Jailing the Johnston Gang by Bruce E. Mowday

Author:Bruce E. Mowday
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-56980-363-9
Publisher: Barricade Books

Murder Charges Lodged

With the revelations by Ricky Mitchell and Leslie Dale concerning the multiple murders, the law enforcement team wanted Norman Johnston back in custody. Norman Johnston had been free since December 19, 1978, when he was released from federal custody. The Johnston brother had been keeping out of sight.

State policemen Tom Cloud and J. R. Campbell at one point stopped the car of Susie Johnston, Norman’s wife, along Route 1 looking for Norman Johnston. A search of the car, including the trunk, didn’t yield the wanted man.

“We received a call from Kennett Square police,” Campbell said. “They had stopped a cousin of the Johnston brothers who was driving Norman’s car. In the car was a key for the Red Coach Motor Inn in Aberdeen, Maryland. The relative was held by Kennett Square police and wasn’t allowed to make any phone calls. We didn’t want him alerting the Johnstons.”

Campbell and state policeman Paul Yoder went to Maryland and contacted the Maryland State Police. Maryland troopers joined them at the hotel and a front desk person was shown a photo of Norman Johnston. The wanted man was registered at the hotel but under an assumed name. Norman Johnston wasn’t there when the police first checked. A search warrant was obtained to make sure it was Norman Johnston’s room.

“We knew he would be back,” Campbell said. “I called the Avondale barracks to see if I was authorized to spend $50 to rent a room next to Johnston’s room. These are some of the things we had to put up with during the investigation. My request for the authorization was passed along to Lancaster troop headquarters. We were asked if we couldn’t just wait outside the hotel. We wanted to be in the room next to him. It would make for an easier arrest. We were part of a major homicide investigation and they wouldn’t authorize the spending of $50. I said forget it and paid for the room myself.”

Yoder recalls staying at the motel more than 12 hours before Norman Johnston drove up to the hotel in a car that had been stolen in Philadelphia. “The Maryland trooper asked if he was Johnston and he said no,” Yoder said. “I stuck my head in the room and said ‘the hell you ain’t.’” Norman Johnston, according to Yoder, said, “Yoder, you aren’t allowed to be in Maryland.” Yoder added, “I’ll never forget that.”

Norman Johnston was arrested on burglary warrants. He had black clothing and a ski mask in the room along with a police monitor. “It was state-of-the-art,” Yoder said. “You could hear all of the police monitors. The trooper made a bet that Johnston didn’t have the confidential state police chan-nel. He called for a test and Johnston had it programmed on the monitor.”

On January 13, 1979, at 5:00 PM, Assistant District Attorney Dolores Troiani, Chester County Chief County Detective Charles Zagorskie, and state policemen Tom Cloud and Bob Martz interviewed Norman Johnston at the Maryland State Police barracks in Bel Air. After being advised of his constitutional rights, Johnston said he wanted to make a deal.

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