Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-02
SHOOTS HER HUSBAND;
CLAIMS SELF-DEFENSE
John w. Johnston Shot. Through
Temple While in His
Wifc'S Room.
RAZOR FOUND ON THE FLOOR
Couple Had Been Separated About
Six MOnths-Hc Broke Into Her
Room and Demanded That She Re-
turn, She Tells Police.

John w. Johnston, II blacksmith. was
shot through the left tempe yesterday
morning and instantly killed by his
wife Mrs. Annie Vivian Johnston, at
the nome of her father. 9Ol Randolph
street The weapon used was a Colt
.3S-ca iiber police pistol which the no
lice found clnp;ied of three balls. Mrs.
Johnston was placed under arrest
charged with murder and taken to the
Second Police station
BY the side of the dead man nc,r his
right hand lay razor. and in the In
side pocket Of his coat WAS found a
razor case indicating that the razor
belonged to him. After being viewed
by Coroner Whitfield the body WAS
turned over to a. w Bennett under
iaker TO be held for further examina-
ton by the coroner's jury this morn
ing. The razor. the police say. was
closed when picked from the floor
The tragedy. from what can be
earned. was the ou'srowth of domcs-
tie differences of several months stand
Ing. The couple had been separated
about SIX months. according to state
mcnts made by ncighbors, and the hus-
band had made several unsuccessful
attempts to get his wife to return 10
his home. She lived in fear and con-
slant terror Of him. il was said and
Wednesday when he entered her room
and threatened her. she escaped from
him by jumping from her window en-
7. t.
ed on woodshcd and escaped injury.
SHOOTING occurs IN
REDKOOM OF MRS. JOHNSTON
The shooting occurred at o'clock in
the bedroom OF Mrs. Johnston Captain
thinner nr.i patrolman Tate, of the
Seconl station. were the first officers
to arrive ~ TIC s':.Ic. \ few minutes
later Captain Wright. Beriillon EN-
pert Toier and Sergeant Bryant. OF
ft.. i.. IL,
TO headquarters. Shortly afterward an
ambulance from the Virginia Hospital
came upon the scene
Ihc dead man was lying in pool
Of blood and Mrs. Johnston. who claim
Ell sci! defense. was in high nervous
state. She sail that her husband had
broken into the house. despite the fact
that II was we'll locked. and. entering
her room. threatened her life unless
she immediately left the house and re-
turned TO his home. CornercI thus
she said. She had either 10 leave or
stay and be killed. Pretending 30 get
together her clothes. she v"nt to the
bureau drawer and pulling gu, the
pistol, pointed il al him and fired
such vas her state OF nervousness that
she had 20 be taken TO the police sta
ton IN tho ambulance.
ACCUSE JOHNSTON OF
t,iGINt: \ BoOTIEGGER
Johnston. according to tire police.
was not = very good character. having
Teen connected in u bootleg case in
fredericksburg a few months ago and
convicted in Richmond some time back
lor Ocoteg&ing. According 10 neigh
bors' Mrs Johnston is highly thought
of. nothing being known by them dam
aging 10 hcr reputation. Johuston was
formerly iitncy driver am! was IA
miliarly known ano"g his friends and
AcqTa lntanccs as "Tcclcy~ Johnston.
Ills residercc ws.s formerly at 1865
Blair street. but it Is said thar lie
moved from there TO las beverly
street on Tuesday, to which place he
was ordeavori"g to have his wifi. re.
loin him. He was thirty-h,c years
old
although sc"cral members or tie
household We're downstairs AT the time
OF the tragedy. there appears to have
been 10 cyewitnesses. Nth The rN-
ception OF Captain thinner and Officer
T. J. Walton. Mrs. Bufhe Cummings is
the only witness that the police rec
ord slows Mrs. Johnston WAS still
nervous yesterday afternoon when rel
atiNcS called 1t :hc police station 10
see her. among them being a sister
n-iaw and q brother. but she had calm
ed down to considerable degree. She
is th'rty-threa years old. two years
younger than her dead husband