Oakley A. Johnson

MORE OF THE WOMAN CHASER.
SOMEONE TRYING INTIMIDATION IN BEHALF OF OAKLEY A. JOHNSON.

Bulldozing Tactics Employed to Clear a Self-Confessed Criminal and Get Him Out of The Law's Strong Grasp - Methods That Will Not Meet With Success in This City. - An Anonymous Correspondent Writing Letters To Some of Johnson's Victims.

Two or three weeks ago a man giving the name of Oakley A. Johnson was arrested on a charge of assaulting women in the street at night. A number of ladies had been attacked by a strange man who would hug or pinch them and then run away in the darkness, and it got so that timid ladies were afraid to go out of doors after dark. One night a lady who had been assaulted, saw Johnson enter a Water street store, and she informed a policeman that Johnson was her assailant. The fellow was arrested, and after a night in jail was brought to police headquarters and identified by a number of ladies who had been assaulted. Then all agreed that he was the man who had taken hold of them, and under all the evidence that was produced against him Johnson weakened and pleaded guilty to the charge against him, that of assault in the second degree. He admitted

THAT THE LADIES WERE RIGHT

in identifying him, and the recorder held him to await the action of the grand jury. Johnson induced a relative to furnish bail for him and he was released. Shortly afterwards Johnson's brother came on to Elmira from the east, and then Oakley's vertebrae stiffened up perceptibly. Smith, Robertson & Bull were engaged to defend the arrested man, and from that minute, almost, efforts looking to a preparation of a defense for the woman chaser have been almost unceasing. Newspaper men were approached with offers of money to let up on Johnson, but the injudicious proposition was rejected in one office in this town at least, and the case was handled in the usual way. Now, it seems, other methods are being resorted to by some unknown and anonymous person, who may be suspected of having an interest in the welfare of Mr. Oakley A. Johnson. First, the arrested man and his attorneys, as soon as they got in the case, set up a claim that Johnson was not guilty of the charge, and that he pleaded guilty without a full knowledge of what he was doing. They wanted the plea as recorded on the recorder's docket changed.

BUT THAT COULD NOT BE DONE,

and the next thing that was heard about the case was that the fellow and his lawyers were busying themselves going around town seeking interviews with the ladies who had been assaulted. It was said that their object was to have them say that they did not really know to a certainty that Johnson was the man who assaulted them. Some of the ladies refused to be seen, and one of the parties approached nearly paralyzed the caller by saying that she was sure that Johnson was the man, and that she would so testify before the court. Mrs. Crundall, of West Third Street, called at police headquarters Thursday forenoon, and told Chief Little that one of Johnson's attorneys had called at her place the night before and said he wanted to talk to her about the accused man's case. She said that she refused to let him inside the door, and he went away. Besides all these efforts someone, whose name the TELEGRAM doesn't know, has commenced a system of intimidation that has something of a Whitechapel "Jack-the-Ripper" flavor about it. Different ladies have received threatening letters warning them against testifying against or further identifying Johnson. Whether any of the ladies have been frightened out or not is unknown,

BUT ONE THING THAT IS CERTAIN

is that some of them have not been bulldozed, and are not likely to be, for they have taken the letters to Chief Little and they will probably find their way to the grand jury room when the proper time comes. The TELEGRAM has been permitted to copy two of the letters sent, and here they are, the names of the ladies who received them being omitted:

Miss _________:
It will be much better for you if you do not identify Johnson as the man who assaulted you. C.G.

Miss _________:
It will be very troublesome for you if you persist in saying that Oakley Johnson is the man that assaulted you and was since then arrested. I would warn you not to do it. CRANK.

Both letters were written with a lead pencil, and both seemed to be in the same handwriting. No one, of course, seems to know for a certainty who wrote the letters, but the chief has his eye on the gun and the chances are that the writer will find himself in trouble on account of the letters. This attempt at intimidation is about as despicable as chasing defenseless women and assaulting them on the street. Whoever sent the letters out has done Johnson's case an injury. People with any backbone or grit will refuse to be either frightened or cajoled into silence on this matter. When affairs in Elmira get to such a strait that respectable ladies

ARE NOT SAFE ON THE STREET

at a seasonable hour in the evening it is time something was done. The man who would assault a defenseless woman is either the meanest kind of a rascal or a fool; and he ought to be taken care of, not only as a punishment for his past misdeeds, but for the safety and protection of the women who have to be on the street in the evening, and have no prize fighter to protect them. Oakley A. Johnson has been arrested for assaulting women. He has been positively identified by a number of his victims, and more than that he has confessed his guilt. If the evidence on the trial shows him to be guilty beyond any question his punishment ought to be swift, sure and most severe, unless, indeed, the theory that has been partially advanced, to the effect that the man is irresponsible, should be shown. Under those circumstances, if the man's mind is unbalanced, he ought to be committed to an asylum and kept there right along.

NEITHER BRIBERY,

bulldozing or cajolery ought to be or will be permitted to stand between this man and his punishment. Respectable people all over this city are aroused over this matter, and they demand that something be done to make the streets safe to their wives, sisters and daughters. The fact that an arrested person has friends to come to his assistance with money to bribe people, hire successful lawyers, and that some one goes to the extreme of intimidating witnesses ought not to prevent the onward march of justice. Bulldozing and all that sort of thing works well in some portions of this country, but Elmira is not situated on that part of the map. The decent people of this city are to be congratulated that they have Chief Little in charge of this matter, and they may rest assured that no scheme, even should it be more desperate than any yet tried in this matter, will succeed. The TELEGRAM has no special interest in this matter except to give its readers the news, and to enter a good strong protest when an attempt is made to intimidate ladies who have been ill-treated, and simply desire to tell the truth concerning the identity of the person who assaulted them. And while we are on this subject it is remembered that the anonymous intimidator of the lead pencil chirography has not sent any threatening letters to the TELEGRAM, but if he does they will be promptly acknowledged.

Source: Elmira New York Morning Telegram, December 23, 1888

News From Other Localities

Elmira's woman chaser did not flourish long. The police captured, so says the Telegram, Oakley A. Johnson, he being recognized by a woman whom he assailed, who on being arraigned last Wednesday evening pled to the charge of assault in the second degree. He says he has been teacher in John Hopkins University.

Elmira is wrestling with a woman-grabber. He employs the same tactics as the one here, only we don't know the color of his overcoat.

Source: Geneva New York Advertiser, Tuesday December 18, 1888

For some time Elmira ladies alone on the street at night have been accosted by a man who would step up, embrace them and then quickly disappear. Last Thursday night Oakley A. Johnson, 35 years of age, was arrested for the offenses. He was identified by the various women and he confessed committing the curious freaks. He recently came to Elmira from New Jersey and has been boarding at an aunt's who went his bail. He is an excellent appearing fellow, refined and of superior education, being a student and a teacher, but not, (as the Elmira Star remarks,) a "gentleman and a scholar."

Source: Corning New York Journal, Thursday December 20, 1888

TRYING TO CLEAR JOHNSON.
A Strong Effort Being Made to Establish a Case For the Woman Chaser.

An unusually vigorous effort is being made to establish a defense for Oakley A. Johnson, the man who amused himself in Elmira by chasing and hugging women on the streets at night. One of the daily papers, which seems to be attacking the police department with unnecessary vigor, and without apparent reason, has taken up the cudgel in behalf of the defendant, who has, by the way, already pleaded guilty to the charge, and is whooping it up almost daily for the fellow. Johnson and his attorneys have been around to see a number of the women who were assaulted, and have tried to get them to say they did not believe Johnson was their assailant, or at least that they cannot positively recognize him, but it is not learned that their efforts have been rewarded with entire success. The girl who works for Ayer, the groceryman, was one of those assaulted. Johnson was around the house the other day trying to get into conversation with her, but didn't succeed. It is said that he went to the house a night or two ago, accompanied by his lawyer, and wanted her to modify her statement concerning him, but it didn't work. Johnson now claims that he pleaded guilty merely to save himself from the notoriety which his actions would naturally give him, and asserts that he expected to be let off with a small fine.

Source: Elmira Telegram, Sunday December 23, 1888, Page 7

THE WOMAN CHASER ARRESTED.
The Fellow Who Insulted and Assaulted Elmira Ladies Discovered.

[img][/img]

For several weeks past the police have looked in vain for a mysterious man who made it his business to chase defenseless women after nightfall and insult them by catching them about the waist and hugging them on the street. He also attempted more serious liberties in some cases, and he created as much local excitement as Jack the Ripper did in London. Wednesday evening one of the ladies who had been assaulted saw Oakley A. Johnson enter a Water street store and she identified him as her assailant. A policeman was notified and the fellow was arrested. In court, Thursday morning, he pleaded guilty to the charge of assault in the second degree, and was held for trial in $500 bail. An aunt living in Elmira furnished the bond. Johnson claims to be a teacher in John Hopkins university, and also says that he was formerly a school principal at Peekskill. He has wealthy relatives at Waterloo and at Oxford, N.Y.

HIS BROTHER ARRIVES.

Yesterday Johnson's brother, a physician who lives down the Erie road, came to Elmira to look after his case. He employed A.J. Robertson as counsel, and from all that can be learned a defense on the ground of insanity will be made. An Elmira physician who has treated Johnson for indigestion, told a TELEGRAM reporter Friday night that he thought the prisoner mentally unsound, and believed from what he saw of his case that his present condition was brought upon himself by unmanly practices. This doctor said he believed him in a degree irresponsible for his actions. Chief Little is pleased over the capture, but he believes there is another man up to the same business, and if he doesn't take warning from Johnson and continues his work he, too, will speedily be behind the bars.

Source: Elmira Telegram, Sunday December 16, 1888, Page 5

I could not find any historical evidence of Oakley A. Johnson having been a professor at John Hopkins University, but I did find that he acquired his Master of Science Degree from Rutgers College/University in New Jersey:

RUTGERS COLLEGE.
The One Hundred and Fifteenth Commencement Exercises this Morning - Degrees Conferred.

New Brunswick, N.J., and the surrounding country turned out its prettiest girls in holiday attire this morning to hear the Rutgers College graduates speak their orations, and see them get their degrees. Alumni from far and near arrived by the morning trains, among the trustees present being Judge Harper, of Paterson, ex-Governor Ludlow, the Rev. John De Witt, one of the Old Testament revisers, Dr. Henry R. Baldwin, the President of the State Medical Society, and the Rev. Dr. J.C. Van Cleef, of Jersey City. At ten o'clock the line was formed on the College campus, and, preceded by the New Brunswick band, the Freshmen led the way to the Opera house, which was already thronged with friends and relatives of the graduates and undergraduates. When the head of the column reached the Opera-house steps two lines were formed, between which the President of the College, Dr. Merrill E. Gates, the Faculty, and the Trustees passed into the building and upon the stage.
After prayer, the following programme was carried out: Latin Salutatory, George Davis. English Salutatory, George Blakely. Philosophical Oration - The Value of Metaphysical Studies, Peter Crispeil. Scientific Oration - The Market Value of Theorizing Science, John Edward Hill. The Speculative Mania, Benjamin Edward Dickhaut. The World Growing Better, John A. Thompson. The American Novel, Henry Evertson Cobb. Must the Classics Go?, William Patterson Bruce. Sorgham a Triumph of Chemistry, Franklin Stoddart Smith. The Woman Question, Cyrus W. Field Sproul, Wendell Phillips, Charles Edward Pattison. Railroads and Civilization, William H. Luster, Jr. Purity in Politics, James Gulick Meyer. The Claims of the Moral Nature, Peter S. Beekman, Ivan Turguenieff and Modern Russia, William Goodwin Ludlow.

The Degrees were then conferred as follows:

Master of Science: Oakley A. Johnson, John Bruere, M.D., J.F. McWilliam, M.D., and T. Henry Grant, 1881.

The valedictory oration was pronounced by Matthew L. Bruce.

Source: The Evening Post, Wednesday June 18, 1884

RECENT EVENTS.

Oakley C. Johnson, of Hackettstown, N.J., has got into trouble because of a mania for hugging women. A dispatch concerning him says: "He would prowl about after dark, and should he meet a woman alone would hug and embrace her until her screams would frighten him away. He had been shot at several times, but never hurt. He is a finely educated man, and was formerly a professor in the Peekskill Military Academy."

Source: The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Saturday December 15, 1888, Page 4

Arrested For Hugging.

Oakley C. Johnson, of Hackettstown, who has been visiting in Elmira, N.Y., for some time, was arrested last Friday in that city for his peculiar mania for hugging women on the street. He would prowl about after dark and should he meet a woman alone would hug and embrace her until her screams would frighten him away. He has been shot at several times, but never hurt. He is well educated, and was formerly a professor in the Peekskill Military Academy.

Source: The Era, Saturday December 22, 1888

I found Oakley A. Johnson in the United States Census of 1880, where he was listed as attending teaching school.

"United States Census, 1880," Oakley A. Johnson in household of Samuel Johnson (Independence, Warren, New Jersey)

name: Oakley A. Johnson
residence: Independence, Warren, New Jersey
birthdate: 1855
birthplace: New Jersey, United States
relationship to head: Son
spouse's name:
spouse's birthplace:
father's name: Samuel Johnson
father's birthplace: New Jersey, United States
mother's name: Amy Johnson
mother's birthplace: New Jersey, United States
race or color (expanded): White
ethnicity (standardized): American
gender: Male
martial status: Single
age (expanded): 25 years
occupation: Teaching School
nara film number: T9-0799
page: 438
page character: C
entry number: 2293
film number: 1254799

Household Gender Age
parent Samuel Johnson M 70
parent Amy Johnson F 65
James Johnson M 28
Oakley A. Johnson M 25
Carrie P. Johnson F 23
Laura Johnson F 3
Wesley Johnson M 1

Source Citation
"United States Census, 1880," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MND9-D89 : accessed 3 April 2012), Oakley A. Johnson in household of Samuel Johnson (Independence, Warren, New Jersey).

ANOTHER WOMAN CHASER.
THIS LOAFER CAUGHT TWO PRETTY GIRLS AND IS NOW IN JAIL.

Rapid and Successful Work by the Police Results in the Incarceration of a Rascal - His Name is J.F. Rutledge and He is Penitent - He Prayed in Jail Yesterday and Then Tried to Kill Himself, but Was Prevented - Retribution Will Come Monday.

Two of the prettiest young ladies who warble hellos from the central telephone station walked up Water street at dusk Thursday evening and turned into Main street. They were observed by a burly man in a suit of light corduroy, trimmed with brass buttons, and he cast admiring glances at the lovely maidens. He was on Water street when he saw them and he followed them from that busy thoroughfare into Main street, and accelerated his pace after he left Water street. The girls were unsuspicious of danger at that hour of the evening and did not pay particular attention to the man. When he rushed up to one of them and grabbed her by the arm they paid some attention to him, though, and the young lady who had been attacked said, "Go away and let me alone, you loafer." Her remark attracted the attention of a Mr. Bridgman, who is connected with a fancy goods store at the corner,

AND HE WALKED TOWARDS THE LADIES

and their assailant. The man let go the girl's arm for a moment, but immediately caught her again and commenced pulling her towards him. Mr. Bridgman said to him: "I ought to have you arrested, and I will." Then the fellow walked away from the girls again, and they started off up the street, greatly frightened. Mr. Bridgman is not a fighting man and he made no attempt to whip the loafer, but went to look for an officer. He did not find one immediately, and the fellow escaped in the crowd. Yesterday morning W.N. Estabrook, the superintendent of the telephone company, was down to police headquarters to tell the chief about the assault. Roundsman Powell was in the building and he was called into the office, and was given as good a description of the man as Mr. Estabrook had. Then the officer went out to hunt for a man in a light suit of corduroy trimmed with big brass buttons. The first man he met who answered the description was J.F. Rutledge, a big fellow who used to drive an Adams express wagon

BUT WHO WAS DISCHARGED

the other day because he loaded too much gin and too few express packages. Rutledge had been on an elaborate drunk and his nerves were in bad shape. He practically owned up to being the person wanted, and the chief gave him the third degree which made him weaken entirely. He was charged with assault in the third degree and was then taken to the jail. The two telephone young ladies were called to police headquarters to make a complaint against the prisoner. Rutledge was considerably excited when he was locked up, and soon after he was put in the pit commenced praying at a rate which indicated that he believed the last day was at hand, and that he would have to hurry up and get ready for the final accounting. After he had prayed a while he started for the iron stairs leading up from the pit, and announced that he was going to throw himself off on the stone paved floor and kill himself. The other prisoners caught him, however, and raised such a row that the attention of the jailor was attracted, and he was informed of the nature of the trouble. Rutledge was taken out of the corridor and locked in a cell, where the other prisoners could keep a watch over him, and give an alarm in case the fellow again attempted to kill himself.

LATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON

he had found the confinement of a small cell irksome, and sent out word that if he was released he would promise not to commit suicide. The sheriff was considering the advisability of releasing Rutledge when the TELEGRAM reporter came away. If he does let him out in the corridor a strict watch will be kept on him, for the sheriff doesn't propose to have any suicides around the jail if he can possibly avoid it. Rutledge will be arraigned in court tomorrow morning and will very likely get a dose of New York state justice that will make clear to him some of his rather heavy ideas of street etiquette. Rutledge was in Chief Little's office Friday afternoon complaining that he had been robbed of $15 in an Avenue dive, but the assault had not been reported, and the chief did not know of it. He says that Rutledge would have "walked turkey" if he had. Dennis, the janitor at the city hall, was around headquarters when the complainants were down there. "Do them be gurrels that were asshaulted?" asked Dennis. He was informed that they were. Then Dennis pulled his whiskers in silence for a moment or two and reflectively said, "Well, now; it do beat all, don't it? And thim such pretty gurrels, too. Oh, wurra, wurra." Dennis's manner would indicate that he sympathized with the girls and admired their comely appearance all in one breath.

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT JOHNSON.

This arrest recalls the case of Oakley Johnson. The TELEGRAM told last Sunday about the receipt by two of his victims of anonymous letters. Another lady, who was assaulted by this fellow, received a similar letter the past week, and it is now keeping company with the others in Chief Little's possession. Hereafter the writer of these letters should mail them to the chief direct, and save trouble. One of Johnson's attorneys was around to the police court the other day to see if the Lattabrook man arrested for insulting colored women in Slab-town, resembled Johnson. The lawyer said he thought it might be of interest to him if the fellow did look like his client. Now Rutledge resembles Johnson somewhat. Suppose he should be found the author of all the assaults, wouldn't it be nice for Johnson. But he won't. Rutledge had been on a spree, and this was likely his first offense. Besides he hasn't been in the city but a few weeks and couldn't have committed some of the offenses for which Johnson is under arrest.

Source: Elmira Telegram, Sunday January 6, 1889, Page 8