The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-05-29

ed by ill-health. brought on by hard
study, and with struggling parents.
aged and sick, with the menace of
separation from his newly made wife
hanging over him. He would have
the jury dwell upon the mental an
guish which must come to a young
man whose love affairs had probably
been indiscreet, but not dishonorable,
and who had as last resort, and
after he had lost the only woman ne
had really loved, attempted to Join
her in the great beyond.
"A man with the fine sensiblities of
this young man could not have com
mitted such a crime as that with
which he is charged" declared Mr..
Woodward 1T is beyond the belief
of any reasonable man. There Is no
motive. and there has been no evil
dence to show that this young man
either bought or administered the
poison which it is claimed caused the
death of his wife"
Wise Becomes Severe.
In concluding, Commemorative At
torney Wise was most severe in his
denunciations of the accused. He said
the motive was as clear as the noon
day skies. He wanted to get rid of
the woman who stood between him
anu MS sweetheart ne "oIlld IL
whom he declared ne had married to
save from disgrace. The woman
when he was trying to keep away
from Middlesex. and to whom he had
made every excuse, and who he found
could not be kept away. For. said
Mr.. Wise, Alice loved her husband.
and she had set her heart upon going
, down into Carolina, and occupying
that bungalow. which had been talk
cd about so much, but which was a
myth.
While mis- wife was on the verge
of eternity he was writing love let
| tiers TO another woman, and even in
, the throes OF madness from remorse,
he wrote a letter filed with affection
ate phrases" said Mr. Wise She
had given him her all. but all he had
given her was love letters--xcraps of
paper-and shame"
He had said he would rather have
| been a suicide In Wilson than been
arrested for murder in Middesex." he
| is alleged to have said to a newspa-
per man.
ONE White was the motive" said
Mr.. Wise. and when Gordon Blair.
the Druggist gives it sc his opinion
that johnson is the man TO whom he
sold cyanide for the purpose OF clean
ing dental instruments. while he is not
wiling to swear 10 II. will take Mr.
Blair's Impression "ather than the
sworn statement Of many who get on
that witness stand / am satisfied
that Johnson was the man who bought
that poison that night"
Short Story of Case.
Mrs. johnson died suddenly on the
night of Dece m Der rs 1917. in1meA{-
ately after having announced that she
was about to take a capsule
DR. johnson. who had gone to Mid
dlesex. TO prepare a home for his
wife. reached Richmond the next
morning, and was distressed over the
affair
On December II. Coroner Whitfield,
after an autopsy. announced that Mrs
Johnson had died from the effects Of
cyanide OF potassium.
On the goth. Or. johnson, who had
started for his home in MiddIesex
stopped over at Wilson, y c, and
was found in a room at his hotel
suffering from the effects of aconite
which he had taken TO end his life.
Suspicion having conferred in DR..
johnson as the guilty person and ne
tective John Wiley went to Wilson tn
investigate. he uncovered sufficient
evidence of circumstantial nature
70 convict a dozen men. apparently.
ana johnson was brought hack to
Richmond. where he was held for the
grand jury, after a preliminary hear
ing before Justice Crutchfield
His friends In Richmond, among
them number of ladies with whom
he had boarded. and men7h ers OF the
FIRST Baptist church, at which Sunday
( schooi he attended, set about engaging
! counsel, and they were instrumental
in securing the services of Harry NJ
Smith. Jr.. to assist Mr.. Woodward
OF Wilson.