North Carolina, Wilson Co }
The examination of the following witnesses, taken before the undersigned Coroner of said County, this 6th of July 1903 at the house of Turner Walston upon the body of the infant of Ollie Horne then and near there lying dead, to wit:
Delpha Bynum, being duly sworn, says:
I never saw anything but the after birth and I examined it. My question to her was where is the young one and Caline Barnes said there they are and I said Come & see what I am talking about, and I said to Ollie nobody knows but you where that baby is and then Caline Gracy Abram and Mollie Barnes commenced to hunt for it.
Mollie Barnes being duly sworn says:
I says, Ollie tell me where the baby is. She says Aint Duck I don’t know where it is. I haven’t seen anything but that in the night glass. She then told her sister Gracey to go & get her snuff box and then she would tell her where the child was and then I saw her when she pulled it out from under pillow and then I said to her, you laid on this baby and she said no I didn’t Aint Duck. The body looked like it was sort of mashed one side. I saw little blood running out of its nostrils. Mollie (X) Barnes
Addie Artis being duly sworn says:
I was the first one got there and I went into the room where she was and she was down on the floor and asked her what was the matter with her and she told me she did not know and I said Ollie yes you do know what is the matter with you and I went into the other room and she told me to bring her some water to wash her hands and I went to get the water and there was some sitting on floor in a bucket and I carried her that and she told me to bring her some sweet soap and I asked her where it was and she told me it was over mantle piece & I carried it to her and by that time sister Caline Barnes come and I asked her what must we do and she said lets send after her sister Gracy and we sent after her and when she come we sent after Aunt Delpha Bynum. I was out doors when they found the baby. She pulled the baby out from under the pillow. I saw the baby and it looked like it was mashed. There was some blood rushing out of its nose. /s/ Addie Arirs
Jim T. Burress being duly sworn says:
I saw the child. She was looking towards it, I asked her if that was her child & she told me yes. I asked her where she gave birth to it & she said there where she was. I asked her if it was dead when it was born & she said it was and I asked her if she tried to conceal it & she said she didn’t. She said she put it over her, behind her, in the bed. /s/ Jno. T. Burress
Solomon Horn being duly sworn says:
I heard the child cry twice. I was sitting on door steps on outside. I heard one of the children cry twice. Don’t know which one. Solomon (X) Horn
Gracy Pender being duly sworn says:
I was not there when the child was born. I saw the child when she pulled it out from under the pillow. I saw a little blood running out from its nose. Gracy (X) Pender
Abram Pender being duly sworn says:
Solomon told you that when he come to the house he took a seat on door steps or bench one on side of house and heard something in there crying like a little baby. He did not tell me about another baby. Abram (X) Pender
Caline Barnes being duly sworn says:
I went into the house and asked sister Addie what was the matter and she told me she did not know, but go into room & she – Ollie – was sitting there and everything all round her was terribly fixed. I says what is the matter with you and she says what did I reckon made all that cold blood come from her and I say Ollie you ought to know I don’t know whether it lived or not. Caline (X) Barnes
Be it remembered that on this the 6th day of July 1903 I Albert Anderson, Coroner, of the County of Wilson attended by a Jury of good and lawful men: Chas. Walston, Frank Walston, Ben Walston, Turner Walston, Jos. Bynum (col) and Gaston Eason, by me summoned for that purpose, according to law, and after being by me duly sworn and empaneled at Turner Walston in the Co aforesaid, did hold an inquest over the dead body of the infant of Ollie Horn and after examination into the facts and circumstances of the deceased, from a view of the corps, and all the testimony to be procured the said Jury find as follows, that is to say that the children was born dead. /s/ Gaston Eason, B.T. Walston, Chas. Walston, Frank (X) Walston, W.T. (X) Walston, Jos. (X) Bynum
Inquest had and signed and sealed in the presence of Albert Anderson, Coroner of Wilson Co.
——
- Ollie Horne — in the 1900 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: Luke Horn, 56, wife Mary, 23, and children Ollie, 23, Fannie, 17, Marcellus, 8, and William, 13.
- Delphia Bynum Applewhite Bynum — on 23 October 1873, Warren Applewhite, 21, married Delsy Bynum, 20, at justice of the peace Elbert Felton’s in Saratoga township. In the 1880 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: Warren Applewhite, 23, wife Delpha, 22, children Lillie, 3, and Marcellus, 2, and Sallie Ruffin, 6. On 1 May 1890, Delphia Applewhite, 35, daughter of Edna Best, married Henry Bynum, 45, son of Robert and Mary Bynum at Blount Knight’s. In the 1900 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: widow Delpy Bynum, 50, and children M., 21, Matthew, 18, Bessie, 16, and Aaron Applewhite, 14.
- Mollie Barnes — in the 1900 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: Jarmes Barnes, 44, wife Mollie, 41, and children Lilly, 11, Lula, 10, Aaron, 8, Arrena, 6, Calvin, 4, Harry, 3, and Geneva, 2.
- Addie Barnes Artis — Addie Barnes, 20, married James Artis, 22, on 12 November 1900 at “parents’ house” in Saratoga township. Missionary Baptist minister E.P. Pearsall performed the ceremony in the presence of Dempsey Bullock, Andrew Sauls and J.H. Moore. Addie Artis died 30 June 1917 in Saratoga township. Per her death certificate, she was born 20 June 1879 in Wilson County to Isaac Barnes and Bettie Ellis. James A. Artis was informant.
- Solomon Horne — in the 1910 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: Solomon Horn 23, is listed as a hired man in the household of white farmer Joe J. Mattox. On 18 December 1913, Solomon Horn, 28, and Jane Eason, 32, both of Saratoga, were married at Jane Eason’s residence by Primitive Baptist minister B.J. Best. On 1 June 1919, Solomon Horn, 34, married Pearl Ward, 18, at J.B. Eason’s farm.
- Grace Horne Pender — in the 1900 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: Abraham Pender, 28, wife Gracey, 20, and newborn son Charley. In the 1910 census of Saratoga township: Abram Pender, 42, wife Grace, 30, and children Charlie, 10, Albert, 8, Floyd and Louis, 6, Willie, 4, Dallas J., 1, and Mary, 2 months.
- Abram Pender — see Grace H. Pender, above.
- Caroline Best Barnes — on 19 March 1885, Allen Barnes 22, married Caroline Best, 20, in Wilson. M.E. minister W.J. Gay performed the ceremony in the presence of Leamon Taborn, George Marshall and Alfred Robinson. In the 1900 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: Allen Barnes, 37, wife Calliann, 34, and children John, 15, Mary L., 12, Della, 7, Corinna, 5, Willie, 3, and Bennie, 1, plus friend Fannie Mathe, 26.
- Joseph Bynum — possibly, in the 1900 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: Joe Bynum, 35, and wife Mary L., 35.
Coroner’s Records, Miscellaneous Records, Wilson County Records, North Carolina State Archives.