The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-07-25
COMES BACK AS
]. / From A IN GRAVE J. |;
Johnson, Long Mourncd
by Mother, Turns UP in Man
chester Again.
ms 0RANCE.c CLAIM WITHDRAWN
Man Identified by Burc1l as
Corpse Denies Stories Of His
Own Death.

4 ~ 2
Having been twice disinterred and
his bones positively identified" by
his mother ana Constable Q. o. Burch,
ot Henrlco county. Russell Johnson, a
young man supposed 70 have been
killed in railroad wreck on March
14th. turned up alive and we'll In Man
chester yesterday, saying that he had
not been in an accident nor suffered
a days sickness since he left here.
He was much amused to find that he
had been dug up twice and that his
relatives were about to draw his life
Insurance..
I Young Johnson is supposed to have
left his home on March 18th. In the
latter part OF April the body OF an
unknown man was found In James
River, near Haxall Station. On June
LIST 1t was dug up at the request Of Mrs.
M. "A. Gordon, OF No. 1909 North TWEEN
ty-first street, who thought that It
might be her son. who had disappeared.
She was satisfied upon seeing the body
that 1t was not that Of her son.
Identified 1t as Her Sons.
Later Mrs. N. L. Johnson. the mother
OF Russell Johnson, was satisfied that
the body was that OF her son. who had
been missing since March 18th. Though
she seemed to have no good reason for
her uneasiness, Mrs. Johnson got per-
mission from Sheriff Kemp to have
the grave opened for the second time.
saying that she could easily Identity
the boy by scar on his forehead, For
some time aftersshe got the permit she
did not have the grave opened
Suddenly, on June sth, news reached
the city through Constable Burch that
he, In company with Mrs. Johnson and
a friend OF the latter named r. r.
Stanley, had visited the grave, and
that the body had been Immediately
Identified by each one of them as that
of young Johnson. According to Burch,
the scar which Mrs. Johnson had re-
ferred to was found on the skull. and
that the body was further recognized
by cap which was found in the coffin.
He also said that the body was turned
over to Undertaken Bennett. who pre-
pared 1t for burial and had 1t shipped
to Nelson county.
Times-Dispntch Corrobornted.
On the same day that she exhuma-
ton story was printed (June 13th) The
published exclusively
the following statement from Mrs.
Thomas W. Adkins, OF No. 427 West
Seventh Street, Manchester, sister OF
Mrs Johnson:
"sIf the man dug up in Hanover
county was killed ON March 14th, then
he was certainly not Russell Johnson,
for talked with Russell ON my porch
ON May 10th, and know. that he was
alive at thnt time Miss Annie Adkins,
a daughter of Mrs. Adkins. said thnt
though she was Ill and did not see
the young man when he paid this
visit, she henrd his voice and recoE-,
nizcd 1t perfectly"
Notwithstanding this. on the next
day Constable Burch, accompanied by
Mrs. Johnson, visited the offices OF
the Metropolitan Life Insurance Com
pany, with which Johnson had his life
insured for $500. and stated that he
could recognize the face OF the corpse
as the son of Mrs. Johnson on account
OF the facial resemblance between the
two.
More than a week ago Mrs. Johnson
knew that her son was alive, and
stopped the negotiations for the life
Informing the company that
he was alive and requested the Of
ficers not to let the fact be known.
When young Johnson reached the
city yesterday he called for his mother
at No. 1923 East Main Street but found
that she had purchased farm and
moved away.