Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-29
JOHNSON FREED
Of WIFE MURDER
CHARGE BY Jury
Accused Dentist Is Acquit-
ted After Trial Lasting
Fourteen Days.
JURY DELIBERATES FOR
HOUR AND TEN MINUTES
Johnson Says Washington News
paper Mans Story of Con
fession" Entirely False.
DRUG PURCHASE NOT PROVEN
Liberated Man Expects Soon to En-
ter Army Dental Corps-TeIe-
graphs His Parents.
JURY DELIBERATES FOR
HOUR AND TEN MINUTES
DRUG PURCHASE NOT PROVEN
ter Army Dental Corps-TeIe-
graphs His Parents.

commented DR.. Lemuel ]. Johnson, as
his finger traced the letters Of the word
acquitted" in the State Special edition
cf The Times Dispatch last night
Fourteen days OF strain and anxiety
had worn upon the nervous stamina OF
the twenty three-y year-old dentist, and
ne rested last night at the home Of
Mrs g. w. Smith. l2o North Lomba- -dy
street. Mrs. Smith, with whom Dr
johnson boarded when a dental stu
dent. sat through the long trial by the
side OF the dentist and comforted him.
One OF the trst acts OF the young
dentist after leaving the courtroom was
10 telegraph 10 his parents near Mid
dlescx. y. G.. of the outcome Of the
trial. The Jury deliberated one hour
and ten minutes.
SMILES OF JuRYMEN
REAsSURE JOHNSON
men filed into the jury box. DR.. john
son said he noticed a smile 10 him fror,
two jurors. and felt assured Then
there was lul!. Judge Richardson
admonished the audience who waited
10 hear the verdict taat no demonstra.
ton whatever would he tolerated
Foreman Miller was asked for tie
verdict Notwithstanding the caution
CT the jucge 10 the people who had
waited. IN ere vas l great outburst OF
cheering and applauding when II was
anrou!ced that Cr. Johnson was founa
roc guilty" chs prisoner arose TO
hear ,he verdict and as the words were
pronounced. ne fell Backward into his
chair near the Jury tox. a free man
Then there must have been two
hundred people who came up and shook
hanGs with me and congratulated me-"
usit the young dentist. rs re sat in
the Sn'i:a home last night.
WAS CONFIDENT
JURY WOULD FREE HIM
Wien asked wha, he had to say to
the public on the eve OF his acquitta,.
Or. Johnson said:
Well. YOU can say that from the
time was arrested and came back 10
Richmond without requlsition have
maintained my innocence. am no,
surprised By the Judgment of the
twelve men who heard my story from
the witness stand. AS 10 the imme medt-
ate future. am not certain what cours.
! shall pursue. I shall remain here Il
day or two to attend to little details
In the dental corps awaiting me. ana
] will likely be inducted as soon as !
make application FOR IL. To the many
friends who stood by ME so faithfully
during the court proceedings. am
truly thankful l was treated with
much consideration during the long
time l was a prisoner by the officials
al the City Jail. was never conducted
through the streets handcufed, nor
have ! ever been obliged to ride In a
police patrol. and a plain clothes
officer has always accompanied me
when my case made 1t necessary thar
appear on the street"
SAYS GILL'S CONFESSION STORY
WAS ABSOLUTELY FALSE
Following this statement the young
dentist was asked what he wanted to
say about The confess sion" which was
testified TO by a. Cloyd Gill. reporter
for a Washington afternoon news
paper and replied: The statement
that ! made a confession is absolutely
false"
The jury who listened to the story
OF the young dentist and then in brict
conference freed him OF the charge
comprised the following men: John G.
Miller 1905 West Avenue: j. w. Bates
6l7 Noble Avenue; r. Leslie White
S2l West Thirtieth Street; Charles C
Gasser, S14 IVES. Cary Street; Caro-
Taylor. 500 Kensington Avenue; Her.
man S. Reams. 3003 East Main Street
r. l.. Bailey. SEQ North Elm Street
w Lamar Edwards. 2042 West Grace
street: j. w. ID. Farrar. COZ North
Thirty-second Street; c. T.. Trant o6ot
East Bread Street; III. Cornell Branch
603 North Twenty second Street; A. l.
Richardson, 1918 Park Avenue
Arguments of counsel and instruc.
tions 10 the jury in the legal phase OF
the case consumed all of yesterday
and 1t was 1880 O'Clock when Common.
wealth's Attorney Wise finished g
scath!ng arraignmen. of the dentist
He had spoken for a little more thar
two hours.
ATTORNEYS DENoUNCE
GILL's TESTIMONY
Preceding the prosecuting attorney
Attorney John L. Woodari Of counse
for Dr. Johnson. closed the argument
in behalf OF the prisoner. He tool
opportunity during his speech to take
note of the part the newspapers took
in the trial. and accused the press o.
"having inf1amed the public minc
against the prisoner" Referring to the
testimony of A. Cloyd Gill, that DIR
johnson had confessed to him, tn,
venerable North Carolina lawyer
thundered. ut would take more thar
argument from me to make you be-
Continued on Third Page.)