Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-09-07
JOHNSON FREED BUT RfARRfSTfD Negro Who Worked Sheriff Gean Must Face Rob-
 bery Charge at
 England.
IS A BUM DETECTIVE
Said He Could Capture Arthur Pey. ton, Who Murdered Lewis Gam.
 mill Last Year.

John Johnson, the negro who was arrested in this city several weeks ago by Sheriff Edgar Brewster at the request of Sheriff J. B. Gean, of Sredina county, on charge of ob- taining money under false pretenses, was given a preliminary hearing ;1e- fore Magistrate Gabe Meyer yester- day, but the charge against him was dismissed. He was defended by At torney J. M. Shaw and Prosecuting Attorney Nixon appeared for the state. Johnson had no sooner been freed than he was rearrested and will be taken to England, ,Lonoke county, today to answer robbery charge. Deputy Sheriff Ragon, of England, will take him to England to- day and his attorney, J. M. Shaw, will accompany him there and urge his release on bond.
 A ouOl CllllC dIICI LEWIS Idluullll was murdered by Arthur Peyton, negro, at the Sawyer-Austin Camps in Grant county, in July, 1911, the ne- ! gro, Johnson, went to Sheriff Gean l with letters of introduction from l Sheriff Parker of Ouachita county, and from Lewis Gammill's father. | lott ;1l, Jo stated that the negro was trustworthy and that he was an excellent detec- tive The letters stated that the ne- gro could no doubt aid Sheriff Gean i. greatly in his search for the negro, l Peyton .e
 Sheriff Gean put the negro on the and again, for expenses on the case. Several times Johnson would wire Sheriff Gean from, different parts of the country, and tell him that he needed money to continue the chase, as he was hot on the trail of the fugi- tive. At one time he wired the sheriff
 
 needed money to bring him back to Grant county, at the same time telling the sheriff that on no account must he come for the prisoner, but to wait and he would bring him safely in
 i Owing to the fact that the negro was so highly recommended, Sheriff Gean did not at first suspicion any wrong, but, later, he got tired of be- ing bled, and a few days ago he took a trip to Mound, Ill.,, at which place Johnson had previously wired him that Peyton was. Arriving there, the sheriff found that Johnson had go,- ten a sum of money from the sheriff there, and that he had pawned Sheriff Gean's revolver there, the sheriff having previously Furnished the negro with the gun.
 Going back home, Sheriff Gean waited patiently for the negro to call for him. He had not long to wait, as Johnson called him over the phone from Pine Bluff in a few days The sheriff told him to wait at the phone for 15 minutes, and that he would then tell him what to do. The sheriff then phoned Sheriff Edgar Brewster to go to the central office and arrest the negro.
 Johnson was placed in jail ill this city and his trial took place here, as the money he secured from the sheriff was paid to him in Jefferson county.
 There was no Convicting evidence at the hearing yesterday and the charge against Johnson was dismiss ed. He secured in all about $150 from Sheriff Gean, which he admit ted, but said that he had worked hard to bring about the arrest of Peyton.
 Johnson, it is thought could really have captured Peyton several times had he cared to, for he, on one occas- ion fooled an officer, after having actually carried the officer within a few yards of where Peyton was hid ing. and then switching him off in another direction. Subsequent devel- opments showed that Peyton was be- ing shielded by Johnson, instead of