Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-14
OLIVER REPLIES
To CHARGES Of
JOHNSON
ACCuSer of Department Is at
Work Securing More Evil
denCe Against 1t.

~ police denying that ne had any part
iu a so-called plot TO murder William
H. Johnson. former county policeman
and state agricultural inspector. today
made the startling counter charge that
he IS the victim Of a conspiracy Of
certain criminals" who are using
Johnson as tool TO bring about his
downfall
He declared that his activity agains'
these "lavbreakers" has aroused their
bitter enmity and that they were con-
spring with Johnson 10 get him
As TO Johnsons charge that oliver
has been paying attentions to q mar
rled woman living near HapeyiHe. the
lieutenant frankly admitted that De
dined with this woman in Folsom
restaurant on January 20 as charged
by his acCuser but declared there has
been absolutely nothing improper In his
f-iend'iness 90 her.
This Is the only thing said by John
son that Is true-the rest is q lie from
start 10 finish" said the Lieutenant
oliver explained that he is merely
casual friend Of the woman, and thai;
neither he nor she considered It any
harm TO dine together downtown IN n
public restaurant He said he met her
IN town on that day by accident, not
by appointment
Il have never had an appointment
with this woman. and that is the only
time / was ever out in her company
She IS a lady in every sense Of the
word. and / have always treated her as
gentleman would treat a lady.
Several Officers Know Her.
several OF the county officers are
acquainted with this woman just in
the same way as myself, as We fire.
quently go TO her husbands place Of
business TO use the telephone in re-
porting 20 the chiefs office. To SHOW
that she thought there was nothing eX-
traordinary in dining downtown With
me. she went straight home and told
her husband He had no kick To make.
He knows me well enough to know that
no harm was intended.
why. as far as that's concerned. ]
would not he afraid to take her down
town today for lunch / know she
would consider it perfectly all right
and that her husband would have no
objection
In declaring that criminals have
plotted with Johnson TO get him" thu
lieutenant vigorously denied the charge
OF drunkenness against himself and
County Policeman Peacock, contained
in alleged ahldavits in possession OF
Johnson.
We've been making it hot for a
bunch OF criminals and lawbreakers on
our beat, and they've set about to get
us out Of their way. They've been run
ming to this fellow Johnson and con-
niving with him. He's a willing tool
and is doing all he can to further this
plot
AS to the charge OF drunkenness, #
is all an infamous lie. It came about in
this way. In December, shortly before
Christmas. Mr.. Peacock and / were
walking along the railroad tracks near
East Point when some of these Grim
inals' spied us. They Immediately cir
culated the report that We were drunk.
and sought TO have US arrested. When
the matter was investigated, it was
found that We both were as sober as
when We Same into this world
Now, Johnson. put wise by this
gang. comes along and tries to show
that we were drunk.
"All Of his charges are just about on
a par with this ridiculous assertion"
Lieutenant oliver asserted that the
murder plot story by johnson was
Matched up merely TO give color to his
scheme"
It's absolutely silly" he said. III l
had wanted TO kill him, certainly could
have done so easily. had no idea
nor intention of killing him His
charge that ] hit him with my billie
IS a lie out Of the whole cloth. l dill
punch him a few times on the head
with my fist, but this was all. I never
struck him at all, until he picked up a
chair as though TO attack me. When
invited him into the jury room in the
court house / asked him what he meant
by telling lies on me. and he seized the
chair. ] knocked him loose and showed
him against the wall. I did take out
my billie but never used il.
Why ! wasn't even mad when
struck him can fight fellow like
him without getting mad He's a big
coward, from head to foot, that's all"
oliver eXonerated officer \. w. Jack
son Of any blame in the fight
When Jackson followed us in the
room he didn't even know what was
up" said Oliver. AS for the locked
door, il locked Of its own accord. 1t
is provided with a night latch. and
when the door slammed to. it fastened
There was no intention TO fasten the
door,
Johnson today was busily engaged in
gathering further evidence, which. he
said, he would present TO the investi-
eating committee Of the county board
next week when the official probe be-
gins.
I'm going to show up Chief Rowan
and the general rottenness of the de-
partment," he reiterated.
These fellows can't bluff me off with
a lot Of big talk. I've been studying