JOHNSON ARRESTED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 141, 1 November 1912, Page 8

JOHNSON ARRESTED.

HIS LITTLE LOVE AFFAIR,

A STENOGRAPHER'S AFFECTIONS.

London, October 23. Jack Johnson, the world's champion heavy-weight pugilist, has been arrested in Chicago on a charge of abducting a white girl. The young lady's name is Lucille Cameron, aged 19, and she was employed at Johnson's glorified hash-house in Chicago.

She disappeared a little while ago, and her relatives and friends have beet searching for her ever since.

Miss Cameron is a Minneapolis girl, and the information against the black fighter is sworn by her mother.

Johnson was furious at being arrested, and more furious wlien he had to stay in a cell until bail could be arranged. He was let out under a bond of £l6O.

When the mother appealed to the police a rigid search was made, but for several days no success met the efforts of the officers.

Mrs. Cameron (or Mrs. Falconet, as I she is better known) lias described how I she failed to get her daughter away from the influence of the negro. She told of her anguish when slie found that the girl was keeping company with Johnson, and she made one trip to the cafe to try to rescue the erring one. When she interviewed the pugilist she declares that she was flouted and insulted.

[ "I asked him," said the mother, "to give up tlie girl, saving to him, Tou can get any woman you want; for God's sake let my daughter/go!' ! "I also pleaded with Lucille, asking her to return home or go anywhere, and promising that I would shield her from criticism. But the girl refused to break off her relations with Johnson.

J Next the mother telephoned to Johnjson, "and," went on Mrs. Falconet, "he said he would send his automobile for me. He came with it himself, and when I got in I drew the blinds so that I should not be seen. This nettled him, and he said, 'Some of the best white women in Chicago ride in this car.' I asked him once more to return my daughter, but he said that he would

"Then I rode to a house in Sheridan road, where my girl was staying. She wept, and said that she had gone too far to go back, and that Johnson had promised to give every dollar he possessed to hold her."

Johnson issued a statement last night, in which he said: "I can't help it if white women become infatuated with me. If Miss Camel-on loves me, that's her business and mine. She has been my stenographer for the last month, and she asked me whether I would take her with me to Australia.

I "I don't intend to take her, but as she lhas money of her own she may get a notion into her head to follow me. "Surely you can't blame me for that? I wouldn't take her if I wasn't married to her. She can choose whoever she wishes, but I shall marry no one."