Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-08-03
UNSUITABLE HOMICIDE"


Mingo Armstrong yesterday morning.
The killing occurred on the Glenn &
Allison farm, four miles southeast ol
Yorkville, at about o'clock.
Armstrong was a laborer and Mr.
Whitener is superintendent Of the
farm.
Together with two other negroes
Will Dickson and Will Mcconnell
Armstrong had been instructed to as
sist in clearing away pile OF saw
dust, Mr.. Whitener looking after the
proper prosecution of the work.
After working a little while, Arm
strong, according to the testimony Of
his fellow laborers at the coroner's In
quest yesterday, picked up his shove
and began walking around the pile oi
sawdust
why don't you stop your foolish
ness, and go to work, Mingo?" asked
Mr.. Whitener.
For reply Armstrong raised his
shovel and started toward Mr. White
ner in a threatening manner. Being
unarmed and with no weapon Of any
kind available, Mr.. Whitener retreat
ed. Armstrong followed with quick
ening pace and Mr.. Whitener contin-
ued to his house, forty or fifty yards
away, the negro following close be-
hind trying to strike him with the
shovel
On reaching the house, Mr. Whitener
jumped inside and shut the door
Armstrong attacked the door with his
shovel, cutting out the wire screen and
making great gashes In the panels
Presently, as II realizing that he could
not break the door down, the negro
stepped out into the yard and stopped
some distance away.
Having observed the negro's move
ments from within, Mr.. Whitener took
down his shot gun, loaded it and walk
ed out He called to the negro to
know what was the matter with him.
and Armstrong bristling up again, with
fury in his countenance made another
charge with his shovel.
stop" said Mr.. Whitener, "or l will
kill you"
The negro was then within fifteen
feet Instead of stopping, he raised his
shovel high over his head as IL to
strike and Mr.. Whitener fired.
At the report of the gun Armstrong
fell in his tracks. The charge took ef-
feet in his neck and he was instantly
killed.
Immediately after the killing, Mr.
Whitener notified the sheriff by tele-
phone, came to Yorkville and gave
himself up for commitment to jail.
Coroner Louthian went to the scene
Of the killing yesterday morning, en-
paneled a jury with Mr.. Thad L. Car
roll as foreman and held an inquest.
Several witnesses, including the two
laborers, who were employed with
Armstrong. and who saw the whole af-
fair were examined, and their testimo-
ny was all the same, practically as
above.
Mr.. Whitener had already ben COM
mitted to Jail and was not at the in
quest.
The jury returned a verdict to the
effect that Mingo Armstrong came to
his death from a shot fired from gun
in the hands of w. ]. Whitener; that
the said act of Mr.. Whitener was COM
mitted in self defense, and in the opin-
ion of the jury the killing was justifia-
BILE homicide.
Armstrong was about fifty years of
age and was well-known as a farm
laborer. He was regarded as being en-
tirely responsible under normal condi-
tions; but it was generally understood
that when angry or under the influence
of whisky, he was a very dangerous
man.
After giving himself up to the sheriff,
Mr.. Whitener secured the services of
Thos. F. Mellow, Esq, and the under
standing is that habeas corpus pro-
ceedings have already ben instituted.
1t is not thought that there will be
any trouble about securing Mr.. White
ner's admission to bail.