The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-12-24
BAMBERG, S. c. THURSDAY, DECEMBER
AN ATTEMPT TO MURDER.

ANDREW BENNETT SHOT AND SERIOUSLY
WOUNDED LAST MONDAY NIGHT.
Was Walking the Streets Of Midway Shooting
Occurred About Eight Oclock-Dave
Johnson Arrested for the Crime.
Monday night little after eight o'clock,
Andrew Bennett, negro, was shot and
seriously wounded while walking the
streets of Midway. The weapon used was
shotgun loaded with buck shot and
smaller shot known as duck shot or bb's.
Bennett had been up the street on some
errand, and was returning home in COM
pany with his son, short while after the
up-train had passed. When near the
residence of Mrs. Walker his attention
was called by some exclamation from his
son, "Look out, Pa" or something to that
effect He Immediately turned round and
just as be did, the man in his rear fired
at him. The load struck in his left side,
just at his vest and coat pockets, and
ranged in front of his body, the force of
the bullets being broken by lot of papers
and large book which he carried in his
inside coat pocket. These papers and
book undoubtedly saved his life, for if
the load had not struck them it would
have entered straight into his body.
Bennett Immediately snatched pistol
from the hands of his son and commenced
firing at his would -be-murderer, who
turned and ran as soon as he had fired
one more shot. Bennett fired three or
four times at the fleeing man, none of
which took effect. The man missed Ben
nett completely with the second barrel,
his first shot doing all the damage.
Andrew said his first intention was to
run the man down, and he took few
steps but found he was weak from his
wounds and gave up the attempt. He
and his son say they fully recognized the
assassin, as he was only about twelve or
fifteen feet away when he emptied his
gun at Bennett. They claim that Dave
Johnson, another negro, did the shooting.
Immediately after the shooting Ben
nett's son came to town for physician,
and DR.. Bronson went down and dressed
the wounds. The doctor says he cut out
five shot which had lodged in the side
and front part of the stomach, but that
none penetrated the wall of the stomach,
therefore he does not consider Benefits
injuries necessarily serious unless unlock
ed for complications arise. Bennett was
struck by seventeen shot in all, some of
which only entered the skin. BENEFITS
son made an affidavit before Magistrate
Lightsey and warrant was at once issued
for Dave Johnson. charging him with the
shooting. Constable Padgett and Mr.. E.
L. Price went down Tuesday morning
and arrested him and he is now in jail.
he does not say much about the shooting
but denies it, so we understand. johnson
and Bennett have had trouble before.
Our readers will remember the cases in
court last April, where Johnson and
others were indicted, charged with burn
ing Benefits barn and shooting at him,
while Bennett was indicted for assault
and battery with intent to kill on John
sons wife. The chse against the John
/ sons was tried in April and they were
found not guilty. The case against Ben
nett was postponed until the recent term
of court, and he was also found not guilty.
There has been bad blood between the
parties for some time, and it is thought
by some that johnson took this way of
getting even.
Others are Of the opinion that Bennett
identifying johnson, and that the at
| tempted assassination grew out of an
entirely different matter. But both Ben
nett and his son are positive that they
recognized johnson as the man who did
the shooting.
Magistrate Lightsey will hold pre-
liminary in the case just as soon as the
extent of Benefits injuries develop.
When this hearing is held we may have
some additional facts to report, as we
understand there are other suspicious
circumstances which connect johnson
with the shooting.
"Were you at Miss Newgirl's coming
out party?"
"Yes, for little while. But she hadn't