Johnson - Charles
Source: Crawfordsville Review, Saturday March 18, 1916
short version of this very long interesting piece
This is a story of man's perfidy, and of a woman's mysterious death, of the desertion of two homes in two different states of heartaches, wasted fortunes and the downfall of one whose future was once as a bended rainbow of promise. Less than 4 years ago, Charles A. JOHNSON married a widow in Iowa and moved to Reah Valley, Arkansas, where he engaged in the insurance business and small farming. On the 22nd of May 1915, Johnson decided to sell a horse and went to town for the purpose. He never returned to his home and the horse was hitched to the rack unsold. The half crazed wife, certain her husband had been fouly murdered, waited through many weary nights for the end of the story that never ended and at last, used the remnants of the little means at hand to get back to friends in Iowa. On the 7th of this month neighbors noticed there was no smoke at the little house occupied by Mrs. Johnson, widow or wife. The home was invaded and the woman found dead. The body was prone between the cook stove and kitchen table. There was no evidence of violence, and those who had heard of inklings of her recent life chapters, concluded she died of a broken heart. Others said foul play may have been enacted here as it had been enacted in Arkansas and that the same cruel, murderous Nemesis that had pursued the family in that state and had made off with the husband, had followed to Iowa to complete the fiendish work.... Relatives of Mrs. Johnson were informed of the sad affair and a brother, John Henderson of Nekoma, Illinois went to the Iowa town to take charge of affairs .. now from Illinois comes the chapters that involves former residents of this community and brings from closets the family skelton that but for the man hunt that is now being instituted by the authorities might have remained concealed. In the personal effects of the dead sister Henderson of Illinois found a trunk full of letters belonging to the dead or living husband of his now dead sister. One was a letter of recommendation signed by the leading citizens of Crawfordsville, Indiana, attesting to the good character of Charles A. Johnson. The letter was dated in May 1903 and was much worn. Henderson's quest as to who was this husband of his dead sister leads him to Crawfordsville. The Hendersons had friends in Crawfordsville. In fact Mrs. Henderson was an intimate friend of Mrs. Allen Michaels of west Wabash Ave. A letter to Mrs. Michaels enclosed the letter of recommendation which documented dated in 1903, bears signatures of Robert Caldwell, attorney, John R. Bonnell, collector or revenue 7th district, MM Nye, postmaster, Chas. Goltra, casher of Citizens National Bank, Dumont Kennedy clerk of circuit court and John C. Wingate, state tax commission. The Charles A. Johnson referred to in this letter of recommendation by the leading citizens of Montgomery County - he grew to manhood here and was of such good repute that no one hesitated to give him evidences of the respect. Son of Rev. E R Johnson once presiding elder of the Methodist Church of this district. He has a sister living in the county and brother in the newspaper business in Texas. In addition, he has a wife and six children living in San Antonio, Texas. Charles A. Johnson when he lived in Crawfordsville was a man of parts. He essayed the role of a republican politician and was a hale fellow. His eyes fell on Edith Breaks, daughter of John Breaks, northwest of the City. His eyes also fell on the Breaks acres.. his advances toward the daughter did not meet with hearty accord from Uncle John and when Johnson lead the daughter to the altar, Mr. Breaks made a will, whereby the Breaks acres were to go to the daughter and to the heirs of her body. Johnson was cut off. Johnson lived on Breaks land and was regarded as model citizen. Got western fever and later moved to Colorado. Here the altitude was found unsuited to his wife's health and he went to San Antonio. Here he did not prosper. His own accumulations and fortune of his children was soon dissipated in the wildcat projects then being exploited in Texas. Called on by the local court for report of his trust, as guardian of children he was unable to account for the funds. Disappeared. That he is the same Johnson that married to the Iowa widow and later disappeared in Arkansas is attested by the fact the last named man had the letters of recommendation given to Johnson who lived in this county. .. the wife and children in Texas picked up the scattered investments in Texas and upon the wreckage they are slowly but surely retrieving the fortunes lost by the man who ran away.