LOS ANGELES, Apr. 9 – A former member of Charles Manson’s “family” testified that Manson gave him an automobile belonging to slain musician Gary Hinman.

Marcus John Arneson testified at the murder retrial of Robert Kenneth Beausoleil, 22, who is accused of stabbing Hinman to death after going to the musician’s Topanga Canyon home last July to get money.

Beausoleil allegedly took one of Hinman’s cars and Manson the other.

Manson is not charged with the Hinman slaying, although a defense witness has testified that Manson ordered Hinman’s death. A previous witness quoted Beausoleil as saying Manson visited the Hinman home several hours before the stabbing and slashed the side of the musicians face with a sword.

Manson is, however, accused of master-minding the murders of actress Sharon Tate and six others about three weeks after Hinman was killed.

Arneson said he knew both Manson and Beausoleil and had lived with the “family” at the Spahn Ranch near Chatsworth.

The youthful, black-haired witness, testified he left the Spahn ranch last Mother’s Day and did not return until the first of August.

He said Manson offered to give him both a Volkswagon bus and a Fiat station wagon, which have been identified as belonging to Hinman.

Arneson testified he took the Volkswagon after Manson gave him the ownership certificate to it. “Gary Hinman’s name was on the back” of the certificate, he said.

The witness said he also planned to take the Fiat, but that Beausoleil “said he wanted to use it.” He stated he returned within a week and found that both the Fiat and Beausoleil had disappeared from the ranch.