Middletown transcript., 1902-09-13
FATAL RACE RIOT
One Man Killed, Another Ser
iousIy Wounded
SHOOTING AFFRAY IN FELTON,

Nhs ~ ~ sAANO ENh ANf1B j Oki
One dead and one seriously wounded
is the result of shooting affray on Sat
urday night between a gang of FELTON,
negroes and several white men. John
Benson and his son, Evan, stationed
themselves outside of VoshelPs Hotel in
FELTON, in ambush and shot Lemuel War.
ner Wyatt and Anthony Seward. Seward
ard was shot through the abdomen and
only lived three hours. Wyatt was shot
through the calf of his left leg. The bull
let went clear through his flesh, and
while men were looking at his wound
the bullet dropped out on the floor. 1t
was secured, and later fit exactly into
John Benson's revolver.
Philemon Benson, brother of John,
had gotten in quarrel with Wyatt, and
later Saturday evening he pointed out
the white man and his companion, Sew
ard, to his brother and son, who were to
annihilate them. Benson and Evan Ben
son, Phil's son, armed themselves and
stood in front of the hotel under the
shadows of some trees, and as the two
young white men appeared John Benson
fired two shots at them. Both took
effect. The two negroes then fled.
Wyatt was taken by his friends to the
reading room of Hardesty's Hotel, where
he was cared for. Seward was taken to
the Office of DIR. Cubbage, who did all he
could for him. 1t was soon seen that he
was dying, and his mother was sent for.
She could not bear the sight as she en-
tered the room and tainted. She was
taken out of the house, where she was
restored, but is still ill. Seward only
lived three hours.
Wyatt is 80 years old, and is single.
He is farmer. Seward was also unmar
ried, and five years the junior of Wyatt.
He was also farmer. The former lived
three miles from town and Seward lived
five miles from the little village.
Magistrate John Wingate went to Wy
ats home and took his statement regard
ing the fray. Wyatt swore that John
Benson murderously assaulted him with
pistol in front of Voshell's Hotel. on
Saturday evening at midnight without
any provocation.
The three Bensons were regarded as
terrors in FELTON, and have been driven
out time and time again. They always
wanted to fight and at any time they
could picked up fight, their favorite
plan being to ''shoot into the crowd"
Hearing by telephone at 1.3O o'clock
yesterday morning that the inhabitants
were in terror and lynching was talked
of, Sheriff Reedy and Chief Hurd, Of
Dover, hurriedly drove to FELTON, where
the search was begun, the authorities
first stationing secret guard around the
county home of the Bensons. The two
negroes, after eluding pursuit were seen
to return to their home. After finding
hiding place, they prepared to retire and
and rest up for the fight they anticipated,
but Sheriff Reedy and his men surprised
them, and, after a vigorous search,
brought the deadly revolver to light,
with its two empty chambers.
The negroes attempted to resist arrest, |
then denied all knowledge of the shoot
Ing, but at FELTON, there were eyewitnesses
who identified the Bensons as the assail- |
ants. They were, therefore, brought to |
Dover in a closed wagon, which the
Sheriff obtained, and were committed to |
Dover prison without bail to await trial |
at the State court next month.