Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-21
ELKTON REJO|CES
WHEN COURT JURY
ACQU|TS JOHNSON
Slayer of Major William r. King
is Set Free by Circuit Court
of Cecil County.
BUT TWO BALLOTS TAKEN
SsafY Correspondence Of Every Evening
E,rv,,nc Nm Dee 81

Stan Correspondence Of Every Evening
ELKroN. Mn, DEC. 81
A jury in the Circuit Court tor Cecil
county, last night, acquitted Charles II.
Johnson Of q charge Of numbering MAJOR
William r King, u. 5. A. The verdict
was reached after the jury had dellherated
for two hours and 35 minutes. Two bal
lots were taken. On the first ballot 10
jurors favored rendering a verdict Of
not guilty, one juror suggested verdict
of guilty Of manslaughter and the other
Juror cast blank vote.
Johnson was brought into court two
minutes before the jurors returned from
the jury room. Judge Adkins told ba,liifs
to stand at the gate entrances 10 the
space reserved for court officials and
lawyers, and johnson was put IN the prls-
oner's dock The courtroom uns throng-
ed, and the Judge ordered that there te
no demonstration of approval or dfs-
approval of the verdict, saying anyone
who disoheved the order would he sent 10
Jail. After the usual formalities the
verdict was announced and Johnson dis
charged. johnson thankpl the jurors
and. followed by many friends, proceeded
to the basement corridor, where he re-
ceived congratulations.
Counsel concluded argument yesterday
afternoon. While addressing the jurors
Attorney Robinson said nothing but
acqu,ttal would satisfy the citizens OF
Cecil and Hartford counties. Judge Ad-
kins, protested. saying the citizens of
Cecil county had no interest IN the case,
but Mr.. Robinson contended they had.
Attorney Warhurton, m his address Tor
the defence. told the jurors King had
spled in the bathroom OF the Johnson
home. at Aberdeen in which house he
lodged and was fatally wounded. judge
Adkins said there was nothing IN the
record to prove that King on the night Of
the tragedy occupied position that COM
manded a view OF the bathroom, but
Mr. Warburton differed.
King was chief OF construction at the
Aberdeen Proving Ground He was shot
M Johnson July II, 1918, and died the
next day During the trial, which con-
tInucd five days, the prosecution IN
s,nuatcd King gained the enmity OF per-
sons prominent on the proving ground by
Institutlng various reforms there. The
defence pictured King as a man who took
the freedom of the johnson house and
was gaining the affection of johnson 5
ward. Mrs. johnson and the ward, how
ever, testified that King was gentlemanly.
doililsDn to4u hlUK to itANt tiS AouSes sue
he refused to 90 until his room lease ex-
psred During quarrel between johnson
and King over this refusal Johnson used
vie language, which King resented. In
the scuffle King grabbed Johnson and
forced him on one knee TO the floor. While
in this position johnson. who said he
thought King would break his neck
drew a revolver and shot King The prose
cutiOn charged wilful murder and the
defence claimed justlfiable homicide.
Crowds attended the trial both in the
daytime and al night. Public sentiment
was in johnson $ favor, and acquittal of
the prisoner was generally expected.
Both sides called as witnesses men OF
considerable prominence Judge Adkins
told the jury il could render one OF FIVE
possible verdicts-guilty of murder in the
first degree, with capital punishment, or
guilty OF murder in the first degree. with
out capital punishment; guilty Of murder
in the second degree, guilty of man
slaughter. or not guilty.