The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-05-01
NEGRO KILLED BY BLOW
ON HEAD WITH k0Ck

While returning from church Sum
day in the town Of Little Mountain
several negro boys engaged IN a ro"
with the result that one struck an
other in the head with a rock from
the effects of which he died. Benn1e
Martin threw the stone and Willie
Summer is dead Martin is in Jail Oh
the charge OF murder.
The following is the testimony as
taken before Coroner Lindsay who
held an inquest on Monday morning.
Rebecca Summer: Am the mother
of Willie Summer We brought him
home from Little Mountain about
three O'Clock yesterday afternoon and
put him to bed. He got senseless
about Z o'clock. He went to sleep.
We went to bed about 1870. l woke
at O'Clock and found him dead.
Robert Tobe: Yesterday below Mr.
w. U. Shealy's, the boy playing push
ed Ebert against me. l told him tU
excuse me. l told him to excuse me,
l did not attempt to rub up against
him. Then he cursed me and Willie
Summer and Ebb Tobe and Murray
Summer Then I looked back ana
Willie Summer and the boy were
fighting. The boy hit Willie Summer
on the head with a rock. The same
boy that rubbed against me hit VIII
lie Summer. This boy in court is
the boy that hit Willie Summer. WIS
Bennie Martin.
George Summer: 1 was going up
the road and saw Bennie Martin hit
Willie Summer with rock. This
was Sunday, April 29th. They were
not fighting before Bennie hit Willis
with the rock; there was lots OF argu-
ing. Willie Summer fell to the
ground when he was hit. Bennie Mar
tin stayed there after he hit Willie
Summer. did not see Willie Summer
hit Bennie Martin.
Lonnie Mayer: / saw Willie Sum
mer hit Bennie Martin, and then Bell
ME hit him with rock. They went
to church fussing, and I stayed up
the road. This was Sunday, April
20, 1917. l did not see the hight
start.
;Magnus Summer: saw the fight.
Was coming up road. Saw Benple
Martin hit Willie Summer with rock
and cut him with a razor. Did not
see Willie Summer hit or cut Bena:e
Martin. Am 10 years old. This was
April %, 1917. Am brother to VIII
lie Summer. | know right from
wrong.
John Summer: Am brother to VII!
lie Summer. Heard Bennie and otn-
er boys cursing. Some one told me
that some one had knocked my broth
er down. Bennie wanted to go back
to Willie. saw Bennie Martin
throw rock. Saw the rock hit Willie
Summer. Don't know if Bennie MAI
tins eye was cut or not.
Elex Martin: Saw Bennle Martln
hit Willie Summer with rock. D1o
not see Willie hit Bennie Martin.
Jacob Mayer: Saw Bennie Martin
have knife in hand.
The Physicians Certificate.
81 hereby certify that I have eX-
aminsd Willie Summer, now dead, and
find a wound on right side OF the
head, three inches from right ear, two
inches long, apparently made with
a blunt instrument, which crashed the
skull. I also found semi-circular
wound two inches back OF this wound.
extending from near the top
of the head through the scalp
down toward the neck, apparently
made with a very sharp instrument.
Death was caused from conclusion
of the brain from the blunt instru-
ment which made the first wound.
81. NJ. Sease, N. D.
april 80, 1917"
The verdic: of the coroners jury,
S. W. Young foreman, was that WINE
Summer came to his death by being
struck on the head with a rock, or
some blunt instrument, inflicted by
the hands of Ben Martin on April ~,
1917"
Ben Martin was brought to New
berry by the sheriff and committed to
Jail.