Otter Johnson
Philpin reporting that her husband was drunk at Johnson’s house; when the Philpins confronted him, a scene ensued [5][4]. On Saturday evening, Johnson shot and instantly killed Norman Buck in Lordsburg [7]. Small immediately arrested Johnson for the killing [6]. The coroner’s jury returned a verdict of “unjustifiable homicide” and stated that Buck came to his death from a gunshot wound at Johnson’s hands [1]. Johnson was sentenced to three years for murder at Lordsburg [2]. After serving a little over one year of that sentence, he began asking for a pardon, reportedly embracing Christianity and desiring to teach Sunday school [2][3]. The newspaper opposed the pardon, noting that Johnson had threatened to kill people in Lordsburg if he had the opportunity [2][3].
Sources
- The coroner’s jury returned a verdict of… (1888)The coroner’s jury returned a verdict of “unjustifiable homicide,” and that the “de- ceased came to his death from a gun shot wound, from the hands of Otter Johnson.”
- Otter Johnson, the Lordsburg murderer,… (1890)Otter Johnson, the Lordsburg murderer, after having served a little over one year of his three years’ sentence, is now asking for a par- don. Like Geronimo, he has embraced the cross, and now desires an opportun…
- Silver City Enterprise — 1888-1890 (full OCR, Internet Archive) — 1890-02-14 (1890)Otter Johnson, the Lordsburg murderer, after having served a little over one year of his three years’ sentence, is now asking for a par- don. Like Geronimo, he has embraced the cross, and now desires an oppo…
- Silver City Enterprise — 1888-1890 (full OCR, Internet Archive) — 1888-06-22 (1888)pretty freely, he had not a few enemies in this section of the county. His death, however, was a great surprise to his many friends here, who mani- fested great anxiety to obtain the full particu- lars, whic…
- On Wednesday of last week, Prof… (1888)On Wednesday of last week, Prof. Philpin, who had but recently been married, and was living at Shakespeare, came into Lordsburg to take the train for some point in Arizona, where he had accepted a situation wi…
- Silver City Enterprise — 1888-1890 (full OCR, Internet Archive) — 1888-06-22 (1888)or three times. Johnson then pulled his six-shooter, when Buck started to run. Eye witnesses state that Johnson then took deliberate aim and fired, the ball entering the head at the base of the brain on t…
- At 11 o’clock on Sunday last the startling… (1888)At 11 o’clock on Sunday last the startling information was flashed to this city by wire that on the evening previous Norman Buck had been shot and instantly killed by Otter John- son, in Lordsburg, the home o…