The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1910-03-31
lLLON MAN KILLS
PORTER AND CONDUCTOR.
1sha Henry Bethea a Well
Known Dillon Citizen,
Kills Pullman Porter and
Conductor, o n Baltimore
& Ohio Train and is Him
self Killed by the Police
and Posse of Citizens,

Wednesday night that Jonn Henry
Bethea had shot to death Pull
man car porter and conductor on
Baltimore & Ohio train and was
himself killed by the police and
posse Of citizens at Wilmington,
Del. The fi-st news of tragedy
was received here at midnight over
The long distance telephone when
northern newspapers began max
ing enquiries about Mr.. Bethea.
The several accounts Of the terri
bic tragedy varv somewhat in de-
tail and the limited space of The
Herald will not permit us TO give
more than synopsis of the trag-
&c affair, but the substance of
what is here given was learned
from Rev. VIM. McLaurin, a cous-
in of Mr.. Bethca's, who went to
Wilmington for the body.
Mr.. Bethea left Dillon Tues
dav night for John Hopkins, Bal
timore, to have an operation per-
formed for cancer Of the stomach. \,
Before leaving he arranged his
business affairs with Mr.. w. T.
Bethea, as he seemed to believe
that he would not survive the
operation. Wednesday morning
he arrived at John Hopkins and
because the head surgeon had not
arrived he was not immediately
received into the hospital. He
became restless. left the hospital
and bought ticket for New York.
He left Baltimore Wednesday af-
ternoon over the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad. The officials at the sta
tion said he appeared to be some
what nervous as he paced up ard
i down he station platform.
Shortly after leaving Baltimore he
went into the chair car to smoke.
AT The Pullman porter told him he
could not smoke in that car. A
few minutes afterward Bethea or
dered a drink of whiskey, and
shortly afterwards ordered an
other. Again the porter told him
he could not smoke in the chair
car. Words followed, the porter,
it is said. using insolent language.
Mr.. Bethea made a lunge at the
porter and the two were scufIlinp
between the two glass doors when
Mr.. Bethea shot him through the
heart. The passengers became
panic stricken. The conductor
rushed up and addressed a re-
mark to Mr.. Bcthca. Mr.. Bethea
asked him if he wanted 10 take the
negroes part. The conductor
grappled with him. Reaching
around Mr.. Bethea placed his pis-
tol against the conductors body
and shot him through the heart
The porter and conductor were
killed instantly. both of them fal.
ling in their tracks. The e car
doors were locked and a MESSAGE
was sent to the police at Whining
ton, Del, 5 miles distant TO be ar
the station. When the train ar
( rived Bethca had barricaded him
D self IN the closet. y pitched bat
tie followed and tor an hour Be.
thea held up score of police men
and half a thousand citizens.
Finally by means of a fire hose
Bethea was forced to vacate the
closet. He paced back and forth
in two coaches and kept up the
battle. Finally he was driven to
the platform where he received
load Of shot in the face. Another
shot broke his right arm. but he
transferred his pistol to his left
band and continued to fight. BY
this time he had been wounded IN
half a dozen places. Finally a
bullet struck him in the region of
the heart and he toppled over in an
ofhcer's arms. Although helpless