Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-17
NEW WITNESS IN
JOHNSON TRIAL
Lifelong Friend of Accused Den
tist Is Summoned by
the State.
TWO MORE JURYMEM NEEDED
Fourteen Men Now in Panel, but
Subject to Four Peremptory
Challenges.

Challenges.
with fourteen Jurors seated In the
jury box at the adjournment OF the
trial Of DR.. Lemuel J. Johnson. in the
Hastings Court yesterday afternoon at
o'clock. It was confidently expected
by counsel that the case Of the Com
monwcalth against the prisoner would
be opened By noon to-day In addi-
tion to the long list OF witnesses which
the State has arrayed against the young
dentist. there appeared yesterday from
Norfolk a young man who has been
a life long friend Of tho accused.
About the same age as DR.. Johnson,
". G. Driver. now salesman in a
Norfolk department store. but who for
many years resided near Mlddlesex,
the home OF the prisoner, will take
the stand. Young Driver was a school
mate OF tho young man who is now
charged with poisoning his bride, Alice
knight Johnson. and on the morning
OF tho day on which the dentist is
believed to have attempted TO take
his lie in a Wilson, y. c.. hotel. he
was greeted on the street BY this boy
hood friend. Just what passed be-
tween the chums at that time will be
told on the stand by Driver.
He said yesterday that when he
talked TO Lemuel, as he familiarly
called him. the young dentist bore
marks of WORRY. First nc told his
friend that he was not married to the
girl whose death had just been an
nounced. and later. young Driver said.
admitted that he was married. When
asked what he know OF his friend, DR..
johnson, he said that all through their
long friendship. from the time we
learned our A & Cs together. until we
finished high school, he was fine
young man
HAD NEVER HEARD or
ENGAGEMENT TO MISS WHITE;
Hc also said that he had never heard
Of the alleged engagement of Miss OIL
lie White. Of Zebulon. X, C., 10 Lemuel.
1t is the theory OF the State. as dcvcl-
opcd In the preliminary hearing from
letters written on the night Of the al
legged attempt at suicide, that he was
engaged TO Miss White. This is the
motive which is alleged TO have led
him 10 administer the cyanide OF
potassium, as claimed by tbs Common
wealth.
OF the talesncn called yesterday only
six jurors were impancled At the
morning session a vcnirc OF th!rty-six
yielded four who were seated. and
during tho afternoon TWO moro an
swered to the satisfaction Of the court
and counsel all questions touching
uHon their mpartiality The men who
took places in the jury hox yesterday
were: John g. Miller. solicitor for the
Tallcy, Hobson &: Richardson Co.
OF lpe4 West Avenue; ]. ". Bates. a
member of the real estate firm OF Har-
rison & Bates, of 6i7 Noble Street: T.
Leslie White. OF the firm Of G. {. White.
carriage builders. OF S2l West Thrift
eth street; Archie W. Duke deputy
superintendent of the Metropolitan
L!fe Insurance Company. OF SIS North
Twcnty-third Street; Charles c. Gas
ser. retired, OF sl4 West Clay Street.
and Carol Taylor, general mapager
Of the Richmond Ice Delivery Corpora-
ton. OF 500 Kcnsinston Avenue. Rob
ert l.. Freeman was selected at the
morning session bu. being over sixty
years of asc. was excused b.: request
when court rcconvcncd at 5 O'Clock.
The men now seated in addition to
those chosen yesterday are: H. Cor
mel! Branch. Charles B. Trant. j. w. d.
Farrar, Herman S. Reams. A. l.. Bailey
w. Lamar Edwards, Joseph r. Leath
and John 4. Traylor.
WOULD BE LOYAL
TO Ills OWN STATE:
During the examination OF vcnircucr
yesterday afternoon. among those call
ed was Henry II. Wheat. Of 3llG East
Broad street. He stated that no had
no fixed opinion which would prevent
MN from acting as a juror. but ad led
mat he might be prcjudiced Asked by
Judge richardson what he meant. he
sald: Il guess Id have TO be loyal To
my own State" y slight murrrur of
laughter was heard before :he Judge
raped sharply. He was excused
Judge Richardson is preserving tho
strictest order in the courtroom. and
the least impropriety is promptly re-
buked. Tho crowd began to increase
yesterday. and It was necessary for the
court TO instruct Sergeant Sattcrticld
TO direct spectators who had mounted
wiEdow-sills in the hall outside the
courtroom door to get down
Other talesmen excused were Andrew
c. Strickler, 270o East Franklin street.
who had fixed opinion: II. f.. Halle.
OF 2403 East Grace, who had conscien-
tious scruples against capita! punish
mcnt; Edward L. Frost. o220 Park Ave-
nue.; jasper u. Edwards. =. L.. Nllins-
ton, A. 5. B. James. 1903 Hanover Ave-
nue.; Luke +. hudson. of Highland
Park; G. c. Satterfield: Alvoy X. Vest.
l612 West Grace: ]. A Armstrong, 10
North Twenty-ninth Street: J. c. Chan
dicr, S1S North Thirty-third street: II.
k. Mattox. 1916 Jefferson Park: j. C.
Bowman. 1920 Fourth Avenue, High
land Park; William c. Kemp, $50 Ean-
croft Avenue; T.. r. Palmore, III North
Sixth Street; Bernard w. Glass, of 1915
Vcnable Street; George +. Howard, 3i07
East Broad Street; Askby b. Pyle. 313
East Grace, and Daniel B. Mcmahon. Of
Goa Randolph Street. all had fixed
opinions formed byNieading newspaper
accounts OF the case or by discussing 1t
with friends. T.. II. Palmore and Cahell
Lipscomb had scruples against capital
punishment. They were excused. Many