Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-02-27


With the horror Of the recent as
sault emblazoned on her mind, tortur-
ing her beyond all power of control,
Mrs. Charles M. Johnston last night
while the negro accused at Fonda was
enroute to this city, became hysteri-
cal and twic jumped completely out
of her bed. AS If actuated by the
fear that the awful experience would
again be visited upon her, tie sufferer
was for a short time beyond all con-,
troll, and was only relievd when the
pent up energies had been spent and
she lay exhausted on her bed Of pain.
This afternoon Mrs. Johnston is
slightly better, and the physicians
hold out hopes for her recovery.
William Crockett, the Fonda sus-
pect, arrived in the city last evening
on tie Rock Island, handcuffed to
Sheriff w. w. Jackson. Fearful that
mob violence would take him from
the custody of the sheriff, the accused
negro was very excited, despite the
assurance from the officer that Ottum-
wa citizens would harm no innocent
man. He was lodged in Jail and at J.
o'clock this morning fell asleep. The
rest seemed to boup the colored man.
fo' this morning he was cheerful and
was emphatic in his claims to be able
to prove that he was not in Ottumwa
on the night of the crime.
Il can give a good account of my
sell for the past two or three weeks .
said Crockett this morning. Thurs
day night last week l was in Swalls-
dale and on the following night slept
in the Great Western depot at Bel
mont. Saturday I arrived at Vincent
and during the evening, scrubbed out
a pool hall in that place Tor the price
of something to eat. l bummed my
way to Carard on the Great Western
and from there I went to Lohrville.
Failing to find work In that place I
went to Rockwell City and slept in the
sand house over night. l was reading
of the Johnston affair in the depot az
Fonda when the marshal arrested me
/ have not been in Ottumwa since last
year.
Conductor Collins visited the jail
this morning and says Crockett is toe
black and not the man he had as :,
passenger Saturday night.
Says 1t Was Negro.
Charles M Johnston, husband Of
the stricken woman, Is positive the
criminal who visited his house Sunday
morning was negro. He says Mrs
Johnston says she is sure 1t was &
negro. The little Johnston boy, too
says the brute was colored man. 'l
cannot bring myself to blieve it was
any other than the man whom Con
ductor Collins had as passenger Sat
urday night" said Mr.. Johnston, "aut
my wife, too, now states positively
that her assailant was black man
We are not allowed to talk with hel
about the crime, as the attending ply
sicians say we must try to relieve
her mind of the awful aqair. Wher
Conductor Collins Identifies the negro
/ believe he will prove the one wht
committed the deed.''
Had Junkin In Box,
John Junkin, colored suspect helt
In the Abba Jail, was thoroughly ex
amined by Chief Of Police Peter Gal
lagher, Detective D. D. Way and Johl
w. Gray this morning, but the resul
of the sweating remains behind tn
closed lips of the head Of the police de
partment. Gray and Way also refused
to talk. The officials left on Burlington
No. 8 this forenoon and returned OF
No. 6 this afternoon.
The receipt of the telegram from th
city editor of the TT. Dodge Chronicle
as shown above, was received severa
hours after Crockett was interviewed
and bears out his story that he wa
was committed.