IR Apr. 30, 1863 – MURDER AT MT. VERNON FURNACE.
Last Thursday, 23d inst., the citizens in the vicinity of Mount Vernon Furnace, in this county, were startled by the announcement of the sudden death of Nancy Johnson, wife of Robert Johnson. Up to the hour of her death, which occurred just after the ringing of the 12 o’clock bell, the deceased had enjoyed perfect health and was highly esteemed by all who knew her as a very quiet, peaceable woman. On the day of her death, the usual Coroner’s inquest was held, and a verdict was rendered, expressing doubt about the cause of her death.
It appears that Robert Johnson and his sister Rebecca Rose were the only persons present and were permitted to testify about the cause of her death. Among other things, they stated that Mrs. Johnson, while standing at the safe, took a fit and bruised herself in falling, that they laid her on the bed and that before any person could be summoned, she was dead.
Given these facts, such as the first rendering of the verdict. As the day wore on and the deceased exhibited the signs of decomposition, until the middle of the afternoon, her appearance was perfectly life-like. Suspicions were caused by the first appearance of decomposing on the back of the neck and head.
Accordingly, the next day, Squire Warneke acting as coroner, summoned Drs. Moxley and Cory made a post-mortem examination, which was done in the presence of the subjoined jurors. The examination, together with the testimony of fifteen witnesses, influenced the rending of the subjoined verdict. Several of them testified that Mrs. Rose had, previous to that time, made threats of violence against the deceased.
One testified that it was because of an insult Mrs. Rose received about a dipper of water at a party. Several stated that she (Mrs. Rose) had said that Nancy Johnson had said something she would make her take back or whip her a few days before the occurrence.
At noon time on that day, Isaac Wollem [Wollum-mm], being at work close to Johnson’s, saw Mrs. Rose leave her own house, pass by where he was at work, and in reply to his question “what was the matter,” said she was “very mad,” had her sleeves rolled up and spoke very short; saw her go into Johnson’s; about twenty minutes after hearing that Mrs. Johnson was dead. As there is no conflicting evidence and none which will give more light on the subject of David Lodge, we insert:
TESTIMONY
I went to Johnson’s a little after 12 P.M. and saw Mrs. Johnson on the bed – Mrs. Rose said she had a fit; I answered no, there was no fit on her. She replied pretty shortly, “she knew there was; I asked Robert “what was the matter;” he said, “I don’t know, only Rache, and she was quarreling,” he told his wife to quit quarreling with Rache and hurry and get dinner for David was coming down.
Last fall, I heard Mrs. Rose say she would whip her to death if Mrs. Johnson didn’t look out. Her appearance soon after her death was natural – her face, with the usual color, her hands limber, and no appearance of cramp about her. I supposed her to be dead from the appearance of her eyes.
Johnson said, “she was well, only she had been quarreling, and she breathed her last just as I came into the house. He said he was out of the door or about to go out. Said his wife turned around to get some dishes to put on the table and fell before she got them, and they put her on the bed.
As there were none present but the accused, and the post-mortem examination decided that one of the parties had inflicted a violent blow or blows, it was impossible to hold them guiltless. The verdict was as follows:
After having heard the evidence and examined the body, we do find that the deceased came to her death, by the dislocation of the neck, caused by a violent blow upon the back of the head, by some heavy substance, probably a club in the hands of Rachel Rose inflicted with intent to kill and which the jury do find caused the immediate death of the said person, whose body was found as aforesaid, to-wit: A dislocation of the neck between the first and second vertebrae, a fracture of the skull and a fracture of the spine between the seventh and eighth vertebrae, and we the jury do further find, that one Robert Johnson was accessory before the fact, signed by
- Robert Scott, foreman,
- John M’Call,
- John Spear,
- R. J. Marshall,
- A. Trapp
- Hugh Livingston,
H. Warneke, J. P. & Cor.
We have thus given the facts as they occurred, and as nothing further is known concerning the murder, the public will await the development of facts, which will relieve them of their anxiety. The parties are both in jail and awaiting their trial, which will probably come off at the May term of Court.
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