The Coconino sun., 1926-06-25
JURY RULESG. W. JOHNSON
MUST HANG FOR MURDER
WIFE; SHE FEARED DEATH

shifted gears, the car slipped out of
second. He tried it several times on
his way back and was so absorbed
that he failed to notice when he
reached the camp ground where his
wife was, and drove past. The road
had been newly worked and it had
been raining. He kept on to find a
good place to turn around, going as
far west of the camp ground as Will
liams is east of it before he found
a suitable turning place.
He drove in and called to his wife.
There was no answer. He supposed
she was asleep. He went in, found
the kerosene lamp turned low. Where
| it sat it didn't light up the bed very
well. She had laid his bath-robe on
the table. He put it on, sat at the
! table, ate, smoked a cigarette and
read. Then he walked over to the
bed and noticed lot of blood. Her
right arm was hanging out. He
grabbed it and her head and shook
her. At first he thought her throat
was cut. Then he saw cash on her
head. She was dead. The baby, on
the back of the bed, had worked down
under the covers The baby moved,
but did not wake up. He grabbed it
and went to the nearest cabin. Had
quite time awakening them. They
refused to open the door, telling him
to go to someone else. He went to
another cabin. Mr.. and Mrs. Con-
rard of Ashtabula, Ohio, we're camp
ed there Conrard took the baby in.
They told him to go to another cabin
and awaken Harlow Rugg, also of
Ashtabula, which he did. Conrard
went to a phone.
Charlie Murray and Fred Holden
were the first officers to arrive from
Williams. Johnson was at once
placed under arrest.
Johnson then told of numerous
conversations with officers while he
was in Williams Jail. He said he was
questioned a lot and urged to con-
fess. He told them he was not gull
| ty, had not been drunk or under the
influence of dope.
johnson said he was told If he'd
plead guilty to manslaughter he
would get off easy; they would all get
behind him and he would get only
two years or SO, but that if he didn't
plead guilty to manslaughter they
would "turn every rock and stone" to
get him. He said they told him if
| he'd plead guilty they would at once
remove him TO the jail at Flagstaff;
otherwise they wouldn't be response
bic for what the Williams people
would do to him.
johnson said he went to the front
in France as a driver of an ammu
milton truck on September IL, 1918,
at the beginning of the st. Mihiel
offensive. Ten days later he was
shell-shocked, and was partly adj
died" for three days. He was away
from his company only three days.
Witnesses against Johnson, the
testimony of some of whom conflict
ed with his, especially as to details
of the pressure that he alleged had
been brought to bear to make him
confess, were: Harlow Rugg, Harold
Greene, j. Z. Dusey, Charlie Murray,
Fred Holden, 2. ]. Muzzy, D. L. Nc
Kinney, DR.. G. F. Manning, Pete
Campbell, DIR. C. d. Jefferies, K. b.
Gibbons, B. Judd, Raymond Starr, J.
S. Button and j. w. Meyer.
The usual notice OF appeal was fill
led. Johnson and Sloan Burgen, who
earlier in the week was given life
Imprisonment by jury for the kill
| ing of Joe Cans here during the
spring, viii not be formally sentenced
| iby Judge Jones until after the con-
| clusion of the Indian Miller trial.
| That Mrs. Johnson may have had
premonition of death is evidenced
in the fact that has come to light
since her husbands conviction that
Just before they left Los Angeles,
she had her will admitted to pro-
bate in superior court, Los Angeles.
The will was written on a scrap OF
paper just before her departure. 1t
reads:
"AlI other personal property and
belongings of mine to go to my par
ents, Mary A. and Jacob William
Meyer if my husband, G. w. john
son and my son, Robert, and | lose
our lives on this trip" the document
read.
"In case of accident, | wish my
parents to have the adoption of my
child Robert, provided he is a sur
yivor. California is better climate
in which to raise child" it con-
| tinued.
The estate consists principally of
two and one-half acres of realty
year Wineville and personal effects
! at the family home, 1916 Locke
avenue, Los Angeles. In accordance
with the request in the will, Mrs.
Meyer has instituted proceedings for
the adoption of her grandson.
SAY THANK YOU"