS attempt
ed, and in the case of w. w. Dale,
the young night ticket agent at
Leadville, 1t was only prevented by
remarkable recovery which sur
prised even the attending physicians.
The appearance of young Dale on
the stand here for the prosecution
wiped out any remaining sympathy
in the minds of any of our citizens
and expressions except of hearty
approval of the verdict we're heard
from any one. While his evidence
was not as important as some others
in proving the charge against John
son, his appearance and the story Of
his shooting was sufficient to show
the desperate and depraved nature
of the defendant, and impress the
jury with the fact that death was
the only protection that society
could have against such character.
The prosecution occupied all day
Thursday with its evidence and
rested in the evening. The defense
on Friday morning decided not to
put in any testimony at all, as their
main hopstisy in trying to convince
the jury Of the insufficiency Of the
Identification. Court was adjourned
until afternoon. and when it was
called to order at 1 80 the room and
all the entrances were packed with
interested spectators. Judge Hunt
or gave his charge to the jury in a
clear and forcible manner making
the different degrees Of murder and
the other law in regard to the case
plain to all. CRANKY Eillyer de-
livered the first address for the
prosecution. and reviewed the testi-
mony in very convincing manner
and closed by asking at the hands of
the jury a verdict Of first degree with
the death penalty attached. as just
and necessary punishment for the
dastardly crime of December rs. He
was followed by Attorneys w. E.
Fee and Geo. II. Thorne for the de-
fendant and both handled their case
in an able and eloquent manner, but
each were unable to hide the fact
that they sregarded their case as
hopeless it seemed. District Atty.
McHendrIe closed the case in one OF
the most eloquent and convincing
arguments ever heard in Prowers
county and held the close attention
of the jury and the large audience
to the last. It was mastery effort
and closed skillfully conducted
case.
The case Was given to the jury
Just before supper and they deliber-
sted over it all night and announced
early Saturday morning that they
were ready to bring in a verdict.
The court was called to order about
8 O'Clock and there was large
audience again present, and the
proverbial pin could have been heard
to fall, when Foreman E. z. Thurs
ton handed in the verdict, and Dist.
Clerk @. w. Luck for the first time
in his service read out the announce
ment that the jury found the de-
fendant guilty Of murder in the first
degree and fixed the penalty at
death. The whole matter was im-
pressive and serious to everyone in
the court room apparently but John
son. He received the blow with a
smile ON his face, and when a short
time later Judge Hunter delivered