Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-25
JOHNSON TELLS
JURY LIFE STORY
Young Dentist Explains Why
He Swallowed Aconite AT
ter Wife's Death.
DENIES PURCHASING POISON
Declares He Welded Alice
Knight Only Because He
Loved Her.
DENIES PURCHASING POISON

Strength gone from ovcrs,udy. his
mother i'll to the point OF death. about
TO be drafted into the army and ner-
vous wreck from loss Of sleep. DR..
Lcmuel !. johnson. now on trial in
the Hus,inss Court. charged with poi
soning his wife. testified yesterday az
ternoou, that thus troubled. he had de
cided that life was no longer worth
living. and as he was returning TO
his home in N!GGlesex. December 20.
had swallowed the contents OF a vial
of aconi;in.
Il felt no pain. " he said. II JUS, go.
cold and numb all over; the next thing
woke UP and found myself in the nos
pital."
The young dentist gave his tes,i-
mony composcdly. He told the Jury
that 50 far - remembering writing any
letters before taking the poison. his
mind w-:s entirely blank. He said that
ne could ideisify the letters. for they
were in his handwriting bu, as for
the act OF writing them. he did not
remember. He explained tina, his over
wrought physical condition. and the
after effects OF the drug he ,rok. may
have erased from his mind the memory
OF writing. He did not seek to denv
that the sentiments expressed in the
letters were such as had passed
through his mind. Il had worried un
I'll vas almost absent-mindcd" the
accused explained
COMPLETES ONLY FART
or HIS LIFE HISTORY
He took the stand at 80 O'Clock
YESTERDAY mormins. and occup!ed 4;
continually unit! 6 O'Clock The court
room w2s more crowded than On any
previous day by many who came to
hear what the prisoner had to say.
Speaking slowly. and a. times so low!y
that his counsel. Mr. Smith. urged
Louder. / d like 10 hear" the young
husband told his life history. When
court adjourned he mad just reached
the point where he was arrested by
Detective Sergeant WHY 81. the charge
OF murder.
To-day he will tell Of the interviews
in the city jail here. and OF the CON
rersai!cns which he had wiki the de-
iectives Except for slight impedi-
ment in his speech. wnich causes some
demeanor. Al times he leaned forward
c!Ihculiy when words are long. there
was no nervousness manifest in his
IN his chair. and again folded his hands
in his lap. Only once did tears come
70 his eyes. and that was when he told
OF last seeing his wife alive. It was
December 8. the night when he placed
her in taxicab and sen; her home.
and he took the midnight train for his
home.
lie told also on the stand OF Miss
Ollie White. He did not deny that he
had called her "Sweetheart" She rad
been his playmate from early child
hood. and he had been a pal of her
brother. The three had played to-
Scther and visited together, and when
gan TO claim her as his own ard go
With her and learned 10 care whole.
lot for her" He never asked her TO
marry him. he testified. and there was
no ensa cement She did wear his 6ia
mond ring. but she was not the only
Eirl who wore II, he stated. Miss Lot
tie Holland. who was a witness for the
State. he said. one time wore the same
ring which Chief of Police Bailey. of
Midd!cseN. y. C.. secured from Miss;
Whit,