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Johnson wasn’t even the first charged or convicted under the law, which seems to be unknown to many. The law was approved on June 25th, 1910 and went into effect as of July 1st, 1910. Under the law the maximum sentence in prison was 5 years plus a maximum fine of $5,000. In May of 1911, Effie Hoke from Beaumont, Texas and Basile Economodies, a New Orleans saloon-keeper, were sentenced to 6 years each for 3 counts of violating the Mann Act. They received 2 years for each violation. This shatters another often-told myth that Johnson got a harsh sentence because of who he was. Johnson was sentenced to 1 year and a day in prison yet others before and after him did more time for violating the same law and they were unknown in comparison. It is even stated that before the trial, Johnson was willing to plead guilty and pay a hefty fine if he didn’t have to do jail time. This being the same man that often-fought speeding tickets (yes, they had those back then) in court.
Schreiber, who was still a prostitute, testified to the court that Johnson had sent her $75 in October of 1910 to travel from Pittsburgh to Chicago with the intent of her having sex with him. This of course violates the law when a woman is paid to travel across state lines for immoral purposes. She also named other locations and times where they traveled together, and she exchanged money for sex. While on stand she also told of how Johnson often beat her, which Johnson denied. Schreiber stated that Johnson had given her a large sum of money (about $2,000) to open her own whorehouse where she could work as a madam and a prostitute. This was said to have been a gift and he had claimed to have no knowledge of her intent with the money—a woman that had always made her living as a prostitute. Johnson admitted to sending her $75 but when questioned if he had sent a telegram asking her to travel to see him for immoral purposes he didn’t seem to want to answer the question. Johnson claimed he didn’t know and then said he might have sent her one but wasn’t sure. When Johnson tried to elaborate he put the blame of his amnesia on someone else claiming one of the men that worked for him might have. He would go on to say he never gave the call for anyone to send it if so. Of course, the jury didn’t buy that claim. Johnson’s chauffeur who is not to be confused with the chauffeur Johnson was accused of intimidating and assaulting in another trial for smuggling a necklace into the country, testified that he had drove Schreiber from place to place for Johnson before. Mr. Jacobowski stated: “Johnson engaged for me to drive for him on Aug. 14, 1910. After our arrival in Cleveland, he told me to go get Belle Schreiber. His wife was at the time staying with friends. Belle Schreiber was known under a different name. I drove her to the theater. There she met Johnson. Four days later, in Detroit, Mich., I was again sent to a hotel to bring the Schreiber woman to Johnson.”
After the trial and Johnson was found guilty of violating the Mann Act. Johnson made a statement to the Chicago Defender saying, “I made a game fight and I lost, but I am satisfied.”
The Chicago Defender was an African-American paper that started in 1905 and was a big supporter of Johnson’s and stood up for the rights of black Americans during that time and would go on to be one of the leading press to fight for civil rights. The Chicago Defender thought Johnson got a fair trial and stated so: “The Chicago Defender is also satisfied. It has championed the champion when no one else would, its only object being to secure fair play.”
Even the time he was given was more than fair. Another man got the same time and a judge called the amount of time “moderate”. In that case the defendant didn’t jump bail like Johnson had, something he didn’t get charged for. Johnson requested for a retrial but was denied but again, nothing that had not happened before. Effie Hoke and Basile Economodies also had their request for a retrial denied.
Not all cases under the Mann Act ended in a conviction however. A black fighter by the name of William ‘Kid’ Brown was tried under the Mann Act in 1920. Brown was accused of transporting a black woman across state lines for immoral purposes and for draft evasion. He was tried, and the charges were dropped, and Brown was then set free.
Johnson was far from being targeted or singled out. He got a light sentence because of who he was, a famous world champion.
Johnson is often viewed as a man who was just trying to live his own life as he saw fit, and although this is true it is often forgotten just what kind of life that was. This article doesn’t even scratch the surface on that subject. But as far as the undeserved pardon that Johnson has received, I guess it can be added to the collection of excuses that Johnson’s legacy has. Time has been good to Johnson and history has a way of being molded into what makes for a better story. If the grueling truth is to be told, Johnson was a great fighter, a poor champion….and an even worse man.
Schreiber, who was still a prostitute, testified to the court that Johnson had sent her $75 in October of 1910 to travel from Pittsburgh to Chicago with the intent of her having sex with him. This of course violates the law when a woman is paid to travel across state lines for immoral purposes. She also named other locations and times where they traveled together, and she exchanged money for sex. While on stand she also told of how Johnson often beat her, which Johnson denied. Schreiber stated that Johnson had given her a large sum of money (about $2,000) to open her own whorehouse where she could work as a madam and a prostitute. This was said to have been a gift and he had claimed to have no knowledge of her intent with the money—a woman that had always made her living as a prostitute. Johnson admitted to sending her $75 but when questioned if he had sent a telegram asking her to travel to see him for immoral purposes he didn’t seem to want to answer the question. Johnson claimed he didn’t know and then said he might have sent her one but wasn’t sure. When Johnson tried to elaborate he put the blame of his amnesia on someone else claiming one of the men that worked for him might have. He would go on to say he never gave the call for anyone to send it if so. Of course, the jury didn’t buy that claim. Johnson’s chauffeur who is not to be confused with the chauffeur Johnson was accused of intimidating and assaulting in another trial for smuggling a necklace into the country, testified that he had drove Schreiber from place to place for Johnson before. Mr. Jacobowski stated: “Johnson engaged for me to drive for him on Aug. 14, 1910. After our arrival in Cleveland, he told me to go get Belle Schreiber. His wife was at the time staying with friends. Belle Schreiber was known under a different name. I drove her to the theater. There she met Johnson. Four days later, in Detroit, Mich., I was again sent to a hotel to bring the Schreiber woman to Johnson.”
After the trial and Johnson was found guilty of violating the Mann Act. Johnson made a statement to the Chicago Defender saying, “I made a game fight and I lost, but I am satisfied.”
The Chicago Defender was an African-American paper that started in 1905 and was a big supporter of Johnson’s and stood up for the rights of black Americans during that time and would go on to be one of the leading press to fight for civil rights. The Chicago Defender thought Johnson got a fair trial and stated so: “The Chicago Defender is also satisfied. It has championed the champion when no one else would, its only object being to secure fair play.”
Even the time he was given was more than fair. Another man got the same time and a judge called the amount of time “moderate”. In that case the defendant didn’t jump bail like Johnson had, something he didn’t get charged for. Johnson requested for a retrial but was denied but again, nothing that had not happened before. Effie Hoke and Basile Economodies also had their request for a retrial denied.
Not all cases under the Mann Act ended in a conviction however. A black fighter by the name of William ‘Kid’ Brown was tried under the Mann Act in 1920. Brown was accused of transporting a black woman across state lines for immoral purposes and for draft evasion. He was tried, and the charges were dropped, and Brown was then set free.
Johnson was far from being targeted or singled out. He got a light sentence because of who he was, a famous world champion.
Johnson is often viewed as a man who was just trying to live his own life as he saw fit, and although this is true it is often forgotten just what kind of life that was. This article doesn’t even scratch the surface on that subject. But as far as the undeserved pardon that Johnson has received, I guess it can be added to the collection of excuses that Johnson’s legacy has. Time has been good to Johnson and history has a way of being molded into what makes for a better story. If the grueling truth is to be told, Johnson was a great fighter, a poor champion….and an even worse man.
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