Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-03-07
Johnson ALIBI
OFFERED TODAY

him.
Conductor AL Johnson, who was re-
turning from vacation with his wife,
says he saw Warren Johnson and
Frierson on the train going to Macon
the night of the 18th.
Conductor Steed testified that john
son rode with him from Smithville to
Montezuma the morning of the 18th.
He exhibited his export showing that
he had put down Johnson's name at
the time.
The register of the hotel at Monte
zuma was identified. 1t shows that
Johnson registered there for dinner
on the 18th.
Track Foreman Darby, states wit
ness, who was not put UP by the state
but by the defense, testified that he
had written Johnson to come to Monte
yuma to investigate torpedoes being
placed on the track. and that John
son arrived on the morning of the
18th and stayed with him until about
noon.
A letter written by Johnson, giving
his official report of his activities for
the two preceding days and referring
to having seen Mr.. Sam Brown in AL
bany on the afternoon of the 18th, WaS
introduced, and the young man who
wrote it for Johnson on a typewriter,
named Fort Thomas, testified to hav-
ing written it, and to Johnson being
in Macon on the afternoon of the 18th.
lieut.. L. S. Tuggle, formerly clerk
al the Rankin House in Columbus, tes
titled to Detective Foster and Mrs.
Yeartie Howell living together there
as man and wife, occupying the same
room. He also testified that the grand
Jury indicted them for improper rela
tions, but said he did not know who
instituted the prosecution. The hotel
register was shown.
Miss Bridges Testimony.
Miss Willie Bridges testified that
she and Mrs. Howell and Charlie
Chapman, Jr, and John Etheridge
did &c to l'de once, but that it was
during tie Eiks' convention. She said
that on the night of August 18th, she,
Mrs. Howell. Claud Mauk and Hollis
Hurley went to ride, returning about
nine o'clock, and that Mrs. Howell did
not go out any more that night She
said she did not go downtown with
Mrs. Howell the next day and did not
see Warren Johnson nor have any
conversation in his presence.
Claud Mauk testified to the same ef-
feet about the ride on the night of
August 18th
The testimony of Hollis Hurley
along the same line was read.
The attorneys for the defense state
that they think one of the newest de-
velopments of Importance is the testi~
mony of Darby, the Montezuma track
foreman who was summoned by the
state. and who says Johnson was in
Nontezuma all of the morning of the
18th inst.
Attorneys for the state point out,
in connection with yesterdays testi-
rony of Mrs. Howell, first that she
did not ride over the road from An
dersonville to Americus after the kill
ing. and later that she did take such
ride, that this has been explained by
the testimony of equity Sheriff Tom
Summers, who says he brought Detec-
tive Foster and Mrs. Howell from An
dersonville in a car, and that he
branched off into the road going by
the Aries plantation, and did not take
them past the Wheatley bottom.
1t is believed that arguments in the
case will probably start early to-
morrow. although there are a number
of witnesses yet to be offered by both
the state and the defendant.
At Wednesdays late afternoon ses-
ion. the state introduced only one wit
ness after the cross examination OF
Mrs. Yeartie Howell had been con-
cluded, the evidence given being i'm
material, and at o'clock the defense
began the presentation of evidence
Attorney W. D. Mcneil, having ex
hausted himself in the long duel of
wits with Mrs. Howell while the states
star witness was upon the stand, gave
over the examination of witnesses to
w. P. Wallis, who continued to put
interrogations during the remainder
o. the session.
ED. Moore, conductor on the Cen
tral of Georgia railroad, was the first
defense witness, and he told Of hav-
ing hauled Warren 1. Johnson from
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