Newspaper Page Text
Leonidas Johnson Pnys tho _ _
sSftifefi
C.<nj«n Solid 8 >nth.
Friday was mode memorable
in the history of Henry o-unty by
the public exception of Leonidas
Johnson. Something after sun
rise people from all parts of the
country began flooding tho streets
of llcDonough, whioh continual
stream was kept up until neat
noon. The very best of order
•was vigilantly preserved during
the entire Say. notwithstanding
debt 5,000 people were scattered
promiscuously over the little vil
lage.
About U o’clock Leonidas whs
taken from the jail, guarded by
near 100 armed men, and k
the solemn tread tog|(fl» the
gallows, whioh was erectdfl ' in
conspicuous place about 400 yds -
due north from tl\e jail.
Twenty-five minutes to treive
o'clock the procession arrived
within the ring. After Captain
.Hemp Bryans had carefully sta
tioned the guards, Leonidas,
amidst intense silence of the
crowd, ascended the scaff- Id with
steady step, guided by Sheriff
Willis Goodwin andDeputy Sher
iff B.W. Grant. His feature* be
trayed not even the least embar
rassment—he appeared supreme
ly eo”l an to his awful, as sell as
fearful, end. Drs. North and Dan
Scott composed the medical fra
ternity,—other physicians, how
ever, were present.
A quarter to twelve o’clock
Sheriff Goodwin announced that
Jphnson would address himself in
a few words to the orowd. Leon
idas spoke with a low, but clear
and ristinct voice. We have near
-Vh 4, ■, :■ ■ ~='- : - - '' —' ‘
y.. T , T1 --HO OA r OEOBOVA, FRIDAY. MAY 30.1884. Sl.SO A TEAK.
H
lgutffn
r.tncr
A smile brigH#ned^is face .and
he snid: “Goodbye*'Mr. Osborne,
goodbye Mr. Thompson." While
the black esp was hiding his liv
ing face forever from sight he
said: 'Farewell gentlemen."
Sheriff Goodwin sprung the
trigger 23 minutes to one, and in
19 minutes the doctors pronounc
ed him dead aud he was cutdowu.
His body was packed in a trunk
and carried to Atlauta last night,
where it had been previously sold
to some physicians. Below we
give a general review of Johnson's
life.
The career of Leonidas hss
been unprofitabiy adventerona.
Frnui youth to the gallows, hlaok
crimes of every shade ha.e been
interwoven with his very^ exist
ence. Nothing was too passion
ate tor his ardent natnre, and
nothing too low for him to stoop
He drank the wild indi ^nation of
angry populaces wijji stolid in
difference. The threats of out
raged justice aud offended l vw
gave no stay to his hellish pur
poses, Biding, in satisfied big
otry from one orime to another,
he reached the full measure of
Ilia wanton course on the gallows.
Bight hss been vindicated, and
the proud sim of justice reigns in
undisturbed power over tits con
quered victim—a man who has
drank tlio scum, of earth
It will be remembered that on
ly his exset words, but a waut of I the 2nd day of February, 1883,
space compels ns to give only s | Henry county, and especially in
synopsis of what he snid. With- the neighborhood of McDonough,
o’nt a single quiver in his voice, he
confess* d to the deed of perpe
trating violence to the lady for
which he was then surrendering
his Hfe. but syidhis way thr-ugh
the “pearly gates” was clear. He
criticised aeveiely the way his
mother had reared him, and gave
his then present condition ns a
lasting warning to those who may
at dimes'be tempted to acts of
wickedness or rice. He died, so
he said, having no malic* or en
vy against a single living being.
He asked reverently that ah
might bo blesaed with “joy” He
emphasized the importance of ta
king warnit g from his disgraceful
death. He bitterly denied com
mitting any other crimes besides
the one for which he died
At 12 o’clock Leonidas was giv
en a glass of lemouade. He drank
it coolly and seemed calm and
serene. A few minutes later a
colored minister, Davis, was call
ed to the stand by Sheriff Grant.
Davis cordially responded to the
request aud after some talk with,
the prisoner, lie gave out the
hymn: “Jems My All to Heaven
Has Gone,” aud asked all to jbiid
in siuging. A deep echo from the
was thrown from its usual quiet
balance into a hurricane of excite
ment over the—worse than bru-
tish—of one negro man, named
but to be dispised,Leonidas John
son. If w* are correctly, inform
ed, on the day above mentioned,
Mrs, Cook, a woytliy aud respect
ed white lady, living some dis
tance to the north of McDonough,
was sitting peacefully in her house
enjoying, to tho fullest extout, the
rich blessings incident to qniet
rural life. On her lap was lying
innocent and smiling babe.
Mill, in Clayton oonnty. Ilia next
offense-was the crime for which
sentence'of death was imposed,
and for which he Friday paid the
PftwUty.
Hertnmd, ae • would., jb$ .natural,
flowed in jiiiHrriken joy'SvAr things
too numerous fot.de^oippijon, ev
en if we knew them. v^ttfHejily.to
the lady's horror, ablaek-ruffian
confronted her,, and frit.iout a
luomonts warning inflicted a blow
oij hfer head • with ,a stick, that
completely - prostrated lien Iu
this uncousioue state Leonidas,
as the facts afterward proved,
took advantage ot his victim and
committed a deed too black to
J>e mentioned. From her sense
less'cbliciition’sh" 1fhaoM>red, but
to tfre horrible 1 rAiilouit^W that
tjWfrn./^spoiled.
tot '
negro portion of the crowd swell— -trying Scream
up loud and strong
The singing over, Davis offered
up a touching prayer iu the pris
oner's behalf. This done, Leoni
das sang a hymn, “Am I a Soldier
of the Croy.” He was deeply
mover! during the devotional ser
vices, especially did he swing to
and fro to the spirit of the songs.
At 12:30 Sheriff Grant removed
the handcuffs and tied the pris
oner’s builds behind him. Sheriff
Goodwin kindly told Johnson if
lie had anything to say to say it
He seemed a little prov .ked aud
replied: “I have nothing to say
—don’t know wliat to say.”
At the presentation of the bang
man’s robe, Leonidas, who had
been, aud was yet, remarkably
composed, showed the first,
though slight, motion of his face
indicative of dread. He gave a
deep gape and the robe enveloped
bim.
Just as the black cap was being
placed on him he said: “I want
all to look good,and take warning
from this day—1884—May 23d.
aftei scream, up til. her, qsbaud,
•who was .plowing,a short distance
WmMMffilfc-r?
with a madman's 1 ann ' nished to
her rescue. The deed, fresh aud
terrible in the lady’s mind, was
depected in terras stronger than
polite. Mr. Cook, bent on the
murder o* the rapist, procured as
sistance and scoured the country
far and near, but ta no avail.
A few days after this brutish
occuireuce * negro mau claiming
the name of Bill Jones found em
ployment with Mr Hal Barham,
who lives about seven miles south
of McDonough Bill, or Leoni
das, did faithful work for Mr.
Barham, and everything passed
pleasantly until about the middle
of April, when Leonidas, desirous
of notoriety, pilfered the house of
a lot of clothing and many valu
ables. He made good his escape
by a narrow and close run. Late
in the afternoon of the same day a
negro answering to the descrip
tion of Bill turned up at the dwel
ling of Mr. Harkuess, who liv68
near Locust Grove. He entered
made an assault Upon Mr.
If ark ness’s fourteen- year old
daughter who W^a-^lone in the
hb’nHhdttbet time. , He wee dts-
covefed‘-before, hie purposes were
exeoittedfftitiMfh hotly pursued
he made goejMMe escape 'asUtip.
After a protected search embra
cing nearly all night, ha was cap
tured aud lodged the tiext morn
ing iu MoDonongh jail. -
Henry Superior Opart conven
ed a few days subsequently, when
the would-be rapist wae tried for
the offense of eomtuitting an as
sault with attempt to rape. He
was convicted and sentenced to
twenty years in the penitentiary
It was founn out, in tne mean
while, that he was guilty of nu
merous other and graver crimes,
He was identified, beyond doubt,
as the burgular of Mr. Barham’s
house. He was also suspected,
and rightly too, of committing vi
olence to Mrs. Cook. To stay
conflicting statements Mrs. Oook
was confronted with Leonidas,
who nt once stigmatised him as
the black brute that had done in-
jnay to her person. . At tLis rec
ognition a cyclone of indignation
brooded over the whole commu
nity, aud it was with the ntuiost
difficulty that the incensed people
were restrained from swinging
him to a limb. Eventually wiser
counsels prevailed and the turbu
lent sea came within its borders.
Leonidas was confined in jail to
await the trial of liis greater,
blacker and more uupnrdonaole
deed.
During the Ootobor term of
Henry Brp"e?ior Court Leonidas
was put upon trial for l^pe. He
was con vie ted and sentenced to
be hanged #n December 7, 1883,
the co'msel fir the condemned
man made a motion for anew tri
al before Judgo Stewart, frj't the
motion was overruled. The case
vas then carried to the Supreme
court, when the judgment below
was . lib mod. Judge Stewart a
few weeks back ro-sentenoed him
to hang on the 23rd of M ay.
Johnson is a thick, heavy set
fellow aud will weigh about 166
pounds. Hu has full sensuous
lips; cream cobred eyes, and a
bovii.e neck. His general con-
ton- is anything from presenting
a polished appearauce. His par
ents, if we get informat ou'correot-
ly, belonyed to Hon. Thomas B.
Join son. Leonidas was horn in
1862 or ’63 uenr Double Cabins,
in Spaulding county, and is about
22 or 23 years old. His father
died when he was quite young—
his mother is still living. When
a mere boy he rnn away from his
mother, and grew, day by day.
more' hardened iu crime until
death put an end to his dissipa -
tion. Something like four years
i*go he entered the sleeping apart
ment "f the daughler of a well
known and promiueilt citizen of
Fayette county, and but for bis
timely discovery there is no pos
sibl« doubt but that his lustful
designs would have been accom-
p ished. The same year he is re
ported to have made a similar
daring attempt in Spalding coun
ty, bnt was thwaned In his ambi
tion. Matters here got too hot
for him and he next appeared in
Jefferson county, where he bad
been only a few weeks before he
was assaulting a white gentleman,
who was prevented from killing
him by the prompt interposition
of friends. For tnis offense he
>vas tried, convicted and center c
ed to the chaingang tor a term of
five years, In January, 1883, he
escaped, and one of his first acts
was an attempted outrase on the
person of Mrs. Smith, a worthy
white lady, living near Moor’s
What is ft gentlcinanf I’ll tell
jroo. til ii simply this—a man of
perfect and ansullied honor. No
man, however fLe his clothes, of ol-
•flftftf his manners, c*n be ft. Beetle
i union hit instinctive sense of
honor is ns fine ns “the car" of
mftsicnl composer, who listens to
musicians who piny his o wn worn*,
so that ho could mt do a “trick)," a
dishonost, a moan, or a cruel thing
fou tbe whole world,
He will qot be honorahlo only in
thtne plainer paths over whioh the
law keeps a strict watch. Of course,
he will pay hin del ts, and lorboar to
lie or steal, or to have moro wives
that one; and his word is as gond
ns oath or bond “could bo. Being
decently honorahlo, ho will koop his
givcu promise to a nun, sod his
troth-plight to a gill, and will re
frain from circulating scandal con
cerning a woman, or showing his
lovo-leitors; but thero arc also a
thou-uud delicate points on which
he has no doubt whatevor. Ho
knows when ho may give, and when
he may take; when ho rany kisi. nnd
when a kiss is an offence; when a
thing may bo forgivon, nnd whon to
lorgivc, or rather to forgot would
be an etcrnnl stain apon his .honor.
For in this World to blot oat some
memories would he to blot out ono’s
own lifo. Mot that a nun need seek
revenge, only he must remember
that ho muy not give* an honorable
hand to be clas|>ed by one «liich is
stuined with dishonor.
He takes no fnvor tnst it U not
right to take, and so hj ever takeif
one genofOinl,. and returns it
when be tnny. Those WhoSriist iu
him trust well; they are never be
trayed. .
t he man of honor Is a man with
a heart, therefore he is nevor n flirt.
KoleavcB no woman in doubt as to
whether he is her friend or her lov
er—no, not tho vainest or the silli
est ol her sex; ar.d whon he marries
lie hiiR no secrets from his wife, nor
does she have any from him.
IIo would lift a letter from the
ground with the seal uppermost, as
certainly if you wero notprosenl as
il vou wore, for bo docs none ol
these tilings because ho desires you
to think him whnt he is, but be
cause lie is want ho is by nature,
and I suppose, after all, it is just
that; ho was burn a gentleman. God
gave him all these finer feelings, nnd
ho only acts up to them; but still it
is all the same,and tho broad divid
ing lino which sepeiatcs the snob
and tho gen'Ionian is. that tbe latter
is a man of honor.
A young porter now working in
a New York wholesale lions e has
a romantic history, Y tars ago a
nineteen year old nonary maid in
the household of the Earl,of
Perth in Scotland fell in.lovd
with Lord Drummond, the earl’s
son, ii yonngster of fiftoen. As
the course of true love oonld not
run along smoothly in' such
instance the infatuated pair ran
away, married, and after ft few
days ahseiice returned to ask tkft
earl’s forgiveness. It is needleis
to say that this tfasnot forthcom
ing. The young couple went out
into the world, and ever eihoe
their lot has been a hard one:
The other day a kinsman fdtlnd
Lord Drummond working away >4
his porter’s suit, and told him that
if he would leave his wtfe'and re
turn to Scotland all would be for
given. The offer wae, rejected
with scorn, and the titled' porter
avowed his intention of working
to support hirwife until the death
of his grandfather made him Eori
of Perth 1 , . when he iuteude^ to
take hie partner of hie Borrow to
the family castle and live in etyle.
This faithful pair will nausea stir
in Scotland society oqe of these
days. ' . ■
A
Six
(On.,) _
Times tbore 1
hetne at Batik
nis, who had b
Won the hea
Rogers. A 1
first year ol
young couple
tendsntaat .
lamp grounds in
revenue officers oate.
sad arrested six men,
MWjt SdPSS
them off to
illicit 4 diMilliag,
was in the'g
cf her husband,
(ion was depply.pti
their eyoi, van '
citizen of Dktodif
shortly to Atlanta flit
of giving) hatUMdl*
On arri val there fen wfta
Maginnis had ethetad -Ida -eat
under a ilotoli
Mr, Lixconn- as a 8or,oliriY.-i-
Tbore is an amusing OtOry, not Id
now one by shy moans, of1ha 7 fiiotl*
od Mr. Lihcoln adb|>ted‘to’ Settle ij 1
contest over a postmasWralii|f which
guards in llid i —.— ....
Humming', hnfTfibtin tbe~ darkness
of tho nlgt»l they foduff fH*N*ble
to find him. t+mmm
id no anae of the
non, a nTTUtaiflt’ttiAfae'
leved that he ’rihsM'HMWnttltta
wounded, MM;»«inaplogjfi|«fHjfin
out of the way -ptaee, lied: The*
young wife,WMBfVVMTtf'
belfef fluff 1
turn, untttfrW flUUi Kpft.nl*
ground tcftfbrhopfc -
lormortuffir^dWea'Ileiulk ■fclt
last u— ir rii ighpi
nothing was learned df
by May she would listen to Uoi
Mayeftftio, swd tudiw H feflpwftft
fcstgntfea tfiM.ti .loft M^kah
had greatly ahnoyOd him.
were tvo candidates 1^' 'the fie|d,
and petition attisr peitilfe* bwdfpoijr-
ed in on thb woiry president, ’hud 1
delegation alter delegation had
rushed to tne, white housd '10 atguO
tlie claims of the rival aSpirnais. Fi
nally, aftor ho had biteh I (bred for
half au hoar by a'jri^H. ^g|ention
Mr. Lincoln said to lilt tfetSrellaryi
“Tliis mattor has got to etid <orou*
rhow. Bi iug a polr bfAeales." The
scales were brought. "Now put tp
ail tie petition* and lottos In favor
of one jn in, mil see lio » much they
weigh, and then weigh the ether
candidates papers.” It wa's found
that one bundle was three qusrters
ofa pound heavier thiia the. othot 1 .'
“Make out tlio appoir.tnient at Ohpe
for tho man who has the hcn,vl*st
poprrs,” ordero l tho president, and
it iva-* dono.—The Conthry,
■Wfr'f *L
man made |
The Koine anil Carrollton.
We learn from the Columbus
Enquirer, as wo have no Bo ae
exchanges, that au orgrnization
has recently been pertected by
the parties controlling the charter
of the old North tfc South railroad
from this place to Rome, and that
there is a considerable awaken
ing upon the subject of building
the road, and that the chances
for having the work commenced
at an early day are very favora
ble: The following is a list of the
officeis elected:
President—J. W. Bounseville.
Secretary—R. T. Fouche.
Directors—Samuel Morgan, S.
G. Hardy, R. T. Fouche andT. F.
Howell.
The above is good news for
CarrolltcSn, for we regard this as
tbe most important outlet that
this section could possibly have,
and we feel confident that the
people here and along the route,
will do all they can to forward
the enteiprisei—Carroll Free
Press.
A Negbo Woman rututtNO
Whitb.—There is a negro woman
in Maiictta who.is gradually turn
ing white—white spots cover lieF
face and other parts of hsr bddy.
Tho bloaohing process ol natnre has
linen going on for some time. She is
apparently in good honlth, nnd the
white spots which keep enlarging
cannot ho accounted for upoit any
other hypotheses than that she lias a
peculiar skin disoaso that is working
out this wonderful transformation
It gives herno uneasiness whatever,
became it is painless. We shall
watch this case with a good deal of
interest, not because it is "some
thing new benonth tho sun,” it is
not, for wo have read of other cases
in different parts of tho State, but
because it is nearer home and wo
want to seo what tho result will bo.
—Mariotta Journal.
Gold.—For somo days experi
onced minejs have boon looking in
to some of tlio gold mi nos around
Acworth, and yesterday a coifsider
able quantity of lichorc wus shipp
ed to Now York for a scientific as
say. This ore came from the lands
of Mr. Henry House,some two miles
from Acwortii, which have long
been considered well stored with
the precious uictal. The “panning”
test with his oro has been attend
ed with such results as arc calcula
ted to inspire strong hopes of a
valuable find.—Acworth News and
Former,
-v'v- -xrar: rrn
lostbusbspA,')
he. war a(r*14
cnrairoptyMto
jng went he got I
ness in Me
writ*
until
bavthf
pels
vbrtH'
ed to oome is
ohil
family took a,
tfc train {oet'
Onoof tht'
Is the interest our i
in the improvement 1 1
This U t|to -report f*“
from all svetipas of,
wo know it ie so hor
roliton, where a lift
being taken Ip, esplt
provament of cattle. Tl... _
number ftf very fine coWi In thU)
plaice, and the order of the diy is to
buy only first class stock. Another
good r ! gn is tho sowing Of grass loti|
both for 'winter aad —umer pas*
tures. r Nothing pays kattor and
those having stock to feed was Ihst
finding it out. ttermala grass as ft
summer pasture teems to be tho is*
vorite. Several around toWa al 1
ready, have nftie lota- of this graft**
but heretofore defatted gram, and
others are talking about sodding il
down On some ia vorite piSM of ladtL
Herd’s grass tor winter grtSing li
highly rtpokerl of by thdia who have
tried it for winter pasturage, eftd
perhaps it is tho bsstof the winter
grasses for tliis section, nfitefe thb
land suits. It does well on Swamp
land, and will grow to jjerfectlotl
whore the soil is so damp that noth*
ing else Can bo prodoCedi—^Carfol 1
Free Proas
A. J. Hunt says that a Mr. Tttr*
ket killed an eagle that (Ueaaared
from one end of his wings to the
other five and ona-bntf feet. Ha
killed it on Mr. Hunt’s land this
week.—.Haralson Hander.
Tlie Astors own a sixteenth of
the real estate of New York, and
are said to be the beat ol land
lords.