The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1900-12-14
MINISTER ACQUITTED
A Sensational Murder Trial at
hamburg, s, O., Ended.
SOEFESDAST MAKES his STATEMENT.
Verdict Rendered sunday msraiaE aud
Rev. johnson Wet ~ onss end
Preached to His CosTrssatisu.

hoY. William n, johnson preached
TO q large congregation in The Baptist
church in BAmborg. s. G., 81 IL
o'clock Sunday. Az $50 Sunday
morning the jury that had been hear
ing the evidence in his ease for four
days rendered a verdict aoquitting him
Of the murder Of William 7. Bellinger,
court stenographor Of the second cir
cult. Johnson went from tho court
room to his home, and after spending
few hours there repaired 10 his
church, where he was greeted by a
large congregation.
There were a few in the court room
when the jury announced their agree
ment johnson appeared, and from
his calm demeanor none would have
suspected he was a man who was
about to be told whether he was to
suffer the penalty for terrible crime
Nor be given freedom and returned to
:, his family. Quietly he stood, without
: showing the least emotion, while the
clerk read the papers and read not
guilty.
The trial throughout attracted wide
spread interest. The closing testimony
for the defense, however, was the most
important. 1t was known that the
defendant would take the stand, and
the courthouse was packed.
The defendant was the last wiz rs
for his side. He was the pastor Of
three Baptist churches-at Bamberg.
Denmark and Hunters chapel. In
June, 1899, he was called on by Mr..
Brown to perform a marriage cere-
mony between him and Miss Bellin-
ger, Saturday following Mrs. Bellin-
ger came to his house and abused him
to his wife. Willie Bellinger, who
came for his mother, said to Mrs.
tgJohnson: Shut up; I've heard enough
K OF that, when she demonstrated for
the abuse of her husband.
The witness did lot see Bellinger
again until the day before the shoot
ing, when he found him sitting on the
line fence between the parsonage and
the Bellinger's. Mrs. Bellinger was
present. A negro painter was in the
parsonage yard painting a fence. John
son ordered him out. Bellinger or
: dered him to remain. The negro said
he was afraid. ''Afraid of whatp' ex-
tclaimed Bellinger. "That long leg
ged -" with several other epithets.
81 told Bellinger he could not 90 out
in the road and say that. He jumped
down and went out of his gate. / went
out of mine and saw he had a pistol in
his hand, I exclaimed, you are
armed, eh?' Bellinger repeated his
abusive language. I turned and walk
led back. Soon after Colonel Counts
s came to my house, and I told him of
the difficulty. He went off and re-
turned with Mr. Sanders, bringing a
gun, which I used in shooting Mr..
Bellinger. It was loaded. expected
to use it to protect myself, my family
and my home.
"The next morning I went with
Mr.. Brown to the postofic. I was
armed with pistol, because thought
was in danger of being shot. After
returning to my home, Brown drove
up to the gate, and l started out to
meet him. i saw Willie Bellinger
coming across the campus, which is in
front of my house, and picked up nv
shotgun to defend myself against any
possible danger.
"When I got to where Brown was
Bellinger had approached to within
ten or fifteen steps of us, and he open.
ed fire on us with a pistol. Mr.. Bel.
Ginger shot at me twice. Then I shot.
I was standing in the road. Without
reference to any telegraph pole, there
was nothing between us that [ saw.
shot him to save my life.
On cross examination by the attor-
ney general, Johnson said he was
standing by Browns horse talking.
when Bellinger came up. After firing
the first shot he brought his gun to the
position Of ready" so he could use
/ the other barrel, if necessary. After
the shooting he quieted his wife and
drove to the Jail. He had wanted to
fight Bellinger with his fists, not with
a nistOl