The Washington times., 1918-05-14
TRIAL Of DENTIST
AS WIFE'S SLAYER
BEGINS TOMORROW

RICHMOND. Va. MAY 14.-Dr. Lem
uel J. Johnson. the Young MiddIosex.
y g. dentist. charged with giving
his secret bride the capsule OF eva
uide poisoning that caused her death
on December last, will go on trial
here tomorrow in Hastings Court
charged with Purdor.
on the theory that Johnson did
away with Alice knight johnson, his
Richmond BRIDE. because he loved
Miss Ollie White. his sweetheart since
youth. more. Miss White has been
summoned from MiddIesex to face the
young defendant and tell Of her past
relations with him.
Johnson and Miss White we're 70
have been married last Christmas.
She wore diamond engagement ring
he gave her nearly two years ago
She will testify that she WAS in ig-
norance OF his marriage on Scptem-
her IS last. TO Alice knight, OF Rich
mond. She will tell the jury that
she was prepared to carry out her
part OF the marriage contract
Denied He Was Married.
Up to and even after his arrest at
Wilson. y. C., where he attempted
suicide by swallowing aconintine
poisoning one week after his brides
death. johnson denied he had been
married to Alice knight Nearly a
score Of witnesses arrived today from
Wilson and Middlesex to testify that
Johnson SwoTe TO them that he was
not married.
Johnson. inCarcersted in the Rich
mond city jail since his arrest in De-
cember, has fully recovered from the
effects OF the poison and appears to be
iE good spirits in the face OF the
charges against him.
Harry NJ Smith. local counsel. and
John W. Woodward. a Wilson attor-
ney. representing Johnson, have
given no intimation Of their line OF
defense. II is stated. however. that
a straight plea OF not guilty will be
made.
Commonwealth Attorney George
Wise will be assisted in the prose-
cution by Attorney 4 II. Hopkins, OF
Franklin county.
The commonwealth will produce
witnesses to prove that shortly be-
fore his brides death. Johnson pur-
chased twenty grains OF cyanide
poisoning from Gordon Blair. a local
druggist: that he had made repeated
efforts to purchase the poison at
other places.
She Told Of Medicine.
Witnesses will testify that Alice
Knight johnson on the day 81 h"r
death told them that "P- 800
gave me some medicine the other day
that is the worst J nave e..
don't have to take the other cap
sule until tonight"
II WAS while spending the night with
a friend whose mother had died only a
few days previously that the bride swal
lowed the capsule that caused her death
A post mortem examination revealed
that it was cyanide poisoning
A silver coffin plate. on which is en-
graved the words. At rest" and a faded
floral wreath bearing a card with the
legend. My wife" written on il. will be
introduced as evidence. These articles
were taken from JohnSon's room at the
hotel in Wilson where he attempted sui
eide The Commonwealth will Insist
that johnson was seeking 10 hide or de-
strOy these articles. because the card.
was an admission that he
was married.
Letters As Evidence
a series OF letters written just be
fore he swallowed poison and when
he believed he would soon follow his
wife also will be used as evidence
johnson was formerly a student Of
the Medical College OF Virginia here.
II was while in that institution that
he met Alice Knight. then a stenog-
rapher there.