The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-02-17
BENSON BOUND over To
AWAIT ACTION GRAND JURY


other point without producing death
if not shot in head before moved. The
witness said he examined the barn
and found blood on the door facing
where the murdered boy was said to
have been found. He didn't notice
| any great quantity of blood. DIR. Don
| aid stated that it had been reported
to him that young Crymes had killed
himself and that he did not make as
thorough an examination as he would
have otherwise. He discovered at
once that the report Of self-destruc-
tion was wrong
Dr. Donald testified that the blood
on the door facing was smeared and
not in puddle. He noticed a splin-
ter about one and one-l1alf inches long
torn off the post, and fragments of
clothing clung to it. The back door
of the barn was sprinkled with fresh
birdshot, the majority of which were
about the middle of the door.
Tom Crymes Testified.
Tom Crymes, brother of the mur-
dered boy, said he thought Wallace
got up about 4:30 o'clock. Wallace
didn't tell him wheer he was going,
and he didn't know how soon Wallace
left home after getting up. The wit
ness said he went to Henry Benson s
(the accused negro) house and yelled
to him, Lets go to town." Benson,
he said, replied "all right, in few
minutes" Getting tired of waiting,
after about Is or 20 minutes, the
witness said he left for town, after
Benson remarked ''go on to town, I'll
be on in a few minutes" He said he
noticed blood in front of the door of
Benson's house covering about Is
inches in spots, but thought that one
of Bensons dogs had cut a foot and
didn't think much of seeing the blood
until after Benson was suspicioned of
having committed the murder.
Crymes said Benson came in the
store about forty minutes later and
on his getting after him for being so
late, Benson said he was sick and
didn't feel like getting up. The wit
ness testified that Fred Owens, color
ed, came to the market with dog and
gun to go hunting with Benson, and
about that time the phone rang and
he was informed of his brothers body
being found in the barn. Mr.. Chymes
said he heard a conversation between
his brother Wallace and Benson the
night before, when Benson told Wal
lace if he got his dogs there would
be trouble" The witness said he
heard muffied sounds before he left
his room, but thought it some boys
shooting at birds enroute to the woods
to hunt. The witness thought Benson
up when he called him from the sound
of Benson's voice and the fact that a
slow smoke was coming out of the
chimney. Crymes said he sawed out
the planks of the floor stained with
blood, but denied any knowledge of
their having been examined by
chemist to see if the spots on them
was that of blood.
Donald johnson Called.
Donald Johnson, a young boy who
expected to go hunting with Wallace
Crymes, was called. He said he went
to Mr.. Crymes' house after breakfast,
probably about six o'clock, and found
Mr.. Crymes at his front gate. Mr.
Crymes asked him if he had seen Wal
lace and he told him that he had not.
Donald said he then went to Benson's
house, but failed to find either Wallace
or the dogs there. Returning, he said
he went into the lot adjoining that of
Mr.. Crymes to catch a horse, and
Mr.. Crymes found Wallace's body
p" "hiiS nc Wdo tuefe. lie SdlQ MT.
Crymes found Wallace dead in the
barn door, his legs hanging out over
the door sill. A gun was found, stock
broken loose from barrel, but it had
not then come apart. The barrel of
the gun stood up against the door and
Wallace had his arms across his
breast, said the witness.
Donald said Walter Nix, another ne
gro he didn't know, came up and he
DONALD Johnson) and Nix picked up
the gun and found both shells empty.
The negro, whosau91lme he does not
know. heu1sg khe gun in Mr..
cIx It Of the barn
utter that time.
that the lamp sup
p0sedE| 4 - ~ carried by wal
1se e en he went e MIX