Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-13
FUS|LLADE ENDS
SLAYER'S DEFIANCE
Barricaded Man Who Killed
Three Cornered After House
Is Dynamited.
By the Associated Press.

By the associated Press.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. January
ia slayer of two women and a
college student, who successfully bar
ricaded himself against an armed COM
munity for eight hours, met his meme
sis early today in a fusillade of shots
in the basement of his home.
W. r. Johnson, a merchant, went
down severely wounded before the
charge of IL deputy sheriffs, VINO
gained entrance by the use OF dyna-
mite. At a Knoxville hospital physl-
clans said he had a chance to live.
Johnson, armed with revolvers ana
$50 rounds of ammunition, held the
whip hand over scores of deputy sher-
ifs, who during the siege used ma
chine guns, automatic rifles ana tear
bombs in attempts to dislodge MN.
Meanwhile Gov. Peay was asked TO
authorize mobilization of a National
Guard company.
Met Women OH Street.
Johnson, one-time deputy sheriff,
Yesterday accosted Mrs. Josie b. How
ard, 60, a cripple, and her daughter,
Mrs. Josie Howard Bishop, 20. a
widow, acquaintance of long stand
ing. The women were returning TO
their home from shopping tour when
the man, accompanied by Robert FUR
key, a friend, stopped them.
An argument between Johnson and
the women was punctuated suddenly
by revolver fire and the two women
fell mortally wounded, each shot
through the mouth. The men fed;
Johnson to his home, nearby.
A crowd gathered quickly. Around
J0I sS G0nrnG
persons, many of them students at
Carson-Newman College, all discuss
ing the incident excitedly. Suddenly,
Johnson appeared at an upstairs win
dow and fired two revolvers into the
crowd. DibreH Hicks, college foot ball
player, fell dead. The crowd drew
away.
ReinforcementS were ordered and a
call sent out for more ammunition.
In the darkness automobiles played
headlights on the building and ma
chine guns spit a challenge. Finally
there was silence. Soon after John
son entered the brick building he per
mitted friends to visit him, disarming
them at the door. Among them was
the chief of police and through him
Johnson sent out the declaration that
he would not be taken alive. His
wife, quartered in a bungalow 300
yards distant. pleaded with officers as
they squared off for the attack.
Decide to Use Dynamite.
After several spirited bursts the
firing became desultory and then
there was no answer from the build
ing. Still the officers hesitated anC
finally decided to use dynamite.
Mrs. johnson protested that in the
house with her husband was expen-
sive furniture, pictures and jewelry.
Five sticks of dynamite were thrown.
The front part of the house was
wrecked and through the roof officers
climbed.
Lights soon flooded the place, but
Johnson was not to be found. Sheriff
Walter Anderson led his men to the
cellar and from the darknss they were
firing from the prone position was
Wild, one answering burst and the
battle was ended. The man had two
wounds, in the right eye and leg.
Many rumorS as TO the cause of
Johnson's difference with the women
he killed were heard in the com
munity of 500 today, but few persons
knew more than that the man anC
younger woman had been acquainted
before her marriage. Mrs. Bishops
husband lost his life with the Ameri-
can Army in France. A 9-year-old
son survives her.
Mrs. Johnson, the mother Of five
children would not throw any light
on her husbands action. The police
have been informed, however, that in
the last 10 days johnson spent ST.
for ammunition and purchased con.
siderable food supplies