Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-23
]. ". M|NTER Tells
NEWMAN POLICE he
KILLED SON-|N-LAW
Alleged Mistreatment of
Daughter "Preyed on
Mind" = Brothers-in-LaW
and Others implicated

NEW NAN, Ga. Aug. -1.-(by the
Associated Press.eHow six mem
bers of a family were, called
upon to witness the execution
of their brother-in-law was revealed
to the police here by John w.
Minter, who confessed. the police
said, to having shot to death Nil
lard Trouton near here a for Knight
ago, and then having throwd his
body into a shallow creek.
Minter, head of large family OF
boys and girls, and four sons-in-
law, one of whom was Trouton, the
police said early today. related to
them last night that to avenSe
alleged mistreatment administered
to his daughter, the wife Of Trouton,
and to prevent him from making
further overtures to her to come
back to live with him. he decided
to get rid of him"
1T preyed on my mind; could
not forget it, Minter is quoted as
having told the police in his con-
fession. He was referring. they
said, to a whipping which Trouto1
was alleged to have given his vile,
causing her to separate from him
and make her home with ner par
ents. Mrs. Trouton also told her
father, brothers and brothers-lI-
law OF other alleged prutalities.
Trouton Asked Reconciliation
Then came note to her from
Trouton, Minter said. asking her
to be reconciled with him. The
father is said to have called his
sons, John Jeff, Benjamin and
it was then decided by him to pre-
vent any chance of Mrs. TroutoH
leaving the Minter home again to
live with her husband, to kidnap
him and get him out of the way.
The father takes all the blame
for the killing, the police said. His
sons, John. Jeff, Benjamin and
Grady, and his sons-in-law, L. l..
Goodrum, 3. F. Weldon and Claude
Washington, and friend, w. NJ.
Feltman, are implicated in the plot.
Ber Freeman, also being held, was
not implicated in the confession.
The police announced early to-
day they would not give out in de
tail the confession of Minter until
later during the day. They said
other members of the family have
confessed and they still are expect
ing more to tell OF the shooting.
After having enlisted the aid OF
Felt1nan to- get Trouton to take Il
walk with him. the Winters form
ed a kidnapping party. the police
were told, near Trouton's Eom2.
Feltman, on the way to the house.
was joined by Freeman and, after
persIading Trouton to take the
walk, they proceeded for about orc
hundred yards from Trouton's
home. There Trouton was seized,
thrown into an automobile and
taken to a nearby woods.
The police are still Withholding
what took place in the woods as re-
lated to them by the elder Minter.
other than to say Minter admitted
having fired five shots into Trout
on's body. Trouton was being held
at the time by his relatives. it was
said.
Skull Also Crushed
AFTER the dlleSeQ executions,
Trouton's arms and legs were tied
and his body thrown into the creek.
1t was found four days later III
the shallow waters of the stream.
the skull. the police said, being
crushed.
Feftman and Freeman were the
first to be detained by the police.
They were the last seen with Trout
on. They admitted, the police said
TO having been with him, and as
they were walking along a street
some strange" men abducted
Trouton and carried him off. -
Later, Minter. his sons, and then
his sons-in-law were apprehended.
On Sunday, the police said, they 10.
Gated the automobile used in the
kidnapping. The machine, they said,
was the property Of John JET:
Minter.
Trouton served a short Jail sem
tence a short time ago after his
father-in-law swore out a warrant
charging wife-beating. Following his
release it was said his wife went
back to live with him. Domestic
difficulties were renewed and she
again left him. Mrs. Trouton is
said to have related to her fathec
the alleged brutalities, resulting iE