Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-11-06
Campbell COUNTY PROBE
ST|RS ENTIRE SECTION
Expose of Johnson Murder
Alleged Result Of Moon
sinners Quarrel.
INVESTIGATION NEXT WEEK.
shields. Moran and steele CInsh. With
It's Numerous Angles Subject OF
lnrcntiSn ti"n-Rcwnrh offered for
johnson Murdcrcrs' Convictions
Especial to The rimcs.Dispa,ch. !

Especial TO The Times Dispatch.l
LfNCHBuRG, VA. Nov 5.-Has
Campbell County had "a moonshinc
ring with men high up" Interested
in its manipulations2
Was old man William l.. Johnson.
lami'iarly known as rat" Johnson.
Killed because he wanted to have too
much to say about the operation %:
n moonshinc outht?
Did Squire w. H. Steele and his
nossee try TO arrest or try To assault
IL. i. Shields and Ionnic Moran.
These ar" some of the questions to
be ferreted out by turies in the Cir
cut Court Of Campbell County. which
VIII BE convened the second Monday
In November at Rustburg by Judge
William r. Barksdalc.
And. Incidentally. Campbell County
Viii turn out at the mauy-angIcd in
NesHSatlon in crowds such as are
not usual at the village county seat
Murder Turned on SpotIirht.
1t is no easy matter to pick ont
Just where ana how the whole mud
ole started. but probably. If some one
mad not murdered Johnson. there
would have been no Interruption in
booze making down in the environs
of SiS-Mile Bridge.
November .. a Year ago-Sunday-
according TO Sid J, Mccormick. who
said he was watcher ut a sim, he
said belonged to II. 7. Shields. Fat
johnson. Mccormick understood. was
the watcher on the other side
Shields and Moran. he asserted w.ro
operating the moonshine product. rh.
siGnai for the approach OF revenue
men was a shot from n rife or a re-.
volver. Mccormick SAYS he was
busy watching when a shot rang ont
In the air. He located II near the
sun and thought IL was unusual. 50
ne Went down the hill to investigate.
There he found Johnson dead with a
oulict hole in his face. Shields and
moran, he declared. carried tho body
10 the woods and secretcd il iii
night.
Gives Him Third OF Cash Found.
Half an hour later. Mccormick;
AYERS. Shields and Moran came ON,
ana orered him one third of 5000
they said they had taken from Tho
ola mans pockets. After nightfal!
INC body Of the dead man was loaded
INTO shields motor truck and hauled
niue or SO away. where hole was
uuE lot the grave. According to Me-
Iormick, the grave was scarcely
large enough TO admit the old mans
n"nE' so shields trampled IL into the
hoIc and II was covered over with
several feet of earth. Mcconnell,
claims that he did not disclose mo
murder or tell where the body was
nnF!eo' because his life was threaten
cd to compel his silence.
The country for miles around civ
Nile Bridge was secured for weeks
Wheh Johnson's disappearance was
noted. Squire Steele led some NJ
t"cSe expeditions. and personally Of
iered a reward OF 800 for tho n,d.
ing OF the body, but nothing came Of
M"o"shincrs Fall Ont.
bnt. NJ the October term of tho
court things began to break. II bc.
came noised about over tho county
mat the moonshiners OF the eastern
Part OF the county had fallen out
ana that. something was going IN
happen Just why the prediction
should have been md no ono
knows, but ii was talked ont oncpIv
that the grand jury Investigation
would he the means of uncoycrinr
inc burial place OF johnson. and /,
did """ -
Shields, Moran and Steele. tho
i"'mer an eN-iusticc OF the peace
IN amherst County and the latter
sun justice in Campbell Country
We're presented FOR moonshininr
Campbell county was seethiny win
thousand rumors McCormicl
heard that he might be charged with
inc murder OF johnson. so he wen, 70
SiX-Milc Bridge and there. dnrlnr
the late evening. told all he knew
ahont the murdcx. and offered to lead
me authorities. to. .hc grave. Squire
steele got together IL posse and re-
turned TO his home about midnight
with the badly dccomposed body OF
the murdered man.
Posse starts After Shields.
Leaving The body there. the posse
thch S'aftcd Tor the home Of shields
arriving 'hcrc at daybreak. a pitched
pattie chSued. steele SAYS he ana
the posse were fired upon. Shields
and his friends declare they were
amhushed AT any rate, Shields was
shot through the thigh and Moran
was shot in the side OF his face and