The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-08-17
H0LDUP MAN
GREETS AGAIN
HIS VICTIMS
Tom Johnson, Confessed Muir.
derer. Identifies Them
First, Not They Him
POLICE ARE ASTONISHED
Stickup Artist Laughs With
Store Manager Whom He
Had Robbed
JOHNSON Is INDICTED

Minneapolis, Aas. l5-(AP)-
/ Tom Johnsoa, c0nfoesod slayer
Of II persoas, wos indicted b the
Hennepin county graAd jury to.
day for the murder OF Leonard
Erdall, killed here Dec. 10. 1926,
In . koldup.
Johnson also was indicted On
q charge 0f r0bbinG shoe store.
the specific charge made against
him to accomplish hi r.;urn
from Seattle where he first con.
feHsed criminal activities. He
will be arraigned ON both the
murder and robbery charges to-
morrow.
Minneapolis, Aug. 17.-(R-Tom
Johnson, confessed murderer and
stickup man. doesn't believe in let
ting his victims identify him; he
identifies the victims.
Johnson's initiative astonished
police. who have been treated to one
sensation after >pnother since John
son was brought back Saturday from
Seattle, where he had given himself
up.
Johnson has confessed to numerous
holdups committed here last winter.
spots where he worked, but has de-
scribed each robbery in detail and
given the amounts taken.
But the police decided to have some
Of the victims properly identify
Johnson. So a "show-up'' was ar
ranged at the city Jail. Among those
called in was Mrs. Charles Tatum. of
Aberdeen, S. D., who was robbed at
hnr homo there Julv
Greetings Are Cordial
The victims were lined up against
n wall in front of the "show-up''
down, and walked over to greet Mrs.
.Tatum.
How do you do, Mrs. Tatum? How
are your" said johnson and then
shook hands with her.
~ am fine" she answered. 1T
seems strange to see you here"
Then Johnson stepped over to an
other victim. G. F. Nilsson Of Min
neapolis. Remember when showed
my gun at you and you tried to get
it away from me and ! told you to
beat it!, Nilsson laughed and they
shook hands.
To the manager Of a shoe store
which had been robbed, johnson
turned and said: "Did you get your
feet wet that night?"
Both Laugh ut Incident
Both laughed 40 they recalled tht
incident. Johnson had tied the man
ager to q large tub of water before
proceeding with the lo0ting of thu
place.
Johnson has confessed that he shot
and fatally wounded Leonard Erdall
nm attorney and former Universit,
of Minnesota football star, during 8
holdup here. The county grand jury
met today to hear evidence in The
The First Step
The first murder of his criminal
career Johnson told police last night
occurred when, as q boy Of Is, he was
working on a farm near San Fran-
cisco. There was man who used tt
20 to San Francisco regularly with
sums of money. johnson had stolen
a revolver and he made it his habit
to follow the man.
"One night I got my chance" h,
said. ~ stopped him, walked hin
into an alley and told him to hold
up his hands. When he saw who 4
was, he refused and shot him sew.
eral times. When saw he was dead
! took his money, amounting x
$780,"
Johnson then repeated the details
he had previously given OF . slay
ing ut Mankato. There. he said, h
and an accomplice known to him q
"Scotty," quarreled and agreed Z
"shoot it out" johnson said he kill
ed his adversary and put his body il
the river, weighing. it with stones