Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1893-11-14
STRUNG UP AND SHOT.
SUCH WAS THE FATE OF NELSON, THE
 MURDERER OF BENJ. BETS.
Taken from the Jail at yarnar Last Night and Lynehed by Enfariated Ae-
 groes-The Yietrm's
 Helllsh Crime.

Prosecuting Attorney Smith c Martin received 8 telegram this morn ing from Mr. II. B. Rogers, at Var mar, stating that negro named Nelson, the murderer of Benjamin Betts, was taken from the jailat that place last night and shot and killed by the friends of Betts, all the partic- ipants being negroes.
 1t will be remembered that the DAILY GRAGHIC one day last week gave an account of the killing of Betts by Nelson, but at that time we did not have the facts in the case as they existed, and for the benefit of our readers we will give the eircum- stances of the murder today.
 A negro man named Dave Hill owed the mother-in-law of Betts money due on rent. When Hill sold his cotton he paid the rent money to Nelson, with instructions that hepay the same over to Betts' nother-in- law, The rents did not come up as were expected.
 The old negro woman and Betts went to Hill for the rents and Hill told them he had sent the money to her. by Nelson. Upon this intelli- gence Betts and his mother-in-law went to Nelson's house. It so hap pened that on the morning of the day that they called on Nelson. Betts had killed a beef and still had his butcher knife with him. When he and his mother-in-law approached Nelson's house, they hailed Nelson who was out in the yard with his baby in his arms, and de- manded of him the rents which Hill had paid him. Nelson denied hay- ing received the money and at the same time turned and went into the house. When he came out he had an ax in his hand and he and old man Betts got into a quarrel. Betts however got the ax away from Nel- son and they settled the quarrel. Betts turned the ax over to Nelson thinking the quarrel had been amicaGly settled. But his confidence in Nelson re- suited in his own death Without any warning Nelson suddenly drew the aX, struck Betts blow and severed his right leg from his body. The old man fell prostrate to the ground and his assailant jumped on him with both feet and stamped him to death. 4 negro man who hap pened to be near rushed up and tried to restrain Nelson from murdering the old man. Nelson picked up his aX and started for the man who in- terferred. The negro took ill the situation and ran for his life. Nelson all the while pursuing him. He. how ever, made good his escape and spread the news of the killing all over the community. Nelson was ar- rested and placed in jail at Warner. l Last night the friends of Betts went to the jail at Warner. got possession of the prisoner, took him short way from the jail and completely riddled his body with bullets. Not a single white man had anything to do with the lynching.
 Prosecuting Attorney Smith C. ] Martin. on receipt of the above tele- gram immediately wired the author ities at Warner to use all means in their power to have the parties en- gagged in the lyhehing arrested
 While the crime committed by Nel- son was q deed of most hideous na- ture, it is to be regretted that the just hand of the law has been pre- vented in its execution of justice by this infuriated band of lynchers, who have by their unlawful actions added another crime to the already dark and blackened calender of wrong d0ia@s and misdemeanors in Arkansas. Beyond any doubt Nel- son would have expiated his crime with a hangman's rope about his neck and been suspended betweed heaven and earth until pronouncen dead.