The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1884-12-31
Inquest Held Oyer the Dead Body OF
Arthur VI. Benedict, December 24,

t~ItAHLES Ar~EHHACK, sworn, says:
W." were" very, busy, MIR. benedict was
showing pair OF shoes. | WAS trading with Il
customer. SAW Ferguson come in. Heard no
words. saw flash OF pistol. He told me
with t'arinl eyes that he was shot. Expired
few steps from him. was on tie oil.cr side
oi counter. saw flash OF pistol. Anc- hiring
pistol. l". F'rs"rsor, was taken out. saw
Heard no words pass between them. No
more nr:tcc:'hlG boy than benedict. Heard
pistol in toe l:.u,s "i Ferguson in the flash of
the 'iGh'ning.. ltwaal in the hands of frrEu-
know Ferguson fired tn" siiu:. Hcncdict WAS
on one s!H" "t The counter, Fh'gus"n ON the
tina; ! know Of. i~'cnclirt bought load Of
wot"! f'n!n Ferguson and PAID him in corset,
SrvrmiN-,irc cents. | charged il myself.
:. =. MAHTIS sworn, SAYS:
Riley walked out with i'crGr:son. Didn't
tell me II" was goinr ,">hno, INN. Heard tie
report; saw u" r'>t"!. SAID nothing l." Fer
pu>"n i":"r" TIA" firing. Heard NOTHING Fer
sn>om sa'ii t" n" i'"fnr". ! told rcr.suSun he
better =" home. lie w;H drunk. He WAS not
MYSTERIOUS. Didn't tell ~nI,yboiy on street
that Ferguson '.,id Il" was going To kill that
LrruEE uAnDo&. sworn, says:
Was Walking down street; Abe Donaldson
Intoxicated. Some vonvcr.n;i,n in store.
Iis,oI i,rsd. Hencdic run ont. said, "Tm
shot" ! heard pistol fire. Didn't sec pistol.
Hear something about wood. Heard damn
lie pass. Don't know who used il. Pistol fired
wv A.. " "lNpHlc WIZ ptt"t cen ftf-
gibson and Hrnc,!ici. Two negro women
between Benedict ana Ferguson when shoot.
iclning against counter. The counter was
bet W the two. Ferguson walked i'll stag
grring.
NoKMAS HIciEY, sworn, STANDINGS:
This morning when | stepped up in store
door Mr. fErius"n was le,ning ngainst the
Norman come here. ] went to him. I am
drunk. He walked piece down the counter.
Said, stay with me. He said If YOU ca, find
my brothers, tell them to come here. Just as
stepped oil,stdc walk, Tom donaldson said
Mr.. l'arksIuIc wanted to see me. Just ms /
got IN store and was telling Nlr. Iarksdalr
about ii, heard pistol lire. Mr.. lharssdalc said
nothing about shooting beforehand.
WIN. RILEY, sworn, says:
When l heard shooting ] ran in. He said
he did Shooting that that damned rascal tri-
L"o". Men out OF back door. Saw nothing in
hensdict's hands; he had ono hand over
diet came from behind show case. Heard no
puarrrlinr: Ferguson had pistol In his hand.
him. said when he WAS going to jail that the
dunn rascal was trying IL cut him. Fcrru-
son said nothing To lienc'iict after he hilo,
EhrIAu VANCE, sworn, says.
When vent in store, / went down counter.
Ell Mr.. benedict, said whit on me. Said ali
right; found Mr.; l'crhuson leaning .:,galnst
pulled out pistol. ram out. Wien rot To-
Mr.. kalisky's heard pistol fire. one on one
SiaS e 81 Lot t%,c1v ih,e "'e 2 Sh n Ic%ariic, l, M:,t wn no
Ing on !: customer. He didnt zee Mr.. Fcrgn-
son: Mr.. hcm"Lict Think was waiting on
Alex Rliney's wife. Didn't sec any knife In
Mr.. l1cnetliGt's hand. or any weapon. Fcrru.
son didn't say anything TO me. When he
was in the store when went in. lie might
iiure been drunk; Mr.. Ferguson was leaning
against the middle counter.
J. +. MILLER. sworn, says:
j. was in store when Mr. Ferguson came in.
lie leaned W. side the counter and stopped.
l turned round. Saw him have pistol. /
started QUITO! the store. never heard n word
hetwiNt them. / faw linn with pistol. saw
him with pistol. started out. got to die door.
heard pistol fire. l went on. Mr.. Ferguson
was ON m on" -, ,inG G"n",%r. Ecmslic; ON The 9th,
was waiting on customer.
joins PALMER sworn, says:
i was standing ihcrr: Lie Vance said he
saw that man with pistol. Caught Inc by the
hand. Carried M" Uui oi store.
llETTIE HE:.Iu%, sworn. says:
We were trading with Mi. Benedict. He
went ronrd t" show us some shoes. Heard
inis ni'n tnenk to him; Lucy said 10 me that
could run h: SHOT him. Mr.. H,nc,iict was at
The box. NrNC heard what he said. He shot
lIiin rs soon :iS Mr.. H"!"Lict answered.. Don't
kio" bow Tong i,ai ,i:n was leaning against
Inc counter. II" never nhovr,! from his first
r~"r'!i"n; Air. Hr,'i'ir; @"in& roun,, to get the
at ham when H." r!lut him. / was i]uo!;int. NJ
w., wn' i N Hr:'r,!i"t had n"ti!in@ IN his hand.
;!-a;i!$t l'r counter when he shot. Lucy Snit,
der. was with Ia" "!"M he was sho,
;'t'i SAai.tIiS: Sworn. says;
law the man do the Shooting. Doubt n I
would iinow him. ! ram as soon as saw the
shot. nhn't hrsr - Morl between them. Thry
were Il few feet apart. Saw the :nan before
he d!i the fi0rlinE. Mr.. benedict WAS Gu; of
my sight when he was shot. was asking sir.
iich"'iict about some shoes. lie went TO get
''leiii. ! saw the man when he shot him. |
saw the pistol drawn and cock Cd. D,.lu't
near IL word. Mr.. Benedict WAS hidden from
me 10y the l.air"ls. When / first SAW pistol il
was out. Sever heard any qunrrc!iHg. was
Of store.
ItEl.Ec", .lrrnAcH, sworn. says:
l Was al the duOr-frUnt talking to Mr.. Amer
nhci. Heard pistol !!rc. Heard Mr.. Benedict
ray he was shot.
ifiSHr Ir%T:E, sworn. says:
heard p!"iG: :ir.,. JuI.im,i ouI front door
anu ran. Ilri.fl Du: o. SLOT.
itfiiAl:D !%'-'oIt'I, ."u.tn. ra:S:
/ Was standing OK the sidewalk Ia front of
An"TiIHcii d store. Hrl:r:iici C:.inc ont, said n.
was s!ini. I'I'int say ":iD >i,Ii l.!.ii. Saw
io!in r"iE!i~ni III store. li"aT'!u:iy Ii.r.n.t.
MI. f"'S.soi! Was far bur:i III store: All came
rushing out but him. benedict ,.l,!n't live
more ina. twenty or ihiity iuinu:".
Di:. r. +. ''AHl. sw'irn, submits" TIE fellow
ing w.Itttn statement: