The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-07-22
NEGRO BOY KILLED;
THREE men IN JAIL
OCCURRED AT RAILROAD CROSS.
ING IN GRAYELTOWN.
Claimed Negroes Cursed Men And
Wbie Men Cursed Negroes, Then
The Shooting.

Three white men are now in New
berry Jail charged with the murder
of a negro boy at he railroad crossing
of Graveltown, on Thursday night.
There seems to be no special mo-
tive for the homicide. 1t would appear
from the testimony at the coroner's
inquest, that a number of negroes
were playing along the railroad track,
as they are in the habit of doing at
this time in the evening, when these
three white men came along 1t is
claimed that the negroes cursed the
white men, and that the white men
icursed the negroes on the charge of
laughing at them.
Someone was carrying a pistol con-
trary to law, and the result is a dead
negro and three white men in jail on
the charge of murder.
The testimony at the coroner's in
quest is given in full.
/ The three white men live at the
Mollohon Mill village One of the
white men was but recently married
and the other two have no families
! OF their own. Their names are:
Fletcher Beggs, Ben Reagin and Ben
! woodward. Woodward was recently
married. Reagin says Beggs did the
shooting. The others made no state
ment.
The Testimony.
j. c. Griffin sworn says: About $50
last night 1 just finished making my
round, watchman at Southern Oil
mill, got back at Office on porch and
saw these, little colored boys out on
crossing like they usually do. There
was a gun fired up railroad and re-
turn shot was fired, the little boys
ran. John Morgan and myself walked
up the railroad and turned the boy
shot over, but could not tell who it
was because it was too dark.
Every night these little colored boys
unless it is freezing or storm they
are foafng on the crossing.
Saw three white fellows, first shot
fired fired down railroad and one up
and then one down then two up rail-
road in succession.
Saw flash Of pistol down railroad.
couldn't see flash of pistol up rail-
road.
~ J. C. Griffin.
July II, 1913.
Paul Young, sworn says: We five
boys were on railroad crossing talking
ard joking and laughing as we usually |
do and these three white fellows came
down Caldwell street and asked if we
were laughing at them. We said, No
sir We went On laughing and talk
ing and they came abck and said you
needn't laugh at US because we work
in cotton mill, cause we could whip
a million little black s. of D.
like you.
We started on up railroad still
laughing and talking and a pistol shot
and we ran up railroad fast. 1 look
ed back and said one of the boys had
stumbled One of the white fellows
looked like he was drinking
Paul J. Young.
July II, 1913.
Howard Gary, sworn says: I was
sitting at home near the road where
pistol fired, shortly after fire was
made three Ehite men came running
10 bridge and walked by my house
;oward the old graveyard.
@. What time of night?
A. Between and 10 o'clock. t
Hear any shooting? Yes. How {
many shots? Heard several, thought s
t was five. Could you tell whether I
hese fellows done that shooting or I
lot? No sir. Did you see any pis- g
OILS? No sir. T
Howard Gary. G
Fred Pratt, sworn says: We were
N the crossing talking and laughing,
White men came along and asked. If
ve were laughing at them. eW said
10. They went on little piece and
g mo hooIr covinu thov oo11Id whin O