The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1895-10-17
TEN DOLLARS AND COST.
RzV ". h. gE3rHsI.'| TRIAL FOR
RESISTING AN OFFICER.
Mayor Gray Says He is Guil'y-The
Coiored Divine TAX an appeal TO
Higher Court-Tp be Tris d
for hooking the House.
for hooking the House.

fur hooking the hOuse'.
Rev. ~. L Bethel, cnlored, was
tried before Mayor Gray Monday
afternoon on the charge Of resisting
Officer Douthit on the night of the
1lth inst.
His Honor said the cnlnred divine
was guilty and fined him $40 and cost
Bethel appealed To the Superior
court, his bond being fixed at $500,
which he gave.
The defendant was represented by
Mr.. j. L. Patterson and j. S. Lanier,
the latter colored. Mr.. L. NJ. Swink,
the city's prosecuting attorney, ap-
peared for Policeman Douthit.
trequired about two hours to dis
lose OF the case Twelve witnesses
''kissed the Book" for the defendant.
They were examined by Mr.. Pdtter-
son.
OiicerDJuthit was the first man on
the stand He told the story as to
how Bethel resisted when he attempt
ed to arrest bin. He said lie attempt
ed to arrest Bethel for throwing
rocks at Hotel Bethel. Went there
for the purpose of trying to catch the
parties who had been rocking the
house Saw Bethel and several 9th
erS in the yard. Saw them throw
rocks. Bethel was in his shirt sleeves
Bethel threw rock at me. L drew
my pistol then and shot towards him.
He said he had right to rock his
own building. Said [ should not ar
rest any one on his lot. He jerked
loose from me. His son came ny and
said if l touched his father he would
try me.
Cross-examined: Mr.. Patterson
asked MIR. Douthit what he was doing
at Bethel's house. The officer replied
that Bethel had complained to him
a number of times about people rock
ing his house and asked him to come
oyer and help him watch for the
guilty parties. That was part Of my
business | also went there to see
Mollie Roberts who had sent me word
that she desired to see me on some
business. She was not at home when
| fist got there but came later. l
watched 10 or 10 minutes before rocks
were thrown. l heard Bethel say:
Boys, let 'em all go at once" l
summoned MoIlie Roberts and her
daughter to be here at court. | did
strike Bethel on the head in the police
headquarters Saturday night. l had
chain in my hand when L struck
him. He asked me to summon his
witnesses; l went to his house and
while L was there he told his boy to
go after an officer to have me arrested.
This made me mad. l did not strike
him at WiilIamsOn's factory. Bethel
asked me 10 compromise. Said he
wanted to- leave here Wednesday and
would give me s. to compromise l
told him he would have to see Mayor
Gray.
John Johnson, colored, was the only
witness, besides Officer Douthit, that
testified for the prosecution. He said
MolIie Roberts was his cousin. She
was at his house Friday helping his
wife iron. She asked me to go home
with her that night; l went UP in her
room. We passed Mr. DouthiJ near
the hotel While in the house heard
3 or rocks strike the window blinds.
The next thing l heard was pistol
fire; | then went out with a lamp in
my hand to see what was the matter.
Six or seven men were in the yard.
Bethel was there. Mr.. DOutbit told
him ne was the man that had been
rocking the house. Bethel told the
officer he could not arrest anybody on
his (Bethel's) lot. The character of
Mollie Roberts, SO far as l know, is
good.
On cross examination Johnson said
this was the first time he was ever in
the hotel. Ii was between and 8
o'clock when he was there. When we
passed Mr.. Douthit he asked Mrs. Rob
erts if she sent for him; she replied
that she did but that she could not
see him then.
EVIDENCE FOR THE DEFENSE.
Witnesses for the defense then be-
gan testifying. Twelve of them were
sworn to tell nothing but the truth"
Mr.. A a. Heggie, who collects the
rents for the Baltimore Building and
Loan Association, stated THAT part OF
the hotel belonged to Bethel and part
to the Association he represented.
He said he found two shutters and
one or two Stats out of place but he
did not examine them closely and
could not tell how they were broken.
The defendant, Rev. w. L. Bethel,
told his side of the case. Was up
stairs in room reading when one of
boys came up and told me Mr.. Dou-
thit wanted to see me; went down
stairs to see him: went out after
shooting; he talked good deal; he did
not offer TO arrest me; never has until
Saturday night when he beat me; l
never threw any stones; boys are not
in habit Of rocking house; Saturday
evening officer came to my house and
abused me so that / asked my son
Martin to go to Police Department
and tell them to send projections; Mr..
Doughit followed my son; [ became
uneasy about NV boy and went to the
police station; l asked Mr.. Hit for
projections; Mr.. Douthit, while / was
there, wrapped me over the head with
a chain: he followed me out and when
we got 10 WilliamSOn's factory he said
lie had brought me out to kill me; he
had his pistol and billy both out; he
struck me with his billy under the
eye: he made me get down on my
knees; be said pray; l did not pray, but
began tn think about it; he made me
hold up my hands; | never had billy
on me before.
Cross examined: l swear 1 never
saw the man tmeaning Douthit) jump
fence in my life; l came down stairs
when heard the shot; Douthit offer
ed to pay half the cost of the case if
it went against me.
AmauZt Gray said: / was standing
on the steps; Mr.. Douthit asked me
If Mrs. Roberts was at home; / told
him no. I told him her daughter
Carrie said for him to come up there;
he went up to her room and locked
the door: peeped through the key
hole and heard him counting out
money.
George Douthit, colored, said: I
saw brass buttons on Mr.. Douthit'S
sleeve when he reached his hand out
| the window to close the blinds.
Sherman Sharp, Enoch BrackstOn,
VIM. Bethel, son of the defendant, Ed.
| Scott. the wife of the cOlOred preacher,