Trial Will Be Held For Johnson Boys

 The Johnson Boys Preliminary Trial Will Be Held Oct 8

Particulars of the Tragedy of Graydon Springs Last Saturday--A Deadly Knife

Virgil Johnson, who killed Ed Anthes at Graydon Springs last Saturday by stabbing him in the heart, was arraigned yesterday and admitted to bail in the sum of $1,500. On recommendation of the coroner's jury, Lomar Johnson, a cousin of Virgil, was also placed under $500 bond as accessory to the murder.
Virgil Johnson is about 17 years old and weighs 120 pounds. He is very youthful in appearance and does not look like a boy who would be guilty of wilful murder.
The Anthes boy was 20 years old and somewhat larger than Johnson. The two became involved in a quarrel in the Graydon Springs post office. Both of them had out their knives and Anthes slapped Johnson in the face. One then dared the other out of doors to finish the fight. They went out and renewed the quarrel. In the meantime, Lomas Johnson took a hand by throwing rocks at Anthes. The latter fought both as best he could. He knocked Virgil down with his fist. When the latter got up he had his knife open and made a lunge for Anthes' heart. The knife went straight to the mark and Anthes was soon a corpse.
The Johnson boys will have a preliminary hearing at Bolivar October 3. W. G. Robertson of this city has been engaged to defend them.

 The above article was first printed in the Springfield Leader and Press (Springfield, Missouri) 28 Sep 1893 Tues Page 8

Listed below is the link to findagrave.com which has the memorial for Edward Anthes. At one point, whoever setup the memorial had the wrong years for Ed. I sent a message to them and gave them the correct information. It was the least I could do since it was my great grandfather who had killed the young man.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/36379337/edward-anthes

I am in the process of trying to find a photo of Virgil Eagleton Johnson and Edward Anthes. I think there should be one of Virgil that might have been taken at the time of his arrest. 

Great Grandpa was a Hell Raiser for sure. I don't think there was an ounce of Holy Roller in him.