Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-04-12
DOMESTIC TROUBLE
H|NTED IN BROWNING
SON -|N-LAW'S DEATH

SALT LAKE, Utha, April 10.-Tn-
vestigation of circumstances sur
rounding the Staying late yesterday
Of Benjamin F. Ballantyne, former
teller at a local bank, was con-
tinued today by the police after
their announcement last night that
Mariner f. Browning, nephew of
John B. Browning, noted firearms
inventor, had admitted he killed
Ballantyne in self-defense.
The shooting occurred in the pres
ence of the Ballantyne family at
their home in fashionable part of
the city. Mr.. Ballantyne died at a
hospital a few hours after he was
shot. John Browning, Jr., son of
the inventor, who lives at Ogden,
Utah, and Mariner Browning, both
were held in the city Jail today
pending the outcome of police in
vestigation. They were booked for
investigation"
Mariner, according to the police,
confessed he killed Ballantye after
a quarrel when the latter drew a
revolver from a bookcase.
When the police arrived at the
home, Mariner, it is alleged by the
police, drew a revolver from his
pocket and handed it to one of the
officers, saying, I'm the man who
n 1an e,L ha
81 also had a gum" John Brown
ing, Jr., told them, the police de-
clared, as he handed them pistol.
"He beat me to it."
John told the police he was. stand
ing between Mariner and Ballantyne
when the former fired one shot.
"Ballantyne had a gun and drew
it forward. when my cousin shot.
He fired over my shoulder" he said.
In a dying statement to police,
Mr.. Ballantyne declared he was I'M
armed and had no revolver at the
time he was shot. Asked whether
he had been drinking, 5 he replied
'yes," but shook his head in the
negative to the question, were you
drunk" The Brownings went to
the Ballantyne home yesterday with
w. H. Reeder, Jr., attorney of
Ogden, soon after arriving in Salt
Lake, according to the police. Both
Mariner and John, the police, said,
insisted they had come to take
Mrs. Sarah Ballantyne to her ia
theirs home after domestic trouble
in the Ballantyne family. Mrs.
Ballantyne is the daughter of the
gun manufacturer
A statement was issued last night
by James e. Ballantyne, father of
the slain man, in which he denied
that there had been any trouble be-
tween his son and Mrs. Ballantyne.
He declared g. complete investiga-
ton would be demanded, and that
the slayer would be prosecuted. The
slain man resigned two weeks ago
as teller of the Utah State National
bank. He is survived by three
children. Ballantyne served two
years as an enlisted man during the
World war.
After the hearing, Mrs. Ballantyne
left for Ogden and was not ques-
toned by the police, Mr.. Reeder also
returning to his home in Ogden.
The father and brother. William
E. Ballantyne, took charge Of the
body and announced that funeral
services would be held at Ogden.
DETAILS OF SHOOTING
GIVEN BY LAWYER
OGDEN, Utah, April 10-Details
of the shooting of Benjamin F. Bal
lantyne at his home in Salt Lake
last night were given in a statement
here early today by William H.
Reeder, attorney, who was in the
Ballantyne home when the shooting
occurred. Mr.. Reeder, upon his ar
rival late last night from Salt Lake.
Immediately went to the home of
Mr.. and Mrs. John Browning, the
parents of Mrs. Ballantyne, and told
them the story of the shooting. His
statement follows:
"The Browning boys and myself
went to the Ballantyne home shortly
before noon yesterday. Ballantyne
greeted us and shook hands. He
fold US he had not treated his family
right during the last few weeks and
asked us to destroy a bottle of liquor
he had. John told him he should
make the fight himself and said he
should pour the liquor in the sink.
This Ballantyne did.
"Ballantyne agreed that his fam
lily should go to Ogden until he had
pulled himself together. This seemed
satisfactory and Mrs. Ballantyne
got herself and one child ready and,
with her mother, who was there at
the time, went out to the car to
drive to Ogdegn.
HAt tho 6nov ba cbNnL- hands xryif h
me and, seeing his wife in the car,
went to the automobile and, opening
the door, commanded his wife to get
out and go in the house. She did
and Ballantyne showed her along as
they walked toward the house.
"Then Mariner and John followed
them. Ballantyne rushed into the
library, where he picked up a gun
stepped toward John, who had a gun
in his hand, and told Ben to drop
the gun and not to do anything like
that.
Eat that Ballantyne swung the
gun at Johns head, and the next in
slant Mariner fired a shot. The bull
let entered Ballantyne's neck and he
fell near the bookcase with the gun
in his hand.
"I, meanwhile, was in the hall and
was not an eye witness to the shoot
ing.
II notified the police, and Ballan-
tyne was taken to a hospital and
the two Brownings and myself went
to the police station"
HAMBONE'S MEDITATIONS