Man Who Killed His Cousin Surrenders in Mecklenburg County, 1918

“Bonner Wentz Gave Up to Mecklenburg Sheriff,” published in The Monroe Journal, April 9, 1918

Man Who Killed His Cousin Following Quarrel Over Some Land Has Been Apprehended—Is Composed—Draft Classification at the Root of Trouble—Eight Perforations in Dead Man’s Body—It Is Said Bonner Became Angered at Will’s Reference to His Father

Sheriff Griffith went to Charlotte this morning to bring back Bonner Wentz, slayer of his cousin Will Wentz, who surrendered to the Mecklenburg County authorities on the afternoon of the shooting yesterday. The killing, which took place at the home of Will Wentz, was the outgrowth of a quarrel over rented land.

An autopsy held by Dr. S.A. Stevens late yesterday afternoon revealed eight perforations of Wentz’ body, though it is believed only five shots were fired from the pistol.

The tragedy occurred on the farm of the aunty of both of the men, Mrs. Rufe Wentz, in Goose Creek township near the Vance township line. Will Wentz, the dead man, had recently rented the land after Bonner Wentz, expecting to go to war, had given it up. This, it is believed, was the cause of the killing, as the latter, having been given deferred classification on the grounds of agricultural pursuits, wanted to regain possession of the land to keep out of war.

Wentz Composed

According to the following account in this morning’s Charlotte Observer, Bonner Wentz, as he sat in his cell in the Mecklenburg jail, was composed:

As a result of what was said to have been a dispute over a misunderstanding about the draft registration or about who should work a certain piece of land, Bill Wentz, a prominent young farmer living in Union County, just across the southern part of the Mecklenburg County line, was shot to death yesterday morning about eight o’clock by his cousin, Bonner Wentz of Pineville, as the two stood in front of Bill Wentz’ house, his wife witnessing the affair, according to information gathered at the sheriff’s office in Charlotte last night.

Mr. Wentz was said to have been shot a number of times. He, rushing into the house after receiving the wounds, dropped to the floor, dead, death having been almost instant.

What information about the shooting could be obtained yesterday indicated that only the wife witnessed the killing, and the particulars about the shooting are lacking.

Bonner Wentz, after shooting his cousin, returned to Pineville, went to his father, Wash Wentz, a well-known citizen of that place, and told him what he had done. The father notified Sheriff N.W. Wallace, who dispatched Deputy Sheriffs V.P. Fesperman and P.P. Patterson to Pineville, they bringing Bonner Wentz to Charlotte last evening. He was placed in the county jail. The sheriff of Union County is expected in the city today to get Wentz and take him to Monroe, where he is scheduled to face trial, as the killing occurred in that county.

As far as could be learned, the two men had been quarreling in front of Bill Wentz’s home either about some difference over the draft registration or about who should work a piece of land. Reports about the affair differed as to which of the two matters the men fell out over. Bonner Wentz is said to have drawn an automatic pistol and fired a number of shots into the body of his cousin.

The man who is charged with doing the shooting seemed very composed last evening when placed in the county jail by Deputy Sheriffs Fesperman and Patterson. No statement was obtained from him as to his motive for killing his cousin as he did not seem to care to talk about the matter.

Information obtained seemed that both men were prominent in the sections of the county in which they lived, and it is not known that they had been on disagreeable terms.

No attempt whatever was made by Bonner Wentz to escape after shooting his cousin, it was reported, he going almost directly to his father, with whom he lived most of the time, and telling him about the shooting. His father advised him to remain at home until the officers came for him, and the father, after consulting with his son, came to Charlotte and told Sheriff Wallace about the affair.

Was There a Quarrel?

Bonner Wentz last year worked the farm of his aunt, Mrs. Rufe Wentz. Being in the draft age and single, he was placed in class 1 by the local exemption board. Thinking that he would have to go to the camp, he left his aunt’s farm, stating that he was going to enlist, it is said. After he had left, Mrs. Wentz, with whom he had lived and whose land he had worked, engaged Will Wentz to take his place on the farm and also rented other parts of the farm to different parties. Instead of volunteering Bonner Wentz succeeded in getting placed in class 4 of the draft on account of agricultural pursuits. Complaining affidavits have been filed with the exemption board against this reclassification. After he was notified of his reclassification he returned to the home of his aunt and tried to get the place he had formerly held on the farm back, so it is said.

Several times, it is said, Bonner and Will came to a quarrel concerning their affairs. Yesterday morning Mrs. Wentz noticed them standing on the well curb some distance away quarreling. She called to them to stop, it is said, and come to the house.

Bonner Wentz, it is said, was about half way to the house, carrying a bucket of water, when Will Wentz is reported to have said, “You are just like your old father, sneaking around trying to break up his trade.” At this Bonner is said to have placed his water on the ground, pulled a pistol and began firing. The wife of the dead man was an eye witness to the affair. Bonner continued to fire, following Will around the house, it is stated. Will succeeded in reaching the kitchen door and fell inside, dead. There were three bullet holes in his back, and through the side of the neck, which must have cut the jugular vein, and one grazed his arm.

It is said that after he had emptied his pistol he went into the house, reloaded it, bade his aunt good-bye, telling her that he might not see her any more and left.

Sheriff Jule Griffith and Capt. Will Howie went up to the scene of the shooting a little later to arrest the guilty man, but he had already left that county. On their return to Monroe it was learned that Bonner had retained J.D. McCall of Charlotte as counsel and that he had also retained Stack & Parker as attorneys, phoning them. It is thought that as the shooting occurred about 7 o’clock that Bonner made his way to Indian Trail, about four miles away, where he boarded the 8 o’clock train for Charlotte. Sheriff Griffith is of the opinion, however, that Wentz walked to Pineville, the home of his father, where he was taken into custody by the officers.