Ammon Crystal

Murder and Suicide Climax to Illicit Love

Newtie A. (Spot) Johnston Shoots Mrs. Mary Crystal, 22, and Then Self in Taylor Street Home; Sister Tells of Quarrel Over Marriage; Divorce Suit Filed by Husband at Paris

Newtie A. (Spot) Johnston, 42, fatally shot Mrs. Mary Crystal, 22, with a shotgun at his home, 414 Taylor street, about 5 o'clock this morning, and then shot himself, according to the local police and sheriff.

Coroner R.H. Williams said that Jennie Trussell, 17, sister of Mrs Crystal, also lived in the four-room home and was there this morning when the two who were killed started arguing about marriage.

She told Dr. Williams that Johnston, with whom Mrs Crystal had been living with for some time, asked her to marry him if and when she was divorced from her husband, Ammon William Crystal, 33, of Paris.

Wouldn't Marry Him

Mrs. Crystal told Johnston she would not marry him nor any man, whereupon Johnston reached for a 12-gauge Winchester hammerless shotgun and raised it to shoot Mrs. Crystal, Jennie Trussell told the coroner. Miss Trussell said she and her sister tried to wrest the shotgun from Johnston, but did not succeed, and that Johnston shot Mrs. Crystal in the chest.

Jennie Trussell then ran out of the house and ran a block and a half to the home of C. M. Davidson, 401 Farror, Davidson said Miss Trussell's cries about something about her sister aroused his wife and that she awakened him about the time Miss Trussell pounded on the door.

Davidson heard her story and called the police. Policeman Bob Snidow answered the call and when he arrived Johnston was also dead.

Shotgun Near Bodies

Sheriff Amos Magruder said the body of Mrs. Crystal was lying face down on the floor in a doorway between two bedrooms and that Johnston's body was lying face down on top of her body, with his head near her feet. The stock of the shotgun was between his feet and the muzzle near his neck. One empty shell was found lying in the bedroom and another in the gun.

Both were shot in the chest near the heart. The wounds were almost three inches in diameter and were deep, showing that both shots were fired at close range. There was a large pool of blood on the floor where the bodies were lying.

Mrs. Crystal's body was clad in a slip and Johnston's body was clothed with overalls and did not have shoes. There was no indication that there had been any drinking. Neighbors stated that on occasion there had been some wild parties at the home, Sheriff Magruder said. The two beds in the house had been slept in.

Two Children in Room

Also in the room when the police arrived were two children, one Mary Elaine Crystal, 21/2 years old, in one of the beds, daughter of Ammon William Crystal, and the other, Nola Mae Johnston, aged 11 months, said by Sheriff Magruder to be the daughter of Johnston. Both children were daughters of Mrs. Crystal. The infant was in a crib.

The shooting did not cause the children to cry, although both were awake when police arrived.

Coroner Williams said an inquest will be held at the Mahan Funeral parlors, where the bodies were taken, at 8 o'clock tonight.

Divorce Petition Filed

Mr. Crystal married Mary Trussell Nov. 30, 1941, in Monroe county and they were separated in June, 1944, according to a divorce petition filed by the husband in circut court at Paris. The petition, which was filed Dec. 12, and notice of which was served on Mrs. Crystal by Sheriff Magruder on Dec. 20, further stated that Crystal was inducted in the army Jan. 6, 1943, that he left the United States for foreign duty May 7, 1943, and that Mrs Crystal was the mother of a child born March, 1945, of an unknown father.