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Obituary


Williams, George W.
 
Newspaper: Democratic Northwest
Date: 1883-11-08
Age:
Page: 8 Col: 4
Miliary Service:
Obituary:

MORE ABOUT THE DOUBLE MURDER. Johnson Indicted for Murder in the First Degree.

The Grand Jury on Thursday brought in two indictments against Wesley Johnson, the suspected murderer of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Williams. He will be arraigned before Judge Moore this week and his trial will come off at the January term of the court of common pleas. Following are some additional points bearing upon the murder, taken from Wauseon correspondence of the Bee, dated Oct. 31st: The horrible murder which so startled this community last week is still the principal topic of conversation. The feeling against Wesley Johnson, the accused murderer daily becomes more intense and a strong desire is shown to lynch the wretch. Were it not for the fact that be is safely behind the bars of the Henry county jail, an excellent prospect of getting his just deserts, the people would brook no delay. The officers of this place have been busily engaged in the case ever since the discovery of the murder, and they claim that the evidence against Johnson s daily becoming more positive. There is now no doubt in the minds of the people here as to his burning John Williams' barns, though the torch may have been applied by an accomplice. It has been quite definitely ascertained that he had made arrangements with a certain woman to go to the far West with him as soon as he could raise the funds. At the time of the barn burning, John H. Williams had in his possession several hundred dollars. This fact was quite well known in the family and it is thought that the barn burning was only a part of the program to secure this money, that in the excitement Johnson or his accomplice might have had an opportunity to get this money and effect an escape. If such was the case the scheme failed. On the night following the murder, sometime after midnight, Johnson crept softly down stairs and upon opening the door into the sitting room showed some surprise at seeing the hired girl, who was occupying a couch in the room for the night. She had been awakened by his entrance and asked him what he wanted. Though evidently much surprised, he turned the matter on with a joke, saying he could not get to sleep and thought if he would eat an apple or two it might aid him. He passed out of the room and soon returned with a couple of apples. Sitting down by the stove be ate a portion of one of them and then retired.

His actions had been such as to create suspicion in the minds of his employer and family that he might attempt to harm, them. The finding of a ladder one morning placed against the side of the house and leading up to the chamber window, was suspicious, as were many other things now recalled by the family.

The money earned by Johnson while working for Williams was drawn by him frequently, and not allowed to accumulate. He always seemed hard up. and the fact that on the Wednesday following the murder he made numerous purchases in this place, displaying a considerable amount of money, is another ground for suspicion. He was seen by several with a pocketbook resembling that belonging to George Williams, and the fact that be purchased a new pocket book at Williams & Henderson's of this place is now known. Several persons testified to having seen him with a large roll of bills.

Johnson's attempt to prove an alibi on Tuesday night is likely to prove disastrous rather than favorable on account of contradictions. The blood found on his clothing and boots he accounts for by saying that on Sunday morning he killed a chicken, the blood from which spattered upon him. Mr. Williams acknowledges that Johnson killed the chicken, but is ready to prove that at the time he killed it he had on shoes instead of boots.

It is feared by some citizens that Johnson has an accomplice in this business who may turn up as a witness for him in the alibi attempted to be established, though should this be done the fellow must prepare himself for a severe cross-examination. A rumor is in circulation that the conductor of the train in which Johnson went west observed his peculiar conduct on the train and watching him closely saw him throw a package of something from the train. On his return, the conductor stopped the train at the spot and a search revealed a bloody shirt. A correspondent of the Detroit Free Press writes from Delta, under date of October 31. and gives additional particulars of the case as follows:

The employer of Johnson up to the time of the murder, Mr. J. H. Williams, was next interviewed. He said that on the night of the murder Johnson left the house, as be himself states about 6 o'clock p. m. and was not seen again until about 11 p. m. when he returned. His actions at once excited great surprise, as he seemed so uneasy that he could not keep still. He also made the remark that he was not going to bed at all that night, but retired finally, and after he had left the room, it was remarked how excited and strange be acted. It was then believed that something unusual had happened. Next morning Johnson ate no breakfast complaining that he had no appetite. At noon he quit work and went away, going to Wauseon, obtaining $1 or so before going to pay his fare to Butler, Ind. Where he claimed he expected to get work on the railroad. On the Sunday night previous when the barns were burned, Mr. Williams said Johnson went to the window three different times within fifteen minutes, and seemed to be terribly uneasy about something. The last time he got up to the window he exclaimed that the barn was on fire. Mr. Williams had $700 in the house and at once smelted a possible plot to rob him of it. He therefore took good care to leave it well guarded while looking after his burning building.

The clothing of Johnson, worn on night of the murder, was next seen, and in a number of places was dimly bloody. In one place, however. a vine-like mark, apparently made by the spurting of a small stream of blood, was plainly visible. His boots were also bloody in several places. The entire lot of clothing, however, is to be subjected to a chemical analysis to set at rest all possible questions that might otherwise exist in the matter. A rubber coat with blood stains upon it and the property of the murdered man, was also found in the room where Johnson put on his new clothes at Wauseon. As it was shoved away up under an old piece of stove-pipe in a dark corner of the room and could only have been left there by Johnson, it is looked upon as an important item for the prosecution. It is known, also, that Johnson on Wednesday, when he quit work, was nearly out of money, but the detectives have found where he spent upwards of $20 on that day, and taken in connection with the fact that he refuses to tell where he got it the fact is looked upon as another very strong piece of evidence, going to establish his guilt.

An additional bit of evidence came to light to-day that made Johnson's guilt more apparent. A check belonging to the murdered man was found to have been negotiated by Johnson since the murder, and the money paid on it.

The wife, or the alleged wife, was visited to-night at her home here and important new facts elicited in regard to the character of Johnson. The woman's name is Lou Myers. She has been married once, but does not live with her husband, whose name was Sprague. I am not Johnson's wife," she exclaimed, "nor never was. I got to going with him before I knew what he was. After that be threatened to kill me if I broke with him, and so I dared not do differently. You can imagine what a life I led." " But he wanted to see you." "Well I don't want to see him, neither Will I. I have suffered enough from the dread of his threatening to kill me or my folk. I knew all the time that something dreadful would happen, and it did not surprise me a bit when I beard be was arrested on a charge of murder. No. I don't want to see him except in court. I know enough to hang him, outside of this affair, and am glad they have got him shut up where he can't get away. I believe be killed Mr. and Mrs. Williams, just as much as I believe anything. Why, his brothers are as afraid as death of him and lived in constant fear that he would murder some of them. I had a watch, and I knew he would have killed me, even for that watch. The last time I saw him was about three weeks before the murder at Kendallville, Ind. He asked me where my watch was and I had to lie to him, for fear be would kill me. So I told him I had left it at home to keep it out of his clutches. He won't work and will have money no matter how he gets it. Why, be went to church here one evening and was arrested in church, taken out of doors and two shirts taken off of him, right there, which be had stolen from a man near there, and him praying and making such great pretense of piety on the anxious seat. It has all turned out almost providential, and our lives are spared, though I am sorry enough that someone had to die to insure our safety. Mrs. Myers spoke very sincerely but with great bitterness. Her parents were in the room at the time, and are hard working and honest appearing people Mrs. Myers is fine-looking and about 23 years of age. Singularly enough her father's name is Johnson Myers.

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