Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-03-22
ELpoRA SKATING RINK pRoPRi.
EroR INDICTED FOR GRIMM.
Al ASSAULT ON GIRL.
RELATIVES FAIL IN EFFORT
70 SHOW HIM INSANE
Claim That johnson 10 Moral Psrvsrt
and Has Been Confined in Asylum
Several Timss-lnsanity Will % Dc.
tense TO Charge in Court Trial -
Brother Fears Mob vielsnes.
Special to rimes-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Eldora, March 22.-Yesterday after
noon the grand jury Of Hardin county
now in session returned an indictmen.
charging J. S. johnson with the crime
OF rape. II Is charged that on Satur-
day late in the afternoon Johnson
crininally assaulted Hazel Noach. a
girl about 16 years of age, and who in
every respect is not capable of know
ing.
The attorney for Johnson yesterday
filed information and a brother, Will
liam Johnson, filed an amendment ask
ing for his appearance before the in
sanity commission. County Attorney
e. A. Bryson objected to the commits
sion holding a trial for the reason tina,
the defendant Johnson had been in
dicted and the indie tment returned in
open court and warrant Of arrest As
sued upon 1t and the defendant ar.
rested and brought into court for ar
ra.gnment. The county attorney held
that ON account Of this the commits
sioners OF insanity had no jurisdict ton
Tor reason that proceedings in distrtc,
court had reached a point where the
court had exclusive Jurisdiction as ia
the question of the sanity OF Johnson
The attorneys argued pro and con las,
evening before the commission and
over hundred curious men were in
the court room. Evidence was finally
allowed to be submitted with the re.
suit tnat the board holds that there 4.
insufficient evidence to warrant thei,
finding him fit subject for the ASYLUM
at independence.
Several Times in Asylum.
During the trial before the board last
evening. the brother, William johnson
IN his effort to show his brother to be
OF unsound mind. told much Of the
past history Of the man. It appear
from the brothers story that J. s
johnson had been in trouble in Kan
sas: Newton, Mt. Pleasant St
Paul. MINI. Webster City and sev-
eral other points. at about all these
points being charged with indecent ex-
posture Of lewdness. The brother says
that at these times the family had al
ways been able to get johnson taken to
an insane hospital. he having been
there some four or more times.
At one stage in the trial last even
ing Johnson'S attorney called tho COM
mission to look at Johnson's hand. II
appears that tho defence was trying to
create the impression that johnson
was affected with some serious disease
Must Stand Trial.
The defense endeavored to have
Johnson committed to the hospital for
the insane on the claim that he Is a
sexual pervert to the extent that he is
not responsible for his actions. john
son will now have to stand trial for
the crime for which he is indicted, and
altho the plea Of insanity will prob
ably be brought up, and should 1t be
found that he Is in manner insane.
he will be confined in the insane ward
Of the penitentiary at Anamosa and
not at Independence. where there Is a
possibility Of his being released In a
short time.
Johnson will be arraigned today
when it is probable he will plead not
guilty and insanity will be the defense.
Fear was expressed by the brother
last evening that there might be an at
tempt made to mob Johnson. but there
was no violence Of any sort.