The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-10-25
JOHNSON SCORED
BY WIFE'S MOTHER
she DECLARES oAUoHrgR's SUI.
esoe NOT ~ VAN - ~
Aeeussd Black Champion Makes
Speech in chiesso ard rriss
to Justify Self.

NEW YORK. Oct. 2s-'If the sui
eide OF my daughter might be taken
A. . warning TO other white girls: IL
. thought ~ might save someone else
from a similar fate. my own crushing
burden OF sorrow would be easier 20
bear and I would feel that her death
had not been in vain"
Mr.. David Torrey, widowed moth
er OF Eta Duryea- johnson. the white
wife or Jack Johnson. who shot her
self In Chicago recs ntly. made this
statement to-day. believing u To be
her Christian duty. she said. to help
Mrs. Cameron drive the black pusflist
from the city ana country. Mrs. Tor
rey was seen In her home In Brooklyn
where she lives. broken in health and
under the constant care Of a physi-
elan.
The reporter had carried to Mrs
Torrey the story OF the Chicago grand
alleged KIDNAPPING OF Lucille Cameron:
90 -" girls mothers tight for her
by asking:
.rrey. what in your opinion
should be done -sth the husband OF
your dead daughter
IT would be wrong for me 10 tell
you what ought to be done" Mrs
Torey replied, he voice hardening.
1T Il not for me to Judge God will
do that, but every night q prayer goes
up from my pillow asking God to send
upon this man the punishment he de-
serves. Two weeks ago I had n Wis
Ion OF Jack Johnson's end. believe
that vision WAS Gods promise OF its
tulnIlment.
Tell, o. Alleged Vision.
In n vision as plain as day. saw
4 boat on a beautiful stream. In that
boat Was my daughter giorifed In
white. Suddenly. up out OF the water.
rose giant. a glistening black man.
II was Jack Johnson. With both
hands he grabbed for the boat as q
he would crush II. but he missed.
my daughter rOwed away and dissp-
peared with n ripple OF happy laugh
turned as black as ink and swallowed
the black man up.
1T was all SO real that II frightened
me, though | am practical woman
and NOT given 10 visions"
rs Il true that your daughters mar
ried life. with Johnson. was unhappy
the reporter asked.
There can be but one reply TO that"
the mother answered. She killed her
self. Why she married him has been
n mystery 10 me always, though Eta
was never right in her mind. and |
have attributed many things 10 that
fact. And | believe her suicide came
as a period. not of temporary madness.
but OF eXtra-lucidness. | believe that
for one brief moment the mental fog
lifted from her. and revealed her po-
sition 20 her in all its hideousness. In
the revolt which followed she shot
herself"
Negro Cruel
Was johnson cruel to herr?
NO one VIII ever know Just how
cruel. Mrs. Torrey replied in the
same low. tired voice. "He beat her
h. haaA 40 60 No. 81 g.
ment. She was MORALLY afraid OF
him She ran away not long before
she killed herself and hid in a hotel
near Chicago johnson set detectives
after her. found her and had her
brought back. ! have seen her with
her eyes black and bruises on her
face. Before she left for Paris she
told me she would rather die than go
When Eta shot herself was
Frustrated. but went 10 Chicago with
my daughter airline. We stayed ar a
hotel. and not at Johnsons house as
Etta's home TO see her. I begged the
negro To grant me one request:
wanted the body OF my dead girl He
refused. He said he was the husband
Of the girl and would stick to his
rights ! told him he would forget
but that mother never could. He
said he was going TO give Eta a
funeral which ! couldn't afford.
He wanted me to ride about Chit
cngO in his automobile ! refused or
the front porch Of his house. in front
of which q battery OF newspaper pho
toRraphers had lined up. when
passed cut with a Red Cross nurse on
one side and my daughter on the
other. he pushed my daughter aside ~
he could have his picture taken az my
side making II appear that ! was lean
Ing on HIS arm.
Says Johnson Was Intruder
HE forced his company upon US
like that until We left Chicago. told
him could not and would not 20 with
him or his crowd 10 the church or
cemetery After Airline and got In
an automobile which We were told
vas for MS. Johnson climbed in
Shamef. humhled. ] pulled down the
curtains Johnson let them up Airline
pulled them down again and again
johnson lifted them 80 the crowd
could see ms together and photograph
ers could take our pictures
'On the Way 20 the cemetery and
by the side Of the grave. on the way
back. ~ our hotel. NJ tho railway
station. I'm the train itself he pursued
us rclentiessly. lie sat on the arm oil
Arline's chair IN the car and said
20 everybody could hear him IN
forgive Won. Airline for the way you
treated me today"