The Monroe journal., 1910-09-13
PRELIMINARY TRIAL OF BELKS

Three Brothers who are in Jail for
the Killing Of Ben Hunter are
Arranged in Recorders Court
and all are Recommitted to Jail
TO Await Superior Court In No
vember.
Gus, Will and Winnifred Belk,
the three brothers who are charged
with the murder Of Ben Hunter in
Buford township in the first week in
August, were arranged in the court
Of the Recorder yesterday. The de-
tense put up no evidence but used
many Of the States witnesses as their
own for the purpose Of getting their
testimony. This is a custom usual
ly pursued for the purpose Of finding
out evidence of the State before the
general trial in the Superior court.
After hearing the testimony the Re-
corder remanded the prisoners to
Jail to await the November court.
Walter Stack, the man who was
with Hunter when be was killed, and
the only eye witness to the shooting
except the prisoners themselves, was
put on the stand by the defense.
His testimony was very brief. He
said that he and Hunter had been to
Joshua Bakers and had started
home. The Belks overlook them on
the road and ran in on the right side
Of their mule. They began firing
without saying anything. Gus shot
first and the ball went through my
arm and the other in the back of the
buggy. Then Will and Winnifred
went to shooting. We started to run
and Hunter fell down and l ran on
through the corn field and they shot
at me through the corn field.
Many other witnesses testified To
the appearance Of the body of Hun
ter. They said that when it was at
first seen the body was lying on the
left side, and there were two bullet
holes about half an inch apart in the
right temple which went through the
head and there were three holes in
the back. One went below the shout
der blade and two about the small
Of the back, one on each side of the
spinal column.
Mrs. Sidney Starnes said that on
the afternoon Of the killing Ben
Hunter and Walter Stack passed her
house going to her fathers, Joshua
Bakers. Some time after that Win
1ifred Belk came along with a Win
chester rifle. He asked where Hun
,er and Stack we're and | told him
hey had gone on to pas. He said
hat he was going to take the rifle to
Gus and viii, and he guessed that
when they met Hunter and Stack
somebody would die. He went on
oward pas and some time afterward
Hunter and Stack passed, and pretty
ioon the three Belks came along in
! trot and it wasn't very long till /
heard the shooting. Hunter is some
lin to her.
Mrs. J. 0. Baker, mother of Mrs.
said that the three Belks
anne to her house, Will and Winni-
red riding in buggy and Gus
in front. Will got out and
lourished a pistol and will said
leedn't be afraid Of it as it wasn't
oaded, but that he had, slapping
lis leg, the thing that would do the
work. Winnifred had the rifle be-
ween his legs. Gus asked me where
Iunter was. Saw Winnifred and
Iunter talking that afternoon at my
louse and they seemed to be friendly. !
lr. Baker also testified that they
anne and he heard part of the con-
ersation and that Will seemed to be
ight.
Mr.. Jehu Laney said that the
,elks were at his house in the after
Don and Will pretended that he
7as going to shoot Gus, but had no
pads in his pistol.
Mr.. and Mrs. R. c. Laney were
he first to get there after the shoot
ng. They found their oldest son
gliding Hunters mule. Their young
on, Charley, said that he had start
d on ahead to church. Stack and
Iunter passed me, and after getting
bout a hundred yards they stopped
nd Hunter got out and put his foot
n the wheel and | heard him say
e have got to 60 to Dudley tonight.
'hree men drove up in a buggy and
Il began to talk but | couldn't un-
erstand. They began shooting.
.fter two shoots | saw Stack run
the corn field and then | ran,
Tom Starnes, near whose house
he killing occurred, said that he had
one to bed, and heard shooting and
oices and jumped up. Some one
nd stop him, Cd d-n him, and