Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-05-14
Only an Hour Required to
Arrive at a Verdict
in Chicago.
WHITE SLAVE CHARGE
Maximum Penalty Is Five Years
Imprisonment or $4,000
Fine, or Both.


negro pugilist, was found guilty last
night of violating the Mann law in
transporting Belle Schrieber from
Pittsburgh to Chicago in 1910. He
was convicted on all seven counts
in the indictment. The jury was out
one hour.
That the conviction of Johnson is
the forerunner of laws forbidding mis-
cegnation was the assertion today of
Assistant United States Attorney Har-
ry Parkin, who conducted the case of
the government.
This verdict will go round the
world" he said. "It is the forerunner
Of laws to be passed by the United
States which we may live to see. laws
forbidding miscegnation. This negro,
in the eyes Of many, has been perse-
cuted. Perhaps as an individual he
was. But his misfortune is to be the
foremost example of the evil per-
mitting intermarriage of whites and
blacks"
Imprisonment or $4,000 fine, or both.
ON STAND 30 MINUTES.
Johnson took the stand yesterday
afternoon for about thirty minutes in
the afternoon and repudiated the tes-
timony Of Belle Schneider. In sum-
ming up attorneys for both sides TO-
cused the attention of the Jurors to
! fJohnsonAs gift of -ST57to the SchreIber
woman when she was in Pittsburgh
and the bone of contention was whether
he specified that she was to use the
money to come to Chicago or whether
he simply sent the money as a gift.
The indictment is based on this point.
During the early part of his testi-
mony Johnson sat with his arms fold
ed and his chin sunk low. The grin
was missing and beads of perspiration
rolled down the sides Of his face.
After little he perked up anl spoke
more clearly and recovered his usual
humor.
TELLS OF CONVERSATION.
did you have a conversation with
Belle Schneider over the telephone in
|
torney, Mr. Bachrach.
''Yes, she called me up and asked
me to send her $75," he said.
''At this time did you send her a
| telegram to come to Chicago and walt
for you here
81 don't think 1 did," said Johnson
uncertainty.
| Judpa Carnantar askad Johnsop IN
make sure and Johnson replied he was
positive he had sent no such telegram
He denied any immoral purpose in
sending the S75 and then told about
spending $4,000 or $4,000 in furnish
| ing fiat for her and her mother and
in maintaining them. "She was anxious
to get to work again as a stenogra-
pher," he said.
DENIES TAKING HER MONEY.
Didn't you forclbly take $40 from
Belle Schreiber which she had earned
improperly" asked Attorney Parkin
for the government on cross-examin-
alton.
mo, never took a dollar. a cent, or
even a newspaper from her." John
son replied.
"Do you suppose" said Attorney
Parkin to the jury in his closing argu-
ment, that after Johnson had been
taking white women around the coun-
try for two years he suddenly switch
ed from his usual intention and sent
the girl money with no direction
whatever as to how she should use 1t?
Find this defendant not guilty and
don't see how any of you could go
home and again look squarely In the
faces of your mothers, wives and
daughters"
Attorney Bachrach said IL Johnson
} sent her the money to come to Chi
cago he was guilty, but If he sent
her the money because she was
broke and did not care wha. she did
with it or where she went, he was not
guilty"