The Washington times., 1918-05-26
By Stan Correspondent

RICHMOND. Va, Nay ae-rhat the
spirit Of Alice Knight johnson, nine
tsen-year-old secret bride Of DIT. Lem
uel J. johnson, the young North Caro-
lima dentist has returned since the
girls death from poisoning and told
her that 'cDr. johnson is guilty. Is
the claim Mrs George Knight, the
dead brides mother, made to The
Times representative today.
johnson is on trial in hustinFs
court here charged with numbering
his bride BY giving her capsules of
cyanide poisoning.
eff the court would only lOt me
face DR.. johnson and tell him an
that Alice has told me since her
death, he, would not dare look me in
the face and deny his guilt" Mrs.
Knight said with great feeling and
conviction
The mother is . deeply religious
woman She believes that departed
loved ones commune with those on
earth, that they return to clear up
misunderStRndingB. to console and to
comfort
Il prayed day and nIEht for Anee
70 return Just long enough TO tell me
who 10 guilty, and my prayer has
been answered" MIS- Knight said.
Alice appeared to me and saidI
DR.. Johnson IL guilty.
Went to soOthGayeE.
n was made known today that
shortly before her marriage on Sep
tembsr Is last to Johnson Alice
Knight moro in Jest than In earnest,
went with . girl chum to q Boothsaysr
in Richmond The fortune teller
said:
Il see In the future q great sorroW
that will ocms to you. It will break
the heart OF your family and almost
break up your home"
The girl, about to become . bride,
was 80 interested that she visited
another seer and got 4 similar mes
sage
GsorEs z. Knight, tn. dead br,ds-u
father, told The Times representative
that less than a week before his
dRughter's death by poisoning she an
nounced she was going to clean UP
and improve the family buryinE lot
in the Richmond cemetery, where a
Few days later her dead body was IN
TERED. She was planning to remove
on Christmas to Middlesex, ". C, as
the wife Of DR.. Johnson, and she said |
she wanted TO leave the buryinE
ground in good condition.
Another coincidence f. related by |
Miss Grace Knight and repeated by |
other members Of the family. A few |
days before her death Alice was read |
ing newspaper. She was startled |
when on turning the pages, her eyes |
The advertisement was illustrated by |
a granite tomb, on which was the |
name johnson" She called the |
matter 20 her sisters attention. re-
marking, II wonder what that |
meansT'
PRTtsbSard "POiSoR BOr.s
The little pasteboard poison box"
which was introduced a. evidence In
the case has been referred to as pro
phetio- Received on Christmas, 1917.
the box contained q hvs dollar gold
piece which was a gift from the medI-
cal college faculty where Alice was
employed, but on the box was written
poison. take Hs needed" The little
box caused her much concern, she
wondered why the wording. A year
rolled by and Alice died Of poisoning.
But the little box remained intact.
An effort has been made by Johnson's
to show that Alice may have
taken poison from the box by mistake,
but the Commonwealth contends II
never contained poison.
A pathetic figure OF the thai II Dewey
Johnson. seventeen-year-old brother OF
he young defendant Dewey, an un-
sophisticated country boy. is having his
irst experience as nm attendant in court
The Brother, whom he has tried to emu
ate. and who had promised him an edu-
alton from his first earnings from the
practice OF his prOfession--the brother
Who had been chosen by the family to
'reak away from the farm and make Of
limself ngure In the professional world
Is on trial charged with murder.
Dewey Is the only representative OF the
family. His mother sent him
o bring her oldest son back to her. He
Its at ease while evidence favorable to
lis brother is offered. but the sallles Of
he Commonwealth disturbs him. or Law
70 Ii ignorant. but he is conscious OF
between evidence that will
elp and that which will injure the case
Z big brother Lem.
Exhausted BY Strain.
Exhausted by the strain Of hvs I
IourE on the witness stand IN his own
'ehalf. DR. johnson wRs taken to the
all hospital Friday night Several 1
IourS later. Jail attendants were
tAra"a ~ the sound Of Weeping and