The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1919-12-05
ACCUSATION IGNORED
BY THE GRAND JURY
MAN WHO ADMITS KILLING
PAUL JOHNSON SET FREE
NeighbOrs Declare Hazel Murphy Did
Not Charge Paul johnson With
Violence When Here.


Paul johnson, Litchfield farmer, in
the home of the Murphys in Cleve-
land, returned report, ignored"
This was the case in which Paul John
son, who went to Cleveland to settle
charges that he owed the Murphy
girl money, was killed in an alterca-
tion, Murphy claiming that johnson
tried to kill him and his daughter and
that he shot in self-defense.
An increasing number of thinking
citizens are against the whole jury
system. Such a seeming fiasco as this
last attempt to mete out justice but
adds to the disgust with which some
people think of the jury system as it
now is. That those who knew John
son will have raised in their minds
many discussing publicly this appa-
ent travestry on justice-a question
as to the lack of efficiency in the sys-
tenn goes without argument. johnson
was killed, Murphy admits the kill
ing, his excuse seems trivial in the
minds of Johnson's friends, some
punishment-surely-is necessary un-
der the circumstances, and yet a body
Of men claiming intelligence turn the
man who did the killing loose without
a trial.
The Cleveland papers did not go
deeply into what caused the alterca-
tion-if there was such, land if Murphy
had a real provocation. Friends of
Johnson are determined that he was
killed in cold blood. What seems evil
dent from what charges have been
made by Murphy and his friends is
that johnson was accused by Murphy
of taking undue liberties with the
person of Hazel Murphy. 1t is said
that demands had been made on John
son by Murphy, and that Johnson
went to Cleveland to pacify the Muir
phys. 1t is known that he took
considerable sum of money with him,
that he paid the sum at first demand
ed, and that when the body was
searched the balance Of what money
Johnson took to Cleveland with him
had disappeared. The concurrent
story is that after Johnson settled the
Murphy demands, exposing the total.
that he carried in doing so, Murphy
at once "raised the limit" and de-
manded sufficient to take the balance
Of the roll. Then, when johnson,
protested, his death followed. There
seems to be no witness besides Hazel
ON trial with her father-to the
killing, but piecing the evidence to-
gether as it is found, the above story
is substantially correct.
Friends and neighbors assert that
Paul johnson was not capable of an
assault on Hazel Murphy; that no
such story was ever told in the neigh
borhood. as would have been likely
had such an incident occurred; that
only after the girl had gone home and
been for some time under the in
fuence of the father was such a
charge made. All agree that Johnson
was gentleman, not likely to pick
quarrel, somewhat timid, did not
court trouble, and that when Murphy
made such charge-if he did as the
evidence seems to indicate-was a
man who would rather pay something
to settle rather than to loose a hard
tongue against him with such a vii
famous charge.
, Search at the home after the kill
ing corroborated the story of John
sons housekeeper, who said johnson
was not armed; his small revolver
was found at home. That johnson
carried considerable sum of money
to Cleveland, that he did pay Muir
ply before the shooting, leaving al
considerable balance that could not be
found on his body, all are fairly we'll
corroborated. What, then, became of
this money? The body was found in
the Murphy home, lying as it fell, so
says Mr.. Murphy.
Authentic evidence can be produced
indicating that when Hazel came to
the johnson home she was far from
reliable and her word could not be ac-
cepted. Mr.. and Mrs. Johnson took
pains to show Hazel the folly of un-
fairness, showed her that they were
her real friends. and in the end Hazel
became very tractable girl and won
the confidence Of the Johnsons. She
had been given opportunity to pick
old iron and had used the proceeds to
buy Thrift Stamps; has been given
some few cash rewards and had also
invested them. When Mrs. Johnson
died she was sent home, but with a
smile on her face and with friendship
in her heart. No charge was made
against Paul johnson of any charac-
ter.
But later charges were made and
johnson went to Cleveland to untan-
gle these and to mollify the Murphys.
A dispute followed and in the end
johnson was killed.
The Murphys were arrested and
later examined by the grand jury.
When the report was made by the
jury the charges against the Muir
phys was marked ignored" No one
in Medina county knows the charac-
ter of the evidence presented to the
grand jury, or whether the Murphys
had any tangible evidence to present
to the jury in their own behalf. But
it is certain that Medina citizens
knowing Paul johnson will wonder at
the laxness Of the jury or the law
that will permit man to 60 free
with such weight Of crcumstantial
evidence against him, and even the
admission that the killing was done
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