The log cabin Democrat., 1922-04-03
CLARK DENOUNCES
 TOM, ROY JOHNSON
DESERVE ELECTRIC CHAIR
Springs Sensation by Telling Grand Jury to lndict for Near Lynch
 ing of Negro.

ing or Negro.
 Powerful denunciation of Tom anC Roy Johnson as the perpetrators oi one of the most brual crimes in al criminal annals was voiced this morn ing by Judge George w. Clark in language approaching violence at times, during the course of his charge to the grand jury. Judge Clark also turned loose a sensation by instruct ing the grand jury to obtain all de- tails of those responsible for near lynching of a negro at Nilonia re- gently, and to indict where the evi- denee justified. Manufacture and sale of whlskey in violation of law waa the third item in the crime list SUD- piled to the jury for thorough investi- gation before adjournment. The courts language and domeanor left no doubt that the jury will be fully sup ported in all endeavors to ferret out violations and in bringing the gull ty to punishment.
 The double murder of George w. Hopkins and his wife, Nettie Ven able Hopkins on January II was one of the most atrocious on record, the court declared. An electric current should be run through the bodies of the perpetrators as a feather before the storm" Judge Clark declared. Not only did the murderers kill Hop kins, but with his corpse on the bed, they attempted to violate the person of his wife, and then killed her, the court recounted in the most emphatic of statements.
 Nothing within the power of this court Judge Clark asserted, will be left undone until these criminals are caught and brought to speedy justice"
 As to the attempted lynching of a negro near Vilonia, the court stated that negro in the employ of the road contractors here was ordered to go to Violnia after certain tools left there by the contractor. When the negro entered the town, he was seized, il was reported, and almost lynched. The court left with the grand jury the i'm pression that the moose had been ad iusted about the neck of the black when the more conservative members of the party called halt and stop. ped proceedings. The rame of the negro could not be obtained.
 x.l, l., instructions to the jury in regard tc the sale or manufacture of whiskey or both, and called for prompt in dictments wherever the evidence war. rants. Members of the grand jury summoned by Sheriff w. M Brady and Deputy J. I. Summers, sworn ir by the court this morning are: V. D Hill, foreman, B. M. Harton, w. A Gibbon, M. c. Turner, c. Thompson F. P. Nelson, Opie Hartje, B. A Short, C. H. Newborn, s. E. Ander- son, T. C. Harrod, w. o. Durham, N C. Martin w. C. Hamil, w. R. Cook and N Hobbs
 Immediately after receiving its charge, the grand jury started work and before noon had completed the examination of several witnesses. Others were ready for examination this afternoon. It was said that little work will be attempted by the court itself, remaining in session, however until the jury has finished it's probe. No petit jury will be called for the sitting, Judge Clark said. The court considers it more important that citi- zens be allowed to go ahead with their farm work, rather than spend several weeks here as grand or petit jurors or court witnesses.
 Judge Clark stated to the Log Cabin Democrat that Tom Johnson will not be brought here during the present court term. Johnson since his appre- hension by G. W. (Smoky) Smith soon after the alleged murders, has been held at the state penitentiary at Little Rock for safe keeping. It is expected that evidence to be as sembIed by the grand jury without calling Johnson as a witness against himself, will be sufficient for indict- ment. This is expected, it was said, and all other preliminaries complet-