The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-12-12
THE STORY OF THE TRAGEDY
CELEBRATED MURDER TRIAL

NOV. w ~: johnson Testifips in Hi,
| own BehRlf-the Case Z Onsume ed
Three Days and Ended In a Verd ~
OIL Not uilty."
Inc court room at Bsmberp wa,
crowded for three davs with an arra,
ol spectators not often seen und r sucf
circumstances TO witness the trial oI
issV. w. u. johnson for the murder O,
Wm. L. Beliinger, who was killed by
Johnson on the 4th of May last. Msny
ladies' were in attendance and mani
tested deep interest In the proceed
lngs. Sixteen witnesses on the direc,
Examination testified for the prosecu
tlon, and among them were two yDunp
'aules VINO witnessed the sad tragedy,
feature OF this case was that two
meh VINO nave for years been antago.
nlsts were the leading lawyers on the
different sides, and each was CONDUCTING
the ecross'examinations for his side. The
antmosity existing between ATTORNEY
Heneral Bellinger and Colonel Robert
Aiarlch Is matter Of general know.
ieuge. Ihey met once before on on
poslte sides In famous case. It WAS
at WATERFORD, five years ago, when
6ellnger was solicitor and pushed The
prosecution OF the Broxton bridge
ynchers.' Aldrich defended the white
men VINO were charged with whipping
~ ueatn an lnofensive old negro wo-
uap ana her son. 1t was the conduct
u this case that won Mr.. Bellinper the
attorney generalship. He and Colonel
Aiarlch have been contesting .yery
oolnt. Both are able lawyers and the
nonors are about even,
| Dr' Is ~. BrunsOn was the first wit.
ness to take the stand for the State
De testlhed that he was resident
physician and surgeon of Bsmberg !:
mas lived In Bamberg three wears !:
mat on May 4th, 1900, "was called to
see w. L. Bellinger; found him living
In path leading from the Carlisle
flttlng school across the campus In
ront OF the house OF Jno, II Bellinger
father OF deceased. He was diving
,vhen | reached him, and probably
MVed ten minutes after he was shot.
Examined wounds and found that II
ouckshot had pierced right side of
belllnger's body, some of which pene.
rated his liver and some his lungs.
which caused death" DR.. Brupson
testified that In order for Bellinper To
nave been shot In the side, and for no
wounds TO have been received in the
arm, that his arm must have necessari-
~ have been held behind him, or held
In a vertical or horizontal position, and
InSG IL would have been necessary for
neiilnger 10 pave turned partly around
and exposed bis side to Johnson tn hava
been wounded In the right side from
the direction In which it is alleged the
'hot was fired. DR.. Brunson thought
GOT more than II buckshot could be
oaded In an ordinary shell.
Inc coat and vest that B llinper
wore when he was shot was exhibited
ma the position OF the wounds pointed
nut by DR.. Brunson. He test Il ID that
me wounds received could not have
produced paralysis, and that Bellinger
ouId have used his hancs and fred
ais pistol, though he had been mortal.
~ wounded. He examined what he
0nought TO be shot marks on the wsll
II the school building and said that
they were caused by small shot and
nuckshot, and that Bellinger was living
In direct line between these marks
ana the telephone pole at the edge OF
the street.
L. N. Bellinger was the next witness
ne SAID he was surveyor OF 90 years
experience reside. d in BAN berg had
'urveyed the surrounding grounds,
treet, ETC., and had made plan show
Ing the re lative positions Of the streets,
aouses and paths in the vicinity of
Messrs. Johnson's and Bel!ingers resi-
dences. This plan was exhibited to
the jury and offered In evidence.
Miss Verbena Brabham testified that
she was now resident of Allepdale.
and daughter of Dr. II. G. Brabham,
but at the time OF the allegt homicide
was a student Of the Carlisle Fitting
school, and on the morning Of May 4th
was standing on the front upstairs
porch OF the young ladies' boarding
hall that she was acquainted with Mr..
w. Il. Bellinger and saw him coming
across the school campus, going in the
direction OF his home. He was walking
10 path leading to his fathers resi-
dence. Just at this time / saw Mr..
Joe Brown drive up to the front of Mr..
job hnson's, whose house adjoined that
OF Mr.. Bellinger here he stopped and
remained In the buggy and held his
horse. Mr.. johnson then came out OF
his house, holding in his hand shot
gun. He went, walking very fast, di-
rectlp out and across the street. a lit
tie to the left OF his house stopped at
or near telephone pole, and as Mr..
Bellinger came along the path, hold.
Ing newspaper In his hand, Mr. John
son raised his gun and fred once. Mr..
Bellinger drew his revolver and shot
twice at Mr.. Johnson. Johnson then
raised his gun the second time, but did
not fire; Instead, lowered 1T and re-
turned to the house from whence he
came" Miss Lula Bamberg was with
her on the piazza while the difficulty
| vas In progress.
Miss Lula Bamberg, a daughter OF
Gen. Bamberg, and at the time of the
Homicide a student at the Carlisle
school, said she knew Willie Belllnger
| oy sight; that on the 4th of May She
was standing on the piazza OF the young
| ladies' hall with Miss Brabham saw
Bellinger coming across the campus;
saw Joe Brown drive up to Mr.. John
sons house just as Bellinger had turn.
ed into path leading to his fathers
house. johnson walked directly across
the street, without stopping at buggy.
feared trouble and turned nv head.
just as did heard loud report, as
" the firing OF two guns. | turned to
look and saw Mr.. Bollinger falling,
with pistol In his hand, which he fred
two or three times. The loudest re-
port was the first, which / think was a
gun. After the shooting Mr.. johnson
turned and went to his house. Brown
drove up with his buggy, looked at
the body and drove away"
The fret witness for defense was c..
Arthur Best, Esq, an attorney at law
who lives at Barnwell, >. c.. He testi-
fled that he knew William Il. Bellinger
and saw q great deal of him while he
was In Barnwoll, and that he had a
conversation with Bellinger in Barn.
well about three weeks before the kill.