The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-02-24
MR.. BEN MINIS SHOT AND KILLED.
A Deplorable Iragdy on the Highway re"
niiles Above Manning.


Last SUNDAY afternoon about 2:jt
o'clock Mr.. G. Ben Minis was shot IL
the head and fatally wounded by 2
NEGRO man named William Bechune on
the highway near Trinity Crossroads
The wounded man was brought to town
promptly for surgical treatment. He
was taken TO the home OF his niece,
Mrs. $. NJ. Youmans, where he was
seen by DR.. " u. Brockinton and Dr.
c. Is. Geiger, who gave him prompt
attention. but the patient died shortly
after the wound was dressed, without
regaining Consciousness.
1t appears that / horse ana buggy
belonging TO Mr. Minis had been stolen
or cot away from him in some way,
and he learned that William Bethune
had taken the team and gone up the
read. He goS Young Mr.. Alfred |. Nc,
Fa6din 10 90 with him TO recover The
horse and buggy. and it was while they
were near Trinity that the shootln
took place.
Shortly after the death OF Mr.. Minis,
Coroner J. Z. Hodge empanel:ed jury
and viewed the body, then adjourned
the inquest until Monday afternoon
The taking of testimony was not con
cluded until about 8 o'clock Monday
night when a verdict was rendered by
the jury composed of the following ei;l'
Zens:
r. D. Clark. foreman: c. w. Wells,
W. L. Rodgers, S. r. Sproat, \. }
Blackman, J. S. RiGgeway, j. n.
Peavey. J. H. Rigby, C. S. Ris5y, I. [.
.Appelt, c. C. Lan9ston, F. L. Wolfe,
Thcs. Nimmer, Isaac NJ. Lo"yea.
The following Is the testimony taken
BY the Coroner:
Alfred |. McFaddin-I was at Mrs.
Youmans' Yesterday at ; O'Clock, and
had been there all morning. Mr.. Minis
came in and said he was in trouble
about his horse and buggy being gone.
He told us he heard the fellows name
who had his horse ard buggy. Did say
who tcld him, but don't remember
the name. He took dinner at Mrs.
Youmans' and asked me if I would go
with him. Mr.. Lesesne's team brought
Mr.. Minis to Manning. We then drove
to Mr.. Langston's stable and got a
team. After leaving Mr.. Minis asked
me how many cartridges mad. told
MIN I had only one and that was 50.
then told him left my pistol al Mrs.
Youmans', and the reason | lett 1t
was that it wasn't safe. Told him l
thought l could borrow one. | spoke
of going TO Mr.. Erwin 10 borrow pls-
toi, but did not do SO. AT this time
saw Mr.. E. S. Mcintosh sitting on MS
porch, and l went in and told him that
some one had stolen MIR. Minis horse
and buggy and I wanted to borrow a
pistol, and asked him if he had one. he
said nc. I then supposed I could oor-
row one from Mr.. Hudnall. and Js.op'
ped and went into his home. Mr.. Hud.
nall was not home, but his wife and
Mrs. Mcintosh was on his porch. I in
troduced myself to Mrs. Huduall and
asked for MIR. Hudnall. She said Alr.
Hudnall had gone in the country. AS
we were riding along thought Mr.;
Minis had only one pistol. when | SAID
we both ought TO have pistols. AT this
time Mr.. Minis pulled out q revolver,
and 7 said, didn't think you had out
one pistol with you. said, suppose YOU
take one and give me one. Then ne
asked me " hich pistol did I want.
said didn't make any difference. Then
we drove on. he keeping revolver ana
giving me magazine. asked MN
5hen how 70 use the magazine pistol,
he taking the pistol and explaining
same to me. Between Trinity Bay
and Manning we met Mr.. Matthews
and Mr.. Minis asked Mr. Matthews
mad he seen anything OF his horse anc
buggy, he then described same. Mr.;
Matthews said yes, thought ne hao
seen it. He said going home from
preaching he net g negro on the roao
driving a team about as Mr.. Minis de-
scribed. The negro held his head down.,
as il playing off drunk. and after pass
ING, the negro peepeG round at MIN,
but gave him the road as he ought 70
have done. Mr.. Minis then toio
Matthews he thought he was on tue
right trail OF his horse and buggy.
Then we drove on, and stopped at q
colored mans house on the lett side OF
the road. Mr.. Minis asked him how
long since William Bethune had left
his house. The negro said ABOUT an
hour. Mr.. Minis asked where he had
gone, and he said 10 some Brown s
house and was showing US the way tc
the house abouta mile away. Mr.. Minis
and drove on hunting his house. we
made a mistake and went to the wrong g
house, and cut through and came back
to the same negro's house. The negro
said you went TO the wrong house, and
Mr.. Minis and the negro walked around
to the right side of the house and the
negro gain showed Mr.. Minis the house
AT that time had g>tten out OF tee
buggy and was standing around IN
front of the house. I then said TO MIR.
Minis, what shall we do. shall we wait:
and Mr.. Minis said no, let's 90 on tcc
the house. We started for the SECOND
time hunting the house, ard before we
cot to a road we saw horse and bug
| ev with some negroes in the buggy.
said to Mr.. Minis, isn't that your horse
and buggy? He said, yes. l then SAID
do YOU want me to stop the negro foi
you? He said no, 7 will do that myself,
When we had gotten within aooul
twenty yards Mr. Minis jumped out
meeting the buggy with the negro maj
and two girls in it. Mr.. Minis TOOK hl'
pistol in his hand and walked up TO thE
buggy, pistol at his side. and ordered
the girls to get out and man to keel
his seat. Then Mr.. Minis jumpedNn tht
buggy beside the negro, telling me u
turn around The negro had q WHY
in his hand, and as I was turnln!
around, the buggy with Mr.. Minis ant
the negro had already started Off. Be
fore turned around the two negr'
girls were in nv way. and | ORDERED
them to get out OF my way, which the
did as quick as they could, and the las
I saw Of them they were running. Jus
as / got turned good saw Mr.. MIN
tumbling from the buggy. As ne wa
falling he looked very pale, prooabl
UNCONSCIOUS saw the negro's han
60 back and he freG at MIR. Minis, an,
as Mr.. Minis was falling he fired bac
at the negro. The negro then ire
acain and Mr.. Minis fell down. Ate
this the negro jumped out Of the bce
gy and stood around and looked at Nj
oj,onst IN roach Z