The Greene Affair
In Justices' Court, Befroe E.C. Kattle, Esq.
Binghamton Courier, December 17, 1845
The People vs. John Johnson, Examination of Witnesses, Nov. 24 [1845]
Testimony of Dr. W.D. Purple
Dr. W.D. Purple, sworn, testified that he had heard Dr. Willard testify, and could not say anything contrary to the statement of Dr. Willard. Saw Mrs. Burdick on the 30th of September, and continued to attend her until she went to Utica; went part way to Utica with her. Went for her at the Asylum at Utica and returned with her to Greene; she was sane when we left Utica and continued so until the morning after her cross examination in Court here. Fright, fear of subsequent injury, and physical exposure, in my opinion caused her derangement. In August or September last, in one or both of those months, heard that there was to be an effort made to find the remaisn of Mrs. Bolt; about this time heard it reported in community that they had better search a cellar where Mrs. Baxter lived at that time.
Cross-examination: I saw Mrs. Burdick last night, she was decidedly crazy, have seen her today, she has been here ten days. On Friday, on Monday, and on Tuesday after her examination, saw decided marks of insantiy. First heard from her the name of Mr. Johnson as connected with her abduction, on Thursday after the abduction; at this time she was deranged.
Testimony of Elisha Strait
Elisha Strait, sworn, testified to seeing Johnson pass down the Main street in Greene, with a box in his waggon, in which were pigs, on the 30th of September, about two o'clock in the afternoon; rode with him on the box a short distance.
Cross examination: That Johnson said he had been to Burger's after the pigs. Burger lives on the west side of the Chenango river, about two miles from Greene.
Testimony of David Van Ostrand
David Van Ostrand sworn, testified to having found Mrs. Burdick in the swamp in company with Darby, that the knot which tied her hands at the wrists was on the back side of her hands, could not pull her hands out, cord was sunk into the flesh at the wrists. Worked in the wall in the afternoon with Hammond and Burdick, Johnson employed him to work there.
Cross Examination: Does not think she was laid and pressed face downwards into the mud and water. I do not think her clothes were very wet about the neck in front, there was some dampness, but not very wet. The longest stick which lay lengthwise of Mrs. Burdick is about 19 inches in circumferance, it was an old black ash laid there in the swamp would weigh in the neighborhood 50 weight, when I took it from the swamp. The other stick which lay across her neck was about 3-1/2 or 4 inches diameter about 3 feet long.
Defendant's Witnesses
November 26, [1845]
Testimony of Amy Baxter
Amy Baxter Sworn, is 47 years of age, is mother of Mrs. Burdick. Mrs. B. was married at my house on the 24th of August, and I went to Norwich on Tuesday following, staid there four weeks, got back from Norwich on Wednesday. Augusta then was at Mrs. Hammond's. Augusta had been subject to fits about three years, had them before she came to Smithville, had been unwell and appeared melancholy some time before. At this time she was in fits more or less for some days. Sometimes she appeared rational and sometimes she did not. She stated that she thought she had been to heaven and saw her Savior and her brother who was dead. Said she talked with her brother, he told her she must come back and warn her friends, that he could not. Said a good deal through the night, but nothing that I laid up.
There was another night in which she appeared to be in pretty much the same state.--She requested her brother Charles to fill a tumbler with water and place it on the step in the course of a star which she pointed out, which he did. She wanted to get up and drink the water, tried to prevail on her not to. Charles and Mr. Geo. Ketchum led her to the door and she drank the water and set the tumbler back, and in a short itme she told Charles to go and get the tumbler, which he did, and she appeared to be more clam. Mr. Ketchum and Geo. Ketchum were at my house one evenign when she had a fit, during which she kissed us all and said she was going to heaven. Was at home all Monday evening, was not at Hammond's on Monday or Monday evening. Charles staid at my house Monday night and left Tuesday mornign for Oxford; left home on Tuesday morning between 10 and 11 o'clock and went to Niram Johnson's; left there a little before night, do not know the exact time; old Mr. Johnson came for me with a wagon. Never had any conversation at my house with John Johnson upon the subject of Mrs. Bolt. Have no knowledge in the least of the manner in which she was carried off, no knowledge of what became of Mrs. Bolt. Charles Whitlock first told me about my cape being found at Mrs. Hammond's, he told me this on Wednesday after the abduction; had heard about the cape previous to this time; the first I heard, Mr. Johnson spoke to me; do not recollect hearing anything more about it till the next day, when Charles Whitlock spoke to me about it.
Cross Examination: I cannot tell how or when I first heard a rape had been committed on Mrs. Bolt; it was in the fore part of the spring of 1844; I was living in Smithville at the time, I did not see John Johnson at my house but once while I lived at Smithville; did not hear that a rape had been committed on Mrs. Bolt before I heard she was missing; never had any conversation with John Johnson about a rape on Mrs. Bolt; never had any conversation with him about the disappearance of Mrs. Bolt; do not know where I was on the night of the 12th of May, 1844
I do not know where Niram Johnson was, when the news came that my daughter had been taken away; had seen him that day; after I heard of my daughter's being taken off, I do not recollect of seeing Niram Johnson till I saw him at Hammond's. I have seen the cape that was left at Hammond's on Monday night; it was my cape, there were two places torn in it; it was not torn so when I last saw it; it was whole when I left home for Norwich; I did not see it afterwards; I did not lend the cape to anyone. I have never known Mrs. Burdick to talk in these fits except when she was at Smithville. I lived in Mr. Ketchum's house when I lived in Smithville; while I lived there I did not have any money from John Johnson, or other things, except the smoked underjaw of a hog. Have lived in the house where I now live, on Johnson's farm, since last March. Never have received but fifty cents from Johnson; I have received provisions of him at different times; never had any clothing of him; I never was on a bed with John Johnson; I never had any illicit intercourse with John Johnson. Saw Augusta on Wednesday at Hammond's after I returned form Norwich; we had some talk; she did not say that she had made up her mind to expose me and Johnson, she said nothing about any such thing.
I said to Mrs. Hammond that Ann Augusta was a good girl, and a girl of good character, let them say what they would; I did not turn her out of doors while at Smithville; I did not forbid her coming to my house, I told her she should leave it if she did not act different from what she had done; she was keeping company with two young men and hurting her reputation' they were Samuel Vars and George Ketchum. I have thought lately that Ann Augusta did not always tell the truth; I have thought so for a year and a half, from her being racked so by fits. I did not see Johnson during the time I was at Norwich, four weeks. Augusta had told me the room she intended to sleep in at Hammond's
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