Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-03-08
v. |. JOHNSON ON THE
STAND TELLS OF HIS
MOVEMENTS ON 18th

before boarding the train. On cross
examination. he stated that a Mr.. Fitz-
gerald, another employe of the Cen
tral of Georgia, was the third member
of the supper party in Albany, accord
ing to his best recollection. He did
not know why counsel for the state
had been unable to communicate with
Mr.. Fitzgerald.
T. S. Tuggle, clerk of the Rankin
Hotel at Columbus, and Curly High
tower, a negro bell boy at the same
hotel, testified that Mrs. Yeartie How
ell and r. l.. Foster, detective in the
employ Of the state, registered as Mr..
and Mrs. j. d. Miers on November 80,
1916, occupying room No. II.
Following the witnesses put up by
the defense to prove an alibi for W. |.
Johnson, the phase of the case as re-
lated to John Etheridge, another of
the six defendants, was considered.
Several witnesses, including broth
ers and other relatives of John
Etheridge, were placed on the stand
to show that he was at the home or
his mother, near Damascus, Ga. in
Baker county, on the night of August
II, 1915, when Walter Wade is alleged
to have been killed.
This afternoon this same avenue
of investigation was followed, and
many citizens swon to testify along
this line. P. f. Westbrook, manager
OF the Southern Bell Telephone Com
pany's exchange in Americus, was on
the stand to testify as to the record
Of long-distance telephone call from
Americus to Sanders store, near Da-
mascus. the defense alleging that John
Etheridge answered the call at 6;40
on the afternoon of August 18th.
The opening statement for the de-
fense, made by Attorney W. P. Wal
lis. was followed Immediately by the
introduction of testimony tending to
establish an alibi for w. |. Johnson.
Jointly indicted with DR.. Chapman for
the Wade murder.
Mrs. Yeartie Howell in her sensa-
tional story, claimed that W. /. John
son was in the automobile at the
time Walter Wade was killed, sitting
Cs. the rear seat with DR.. Chapman
and herself, when Chapman fired the
shots which ended the life of the Les
lie man.
H. G. Kimbrew, conductor on the
Central of Georgia railway, testified
Oh the stand that on August II, 1915,
on the night of which Wade is alleged
to have been killed, he saw W. l. john
son on the train between Americus
and Smithville. Johnson rode all the
way to Macon. declared Kimbrew, ar
irving there about l o'clock on the
morning of the 18th. On cross exam
nation he stated that he did not
write up" Johnson's pass, as he was
a special agent of the road, and con-
ductors did not always make record
Of the trips made with them by John
son.
Guice Hallman, of Preston, swore on
the stand that Mrs. Yeartie Howell,
not long after Wade's disappearance,
told him that DR.. Chairman was being
accused of the murder, but that he
Chapman was entirely innocent.
J. r. Freeman. liveryman from Pres
ton. declared that Mrs. Howell told
him DR. Chapman was too much of a
gentleman to be guilty of the murder
Of Walter Wade
W. l. Cannon, baggageman on the
Central of Georgia train from Ameri-
Gus to Smithville; d. d. Moore, bag
gageman from Smithville to Albany;
W. ]. Collins. baggageman, and ]. F.
Oliver. conductor, all testified that w.
/ Johnson rode through to Albany
on the afternoon of August II, 1915,
arriving there about o'clock. Mr..
Oliver made a record of JOhnson's
pass. stating that he did so in accord
ance with the rules of the railroad.
c. L. Chapman, freight agent at AL
bany for the Central of Georgia, and
Il. b. Saulls, night watchman for the
Central at that place, and W. F..
Brown, commercial agent of the road
located at Albany, swore that they
saw Johnson in Albany on the night
of August II, 1916. and that he re-
r1ained there until the departure of
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