The bee., 1906-08-09

ment of Henry Ventras, made
before Judge James Wallace:
Between 10 and IL O'Clock on
July 81, me and another colored
man by the name of jackson
Withers were shot by white men,
one known as Harve Springer
and the other as Bob Hall.
About 10 O'Clock we reached
| Wheatcroft. | got out of my
buggy and went into Sowders'
saloon and bought a bottle of
beer and 40. cent pint of whls-
key. When ! entered the saloon
| had $105.53. There were sew
eral white men in the saloon,
one | believe to be the man
known as Springer. When |
pulled out the so cents to pay for
the .whiskey and beer, | also
pulled out roll of paper money
containing Sl05. While doing
so ! noticed the man Springer
taking very close observations of
me, but knowing nothing of the
mans reputation, paid no at
tention and left the saloon and
again entered my buggy and
started for Sturgis. When about
p miles from Wheatcroft, |
heard a galloplng horse ,coming
up at the rear. This being an
unusual occurrence, my atten-
tion was called to the rear of the
buggy | was riding in and saw
two white men who are known
as Harve Springer and Bob Hall,
who were driving the horse in
gallop. | also noticed that one of
the white men had two rifles in
his hand, the breech resting on
the bottom of the buggy and the
muzzle pointing upward. 1t
alarmed me and l remarked TO
my companion, Law me, Jack
son, look back yonder, there are
two white men coming in gal
lop with Winchester rifles The
horse that we were driving was
walking leisurely along and the
relns were laying loose over the
dash board with the ends laying
in the bottom of the buggy and
by the time Jackson Withers
could secure the reins, Springer
and Hall were at the side of us.
Springer remarked, Halt Haiti
| VA,, Mn
are going to Sturgis.' | replied
that we were not going to Stur-
gls. Springer demanded that we
turn around and go the other
way. Hall, at the same time,
threw his rifle down on me.
This frightened me and | jumped
out of the buggy and ran toward
WheatcrOft. Jackson Withers
also jumped out and ran in the
opposite direction. Springer shot
Jackson the first time through
the shoulders. | looked back
and saw Jackson fall to his
knees but get up again and con-
tinue to run.
II saw Springer again take the
second aim at jackson. | con-
tinued myself up the road when
looked back the second time,
Hall was taking aim at me and
just as | turned my head in the
direction | was going, he fred
and struck me in the back. /
fell and rolled into the ditch and
| laid there minute or so. when
Jackson Withers, who apparent
ly from being dazed by the shot,
turned and ran in the direction
l was going and ran right over
the top of me. Directly after
Jackson had run over me,
Springer and Hall came back to
where | was lying and / said:
White Folks. | am h t.
Springer again said, Get up
from there, CD DIN you and get
into your buggy and 90 back
where you came FROM Through
fear, | attempted to get up but
could not. made an effort again
by trying to hold to the fence
that was near by. l got partly
up on my good leg when Spring
er and Hall fumbled around my
clothes few seconds and they
seized me both together and
threw me over the fence, 1T
nearly killed me. Springer said
Lay there you -
and | will 80 and get your horse
and buggy for you,' but they
Ju mped into their buggy and
drove off as hard as they could
go. | had $l05.03 in my left
pants pocket when they shot me.
/ Now Ii ie rnna and / haliaua the