The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-01-07

brought to the courthouse 1t was a
strange sight in our quiet little town,
the first OF its kind. as the khaki-cfad
soldiers swung along with rapid steps
looking straight ahead but gripping
their guns, while their officers watch
ed closely for signs of possible trou-
bic. Johnson. tall. thin. coffee-col-
ored negro, looked ike the terror OF
death was already in his heart, as his
shiftys eyes ranged in every direction,
probably expecting with no little rea-
son bullet from some angry man
anxious 10 anticipate the law
Arriving at the courthouse. the sher-
if rushed his prisoner upstairs into
the courtroom, while the soldiers es-
tablished pickets at the heads Of the
two stairways with instructions 10
keep the general public back. Depu-
ties stood by the soldiers and allowed
TO pass only those who had business
or who they were Sure would not make
trouble
One excited old man with Confed-
crate medal of honor on his breast,
disregarded the order of a sentinel.
and for a minute it looked like there
would be trouble. The young soldier
was determined to do his duty; the Old
one with the smoke of twenty tremen-
dous battles behind him, was careless
Of the bayonet at his breast-but
cooIer-headed friends restrained him.
The courtroom door was closed and
across ii stood another line of SOL
diers, while the sheriff called down to
the first floor the names Of the wit
nesses
Most of the people were very quiet
their deep and just ndignation above
an ordinary tone of voice.
The negro Johnson, as he sat in
court, behind the chair of his counsel,
Judge Gober, presented a demeanor of
perfectly cool and collected. He is a
big, ugly negro, with a huge fat nose
and thick lips and a long protruding
under lip. He wears a No 10 shoe
Only about fifteen minutes was re-
quired to swear the jury of twelve
men and to examine them by State
Attorney Davis. The state challenged
two jurors, who stated they were OPP
posed to capital punishment on circum-
stantiaI evidence. Sheriff Galloway
called two other names from the We
nire and Judge Gober examined the
| jurors and accepted them all in less
than twenty minutes, and the jury was
accepted as a whole and sworn The
! jury is composed of the following:
/ W. A. Young. E. W. Clements, W r.
Roe, A. S. Johnson, ]. W. Stephens, A
| J. Stephens, G. C. Pasteur, T. @. Spur
| lin, f. S. Mathews, c. E. Howell, O.
| G. Scarborough, S. w. Sparkman.
The poor victim, whose name has
never been mentioned in the papers
was the first witness called She was
brought in from the judges private
office, supported on either side by the
sheriff and her husband She was
sworn and told the story in a low
voice, trembling and hating, but with
no shadow of doubt or uncertainty
She positively identified the prisoner
Mr. Davis made the ordeal as easy for
/ her as possible, only asking her two
questions and Judge Gober only one
She was assisted from the room into
the private office and was in the court
froom less than ten minutes.
The other witnesses were called and
gave their testimony 1t is all clear
| corroborative and fixes the guilt of the
| prisoner beyond a shadow of a doubt
Each of the witnesses, both for the
state and defense, gave their evidence
and all told substantially the same
story. Johnson himself took the stand
but did not help his case. The evidence
can only result in a conviction. A
more clear, a palmer case of guilt has
never been made.
State Attorney Davis stated that he
would not argue the case. Judge
Gober made a ten minute talk. but he
said nothing to help his client, though
he made good talk and presented
his case in an intelligent manner and
only asked, he said, fair and unbias-
ed trial in the consideration of the
verdict.
Judge Bullock began his charge tC
the jury at 3:45. This charge was in
writing and took less than ten min
utes to deliver. He told the jury to
retire and consider the verdict They
went to the petit jury room a few
minutes before 4 o'clock.
The state had four witnesses, the
victim, Mr.. Leonard Marsh, Mr.. Oscar
Squires and Sheriff Galloway.
The defense had three, Emma John
son, the prisoners wife, Ed Wall, also
colored, and Johnson, the prisoner him
self All three made excellent wit
nesses for the state. The testimony
OF the prisoner was udHdSinS 10 h4s
own case.
After being out eight minutes. the
jury came into court at o'clock.
Clerk Nugent called the roll. Each
imam answered present. The judge
then asked the jury if they had
Iagreed upon a verdict. Foreman A
j. Stephens handed the written yer.
dict to Clerk Nugent, who read:
I'VE the jury find the prisoner, J
u. Johnson, guilty. So say we all
A. J. Stephens, Foreman"
The court then discharged the
| jury and State Attorney Davis ask
ed for sentence. Judge Bullock told
the prisoner to stand up. johnson
came forward and leaned over the
Judges desk and spoke to the judge
The sheriff had to ask him to stand
and move further back. The judge
was interrupted several times by the
prisoner, as he declared his limo
icence, calling on the judge fol
mercy and God would bless him. The
Judge in the most kindly manner
talked to the prisoner and explained
Ito him that he had no option in the
lmatter That the law fixed his duties
land the penalty Johnson plead and
/ begged him, as prisoner never
/ plead or begged at the bar of jus
tice of Marion county, to spare his
life and give him some other SEN
Itence besides death, and being in
Iterrupted all through his talk by
his begging plea for mercy, the judge
4 n