Age: 74

During the evening of January 10, 1929, Leroy Milton and Thomas Brewer, both of Middletown, Ohio, and Charles Keplinger, of Trenton, Ohio, met at a pool hall; after which they got drunk and stole a car.  As they drove around, they found themselves in Covington, Kentucky where they robbed a streetcar conductor of ten dollars.  Later, about 2 a.m., they were in Walton, Kentucky. 

Watchman Johnson was on duty across the street at the bank when he saw Keplinger and Milton break the front door of the Kroger store at 24 Main Street.  Brewer stayed in the car.  Drawing his revolver, Watchman Johnson responded to the store, approached the burglars, and, sometime during the exchange, Milton shot him (maybe with his own revolver) in the stomach.  The three fled.  Watchman Johnson was taken to Booth Hospital in Covington.  He died there later that day on January 11, 1929, making him by far the oldest law enforcement officer to have died in the line of duty in the eight-county region. 

A posse was formed and it found and captured the killers in Williamstown, Kentucky.  Milton admitted to firing the gun that killed Watchman Johnson.  They were jailed and charged, but due to concerns with regard to a lynch mob they were moved to the Covington jail for safe-keeping.

Watchman Johnson was survived by his 70-year-old wife, Emily (Emma), and ten children; Omer B., Anna Webb, Mary E, Clara B, Albert C., William D., Sarah H., Emery H., Ruth K., and Mable T.  He was buried in the Walton Cemetery.  Emma joined him there almost seven years later.

The killers were indicted by a Boone County grand jury on January 26, 1929 and tried separately.  Milton was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison; but paroled after ten years in 1940.  Keplinger pleaded guilty to manslaughter, was sentenced to fifteen years, and served only seven years until 1937.  Brewer was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to ten years, but died in jail the next year of spinal meningitis.

Most of the information for this narrative was provided by research conducted by Melinda Sartwell while a student in the Public Histories Program at Northern Kentucky University. If you have further information, artifacts, or pictures of this officer, please contact the Museum Director at Director@GCPHS.com.