with his hands raised. He was taken to Billings and lodged in the
jail there-because of-the fear-of-a lynching, When he had sobered;
he confessed the crime and he pleaded guilty at his trial. Convicted
and sentenced to hang, he was executed at Miles City on OCt, 16,
1935» He met his death calmly and -made-a short speech, void of .emo=
tion,from the gallows in which he once again admitted his Built and
expressed his remorse for the crimes
THE MILES CITY DAILY STAR, Miles City, Montana. 8-8-1935; 8-9-1935;
B-11-19353 8-13-1935; 8-15-19353 8-20-1935; 8-22-19353 9-3-1935;
919353 9-5-1935 3 10-9 19353 10-15=19353 1LO-16-19356
with his hands raised. He was taken to Billings and lodged in the
jail there because ofthe fear of a lynching. Wen he had sobered,
he confessed the crime and he pleaded guilty at his trial. Convicted
tenced to hang, he was executed at Miles City on OCt,. 16,
e met his death calmly and made-a short speech, void of emo=
tion,from the gallows in which he once again admitted his Built and
expressed his remorse for the crimee
THe MILES CITY DAILY STAR, Miles City, Montana. 8-8-1935; 8-9-1935;
8-11-1935} 8-13-1935; 8-15-1935; 8-20-1935; 8-22-1935; 9-3-19353
9nh}-19353 —9-5=1935$-1.0-9-19353-LO-15=19355 LO-L6-19350
his hands raised, He was taken to Billir
8 and lodged in the
fa lynching.
when he had sobered,
trial. Convicted
les City on Oot,
short speech, void of emo=
> again admitted his fuilt and
his remorse for the crime.
CITY DAILY STAR, Miles City, Montana, 6-8-1
8-11-1935} ey Rnd
0219353 8-22-1935
9-h-19355 9-5-9353 3
10=15-19353 10-1
JOHNSON, James Edward
Johnson, alias George Griner, a 38-year-old black native of Waco,
Tex., had first arrived in Montana in 1916 when he settled at White-
fish. During World War I, he served oversears for nine months though
he was never actually in combat. After the war, he returned to Mon-
tana andn worked in various TS8AXTGRKBXREX cities as a laborer, cook
and barber shop porter. In June, 1935, he and Mary Allsup, recently
divorced from her hushand, left Havre and moved to Miles City where
they rented an apartment as man and wife. Yn the afternoon of Auge
7, 1935, they .had been drinking and several friends had been by to
have drinks with them. Both spoke of their plan to move to Bismarck,
N, D., and they seemed to be on good relations, After the friends
had left, they got into an argument which Johnson subsequently was
over a diamond EAXKK ring that she was wearing and he beat her to
the floor of a bedroom with an iron poker and then went anto the
kitchen and got a knife which: he used to hack her face and upper
torso. Neighbors had summoned the police and when 68-year-old Miles
City policeman James fraser stepped on the porch of the apartment,
Johnson wrestled his pistol from him and shot and killed him. He
also wounded Chief of Police Joe Sullivan who summoned other officerse
When they arrived, Johnson surrendered and emerged from the house
JOHNSON, James Edward
Johnson, alias George Griner, a 38-year-old black native of Waco,
Tex., had first arrived in Montana in 1916 when he settled at White-
fish. During World War I, he served oversears for nine months though
he was never actually in combat. After the war, he returned to Mon-
tana andx worked in various USS SKEXREX cities as a laborer, cook
and barber shop porter. In June, 1935, he and Mary Allsup, recently
divorced from her hushand, left Havre and moved to Miles City where
they rented an apartment as man and wife. Yn the afternoon of Auge
7, 1935, they .had been drinking and several friends had been by to
have drinks with them. Both spoke of their plan to move to Bismarck,
N,. D., and they seemed to be on good relations. After the friends
had left, they got into an argument which Johnson subsequently was
over a diamond #XXKX ring that she was wearing and he beat her to
the floor of a bedroom with an iron poker and then went anto the
kitchen and got a knife which. he used to hack her face and upper
torso. Neighbors had summoned the police and when 68-year-old Miles
City policeman James Fraser stepped on the porch of the apartment,
Johnson wrestled his pistol from him and shot and killed Ban He
also wounded Chief of Police Joe Sullivan who summoned other officerse
When they arrived, Johnson surrendered and emerged from the house
JOHNSON, James Edvard
Johnson, alias George Griner, a 3B-year-old black nati) Waco,
Tex., had first arrived in Montana in 1916 when he settled at White-
fish» During World War I, he served oversoars for nine months though
he was nover actually in Combat. After the war, he returned to Mon
tana anda vorked in various LOGUMEKBUE citics as a laborer, cook
and barber shop porter. In June, 1935, he and Mary Allsup, recently
divorced from her husband, left Havre and moved to iiles City where
they rented an apartment as man and wife. On the afternoon of Auge
7, 1935, they had boon drinking and several friends had been by to
have drinks with them. i
the floor of a bedroom with en iron poker and then went cies ‘the
kitchen and got a knife which: he used to hack her face and upper
torso. Neighbors had summoned the police and when 68-year-old !
City policonan Som oF Fraser stepped on the porch of the apartment,
Johns est pistol from him and shot and Coe Eine Hs
also wounded Chicf of Police Joe Sullivan who sur C
oificers,|
hen they arrived, Johnson surrendered and saarteal fron the house
