SCENE IN AN AMERICAN COURT OF JUSTICE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2059, 4 August 1885, Page 2

SCENE IN AN AMERICAN COURT OF JUSTICE.

The. most exciting scene ever known in Court in this vicinity; says a report from Lyons, New York, recently occipred in the Wavne Circuit Coipi 'lt.' appears that John Johnston, a desperate criminal from New York,'was indicted on twelve counts for burglary, rphliery, andattempts to murder. If the full penalty of the law \yere 'given (in each one of these indictments, lie p\)ld go, -prjqqn for 12Q fljq facp' p.f his doom he became iflpre desperate, and boldly announced his intention to do anything, oven suicide, to escape from prinon, On the occasion under notioo he was tried on an indictment for assault, with intent to kill S. R. Vandusen in Newark, The Court-room was packed with people, and the gallery was crowded with ladies, because of Johnson's noted career in crime. While District Attorney Hoag , was concluding hin address to the jury, and oveiyone intently, JohnSoh in''tin instant leaped from the prisoner's box and rushed towards Mr Hqas, yelling out that he would kill him. Wild excitenMit ro?p in the M.uri room. The Judge Siitp a side room. The District' Attorney escaped behind the witness stand, and jury and court officers scattered in all directions, The women in* the gallery screamed excitedly, expecting tosee murder committed before their eyes. County Judge Collins and several others caught hold of the prisoner from the rear, and restrained him. Johnson is a powerful fellow, and in a moment he threw them out of Mb < way, At last th? sheriff imjl guards on and then a desperate fight'follow'eq, and tno excitement became 'intense. ; Men yelled, " Kill him 1" " Knock his brains out!" " Let's lynch him here!" and one woman fainted. Two of the guards were felled to the floor by Jolinsoti's blows, The guards, linweyei l , beat Ipi over- the head with h'andcliffs ffom' th'e" r.ear, Exhaust'ed'by loss of Blood and severe poundings, Jplnispn fell tp the floor, srid was hajjdoii|e(|, ||s to qarjiefl bas tfi the prisqiier's wearipg vengeance. His face iyas covered with bloqd, and his ciicolffi weve like a jelly. presented a horrible sight. After some time tho excited audience calmed down, and the jury returned to their box. The District Attorney sank into a ohair, and did not resume his address. The Judge charged the my jn a few words, IliQ jury but almost iriimediatelf and gave a yel'dict of guilty. ' Tjie prisoner, was then' brought in'iro,ned,and feeding profusely, and given the full benefit qf the law, which was ten years in Auburn prison. The Judge then said that it would be a farce to try Johnson on another charge, because of the intense public feeling against the prisoner after the affair abovo reonrded, which was the most disgraceful ho had gygji jvltesfid.