Evening star., 1896-02-22
HOLDING AN INQUEST
Authorities Begin an Investigation
Of the jackson City Tragedy.
how BENJAMIN HINES Was KILLED
An Accidental Discharge Started
the Lively Shooting.
WITH Z S SES EXAMINED

1t had been arranged to hold the inquest
over the body OF Benjamin Hines, the negro
deputy sheriff who was killed Thursday
night in the raid on John Nelson's alleged
gambling rooms in Jackson City, at IL
O'Clock this morning. 1t was not commenc-
ed, however Until long time after noon.
Early this morning there gathered about
the one-story frame building in which the
shooting took place. the regulation Jack
son City throng. and. while the dead man
lay in back room of the building, the door
I of which had been securely fastened, the
crowd stood outside in the warm sunlight
and discussed the tragedy.
The majority of the crowd were negroes
but quite number of white men and boys
We're there. Horsemen, Jockeys. policy
runners. card sharps. crap shooters and
spoke of the tragedy a, matter OF ordi-
nary occurrence, and oaths, vile epithets
and coarse jests, not infrequently at the
expense of the man who lay still and cold
In death, filled the air. Adjoining saloons
We're numerous. and between them and the
warm sunlight outside the crowd journeyed
according 10 their financial ability. Those
who had the wherewithal or who could in
trude cn those who had warmed them
| selves with jackson City whisky and those
who were less fortunate depended alone up
| on the sun for warmth, unless they were
sufficiently courageous to dare the anger OF
| the saloon keepers by lettering behind the
red-hot stoves within.
Long Delay.
Opinions respecting the shooting varied.
Some, perhaps the vast majority Of the
crowd, sustained the action or Nelson. de-
claring that the dead man got inst what he
deserved for attempting to interfere with
the prevailing Jackson City Industry. A
| few vowed vengeance agains. Nelson,
threatening to mob The coroner's jury IL
they should declare that Nelson acted, as
his friends claim, IN self-defense. Prose-
| cutting Attorney r. w. Johnston was early
on hand, as was Squire Randolph Birch.
who. it was explained. would preside at
| the inquest In the absence OF the coroner
of the county.
A negro constable had summoned a fury
| of six men. three of whom were negroes,
put as the hours passed, and the inquest
was rot commenced. it was explained that
the necessary witnesses could not be found.
Mr.. John NJ Johnson of Alexandria and
Mr.. Charles Bendheim, a local attorney
| representing Nelson, urged the magistrate
| to at least swear in the jury and then ad-
| Journ the inquest until Monday. when all
the witnesses would probably be able to
attend
The magistrate decided. however, that
the inquest must be held today, but even
after he had reached that decision he de-
layed matters, first, because Sheriff Palmer
was not on hand, then because the prisoner
Nelson had not been brought up from the
Alexandria Jail. and then for one reason or
another until after 1 O'Clock. Then the
doors Of the saloon where the shooting took
place were opened, and while the curious,
cursirS throng was excluded, the jury were
admitted and sworn over the dead mans
body.
Scene Of the Tragedy.
The building in which the shooting oc-
CURED is three rooms deep and one story
hig;l. The first room is used as a bar
| room. the second was not used. but in the
| third one a long green table and several
small card tables and chairs We're ar
| ranged. a big stove being set in the cor
ner. The shooting took place In the back
and second room, II is said.
The body of Hines. a young negro. lay
stretched out it's back in the second
room. one arm lying across his chest and
the other half bent as IL clnched in the
agony Of death.
The Witnesses.
The jury was composed OF six white men,
as follows: George w. Ferguson. Seymour
Henson. John Travers, Albert Faulkner,
E. S. Brown and E. 7. Sisson. After they
had been sworn over Hines body the party
repaired to the third or back room, ard
there. as the party. magistrate, jury. Wit.
nesses. counsel and newspaper men hovered
around the stove.
The first witness was Andrew Lewis. q
young colored man. one of those who had
been deputZed by Deputy Sheriff Deuter.
mann to assist him in raiuing Nelson's
alleged gambling place. He stated that
There were about ten or twelve in the raid.
ing party. and that when Sheriff Deuter-
| mann came in the front room he told Nell
son that he and his party were under ar.
rest.
Nelson seemed to say all right. ana then
he asked Deuterman and Nit Johnson to
take drink. Just they were doing hat
Johnson's pistol fell out of his pocket
Lewis said he picked 1t up, when johnson
endeavored to take it away from him.
The pistol was accidentally exploded at
that point, the ball going up into the CELL
Ing. Then all at once. the firing became
general said Lewis. The crowd scattered
jumping out Of the doors and windows
The ball which killed Hines was fired by
Nelson. the man staggering into the next
room. where he fell and died and Lewis
was positive that he saw Harry Gambler
fire al him as he ran out OF the door.
There We're about fifteen men in the back
room gambling. Lewis said. and as the
deputy sheriff and his men came in they
all rushed out. Everything was quiet and
peaceful. said Lewis, until Johnson's pis-
tol was fired off. Deuterman and johnson,
he said. were the only white men In the
raiuing party.
Other Testimony.
Charles Goldman, another young colored
man. and also one OF the raiding party,
gave similar testimony. as did Charles Twy.
man, colo, ed, and one of the sheriff's dep
uties. He heard one pistol shot, and then
the shooting became general. Il seed Mis-
tab Nelson shoot" he explained. "but I
didn't much else. fur, gemmen. 1 dun got
out of dar right way, an ] tells yer lost
no time in gittin' out of dar."
Were you deputized?" asked Prosecuting
Attorney Johnston.
Deed. 1 doesn't know what dat ts.
was asked by Nh. Deutermann TO come
'lorg. an 1 done come. An Ise mighty
sorry dat L did, fur. as yer see. gemmen,
one of dose balls jes grazed my arm am
den glanced off,
The inquest was suspended at this point
10 allow other witnesses to be secured for
the state. Squire Birch stated that It
would be necessary to have the Testimony
OF Deputy Sheriff Deutcrmann. johnson.
PegleS' O'Brien, now at the Emergency
Hospital. and the inquest, he said would
ne adjourned today until some day next
week probably.
How He Was Hurt.
Tho accident by which J. s. Stanley OF
indian territory was thrown from a caIIs
car on 14th street, in Mt. Pleasant. Tues
6aV Qlapipp hoo haap ,,o,la.