The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-05-16
TIE eAMsEga:s GItIINa.
3sss. Nj, johnson Gives Ais Version 0f
the Unfortunate Affair.

Rev. W. E. johnson, who shot and
killed Court Stenographer Bellinger at
Bamberg last week, was bailed by JUS
tice Pope at Columbia on Friday in the
sum of three thousand dollars. At the
hearing numerous afidavits Of a most
interesting character were presented on
both sides, throwing much light on this
most unusual criminal case.
THE MINISTER'S VERSION.
The following version Of the killing
was given by Mr.. johnson in his afi-
davit:
That he is 36 years old and has been
ordained minister Of the Baptist church
for II years past, and for the past three
years has been in charge Of the Bam-
berg Baptist church at Bamberg in said
State. That the pastoral residence or
parsonage in which defendant resides
with his family, which consists Of his
wife and four children, is situated upon
the same part Of the town With that Of
MIR. Bellinger, Immediately adjoining
each other and separated only by d.
viding fence. That deponent moved
to his said residence in October or No
7ember, 1898, and up to the month of
June, 1899, The relations between the
two families were pescesble; that in the
month of June, 1899, deponent was
called on professionally to perform the
marriage ceremony between Mr.. Joseph
Z. Brown and Miss Jennie Bellinger,
the daughter of the sal Jonn R. Bel
lirger, Ed, both of whom appeared to
be, and deponent is Informed, were Of
lawful age, i. e above the age of 81
years. That after this marriage, which
it seems did not meet the approval Of
Mr.. John R. Belllnger and his family,
they became extremely hostile to de-
poHert, often abusing him to his face
and in the hearing of his wife and chill.
dren in the most extreme manner, and
showing this hostility towards him BY
many Of those irritating unneighborly
ways which are so easy to do and SO
hard to bear; deponent bore it all with
that fortitude and resignation which
his calling .equired. That the manner
in which he was treated by this family
became 8 matter Of public notoriety,
and he was assured by many that he
ought to take steps to have it stopped,
as it was lessening his influence for the
good Of the community. That about
weeks ago a young man of the town
u Blmberg, in sympathy with the Bel
ingers, without the slightest cause,
rudely accosted deponent in one Of the
yubllc streets, called him a liar, and
struck him in the face, forcing him to
defend himself. That about two weeks
ago colored painter by the name Of
Walker, who was painting Mr.. Bellin-
gers house and fence, came to depon-
eut's house and asked leave to come in
deponent's yard to paint the division
fence between the two lots. Deponent
consented provided he would paint the
bottom board Of the fence as well as
the balance. This be promised to do,
but he did not do SO; opponent called
his attention to it from time to time,
each time receiving a promise that he
would paint the said board before he
left, but he never did do it. About a
week ago the said painter returned to
put on second coat, and deponent in
formed him that he must do the work
in accordance with the agreement or it
could not be done at all. He promised
to doit, but did not, and deponent, see
ing that he did not intend to do it, or
dered him to leave the yard. On
Thursday the man, Walker, was in the
yard painting, and the deceased, Viii
liam T. Beilinger, vas sitting on
the fence at the intersection Of
the division fence and the front fence
on the street. Deponent ordered Walk
er to get out Of his yard; he hesitsted,
looking first at the deceased and then
at deponent; Bellinger ordered the man
to paint on sad deponent insisted Oh
his going out and he started to 60 and
Bcllinger ordered him to paint on, aud
the painter would act as if he intended
to obey, when deponent perenptorily
ordered him out aud he went.
Mr.. w. T. Bellinger then said that
the fence would be painted, and cursed
deponent for d. long Tipped - Of
- and much more Of the same sbuse,
repeating that he would see that the
fence was painted; deponent finally
said he could not come into the road
and talk to thedepoDens that way, when
deceased jumped of the fence to his
fathers gate, came out and stood by
the post with q drawn pistol in his
hand; deponent had not noticed before
that he had a pistol, and said "you are
armed, eh," and turned and walked
back into the house. Nothing more
passed that day. The next day depon
ent came out Of his gate to 60 to the
posto6ce, when he met Mr.. Joe Brown
in his buggy, who asked him to take
seat with him, and they drove down
town. Mr.. Brown told deponent that
he had heard Of the difficulty Of the
day before end that he had heard OF
the threats made by the deceased
against deponent, and warned him to
protect himself. Mr. Brown got out Of
tie buggy at Jones stable and told de-
poncr; TO drive around to the postofice
and 10 hitch the horse there in the rear
Of the pvst, III :e which deponent did.
Deponent got hi, mail and returned
home. While at the postofice deponent
vas warned to look out for Mr.. Bel
liDger, that he had made threats to kill
him. On deponent's return home he
saw Mr.. Joe Brown coming towards his
home in his buggy, and deponent start
ed out to meet him, and seeing Mr. ".
T. Bellinger across the street, he picked
up gun which friend had put into
his possession the day before, telling
him to use it to protect himself with,