The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1919-07-10
Mr., A. LEROY BETHEA
KILLED BY AUTOMOBILE
MACHINE STRIKES BUGGY AND
CRUSHES MIR. BETHEA'S SKULL.
Lowe and Russell Parrish OF Marlboro
County Are Under Arrest
Charged With Crime.

County Are Under Arrest
Charged With Crime.
An automobile speeding over the
Bethea road at 40 miles an hour early
Saturday night struck buggy in
which Mr.. A. Leroy Bethea was rid
ing and inflicted injuries upon Mr..
BeIhea from which he died at noon
Sunday. The only other occupant OF
the buggy was little white boy who
was returning home with Mr.. Bethea.
Lowe and Russell Parish, two young
white men from near Clio, are under
arrest charged with responsibility for
the accident which caused Mr.. Be
thea's death.
Mr.. Bethea was in town Saturday
afternoon and left just before dark
for his home six miles west of Dillon.
He was travelling over the Bethea
road which runs almost in straight
line from the town limits to the home
of the late DR.. Frank Bethea, four
miles out from town. Sitting beside
him in the buggy was little white
boy, the son of Mr.. Hyatt who
lives on Mr.. Bethea's place. They
had crossed the bridge about 200
yards beyond the w. L. Bethea place
three miles out from Dillon when an
automobile speeding down the road
behind them at about 40 miles an
hour struck the rear wheel of the bug
gy. The wheel was smashed into
kindling and Mr.. Bethea was thrown
out with great violence. His head
came in contact with some part of TIE
automobile, presumably the hub OF
the right front WHO'LL, and he sus-
tanned injuries from which he died the
next day. With the exception of the
little white boy who was with Mr..
Bethea and two negroes who were
with the Par boys in the automobile
there were no eye witnesses to the
tragedy. The automobile did not stop
but continued its wild flight down the
highway.
When assistance arrived Mr.. Be-
thea was found OH the edge of the
road in an unconscious condition. A
hasty examination showed that his
skull had been crushed and he was
rushed to Dillon in an automobile and
carried on the northbound train to
Fayetteville where he passed away in
a hospital at IL o'clock Sunday. The
body was brought to Dillon Sunday
afternoon and carried to his home in
the country.
The little boy who was in the bug
gy with Mr.. Bethda did not recog-
nize the occupants in the automobile,
and suspicion pointed to negro boy
who works at local garage. This
boy had taken Mr.. ]. R. Regan's car
out of the garage and was seen going
in the direction of the Bethen road
late Saturday afternoon. Sheriff Lane
began a search for the colored boy
and the stolen automobile and located
both early Sunday morning. The front
wheel of Mr.. Regan's car showed that
it had come in contact with something
although the boy stoutly denied that
he was the one who struck Mr.. Be
thea's buggy. Later in the afternoon
it was learned that the Parish boys
had collided with buggy while go
ing out of Dillon that night, and act
ing upon this information Sheriff
Lane went to the home of the Par
ish's in Marlboro county and the
boys admitted that they struck bug
gy at this point but did not know that
Mr. Bethea was injured. The boys
were taken into custody and brought
to town.
The tragedy is greatly deplored by
the entire community. Mr.. Bethea was
a familiar figure on the etreets OF
Dillon and always nau a pleasant
greeting for everybody. He lived a
quiet life, and in his dealings with
his fellowman was generous almost
to fault. His untimely passing is
mourned by large circle of friends
by whom he will be greatly missed
Mr.. Bethea is survived by wife
who before marriage wa Miss Ella
Easterling, three sons ana Iour daugh.
ters, as follows: Henry B. Bethea
of Sumter, Leon Bethea and Walker
Bethea, Misses Carrie and jamie Be,
thea, Mrs. T. G. Watson, Savannah
Ca and Mrs. T. C. Gelder of Summer,
ton. One brother, D. w. Bethea, also
survives him.
Mr.. Bethtt was about Ga years old
and a member of the Dothan Method.
ist church. The inteTment was at the
family burial plot in the Little Roch
Cemetery Monday morning and was
attended by large gathering OF
friends from all parts Of the county
The funeral service was conducted by
the Rev Sam Bethca of Little Rock
assisted by the Rev. Watson B. Dun
can. d. D., of Dillon and the Rev. J
n. Wright of Cheraw.
at 8 a. m.
The orders from the air ministry
he said are 10 return as soo2 ~ p
ship can be made ready. TuN