The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1884-05-22


1 the latter calle' out Voted witness
commenced writing Matthews nati,r, and
had written six letters of the name when
THE SHOT WAS Piled.
The conversation between Matthews
and Wheeler at the polls was short and
quiet. Deceased fell uu Iris left SIDE.
McGinnis was the first man to approach
his body. Bankston went out hurTie,lly.
almost Immediately after the shnnting,
passing 10y Matthews Iody. Witness
never saw the pistol uutil it was picked
up hy McGinuiS.
| xaminatioG-ScveTal were stand
ing at the door ct the poll when witness
went in. Witness lrcaus by bold Iuan
urr that Matthews was excited aud
abrupt, and sad; Il have a right here
/ The remainder Of the characterization
corrUhUratcd the direct examination.
J. l.. M'GINNIS,
for +lrc defense, said that he knows all
the parties. Tie was in HazlehuTSt the
. dsv Of TIE election. aud At the poNS when
Matthews was Killed. lie did rot see the
shooting: he was Il short distance from the
door and ran in when the shot was fired.
and saw Matthews falling. Tie had 4
pistol at the time in his night hand; wit
ness picked 1t up from his side. Witness
. was eight or ten feet from the door " hen
the shot was fired. and Immediately
thereafter ran into the room. He met
Baukstou going ont hurrIedly. Matthews
was staggering and falling as he entcted
the room, and sank slowly down on his
left side. He was holding his pistol in
his right hand; witness saw the pistol on
the floor as he fell. Matthews was dead
when witness got to him. He drew up
one leg hen he got to Inn. The pistol
WAS Il >c,f-cockimg one. Witness kept the
pistol until the i;nilr asked Tor it. After
the shouting Wheeler aud witness came
ont together and went to the sheriff. and
Wheeler -Ht4rndcrcd himself. Witness
denied that when he picked up the pistol
he waved it ana said: Now. ifthcy have
any friends. let them come in
Wheeler held on to his gun after he had
surrendered. and kept it all That day.
Witness saw him with it on the street
several times that day, talking with his
friends. Witness knows the Wares. but
+ never had conversation with either of
them in which he told them t!fat the
deer was shut after the shooting. before
he went In. lie never told them or
anyone Else that he had been placed in
front of the polls To keep any of the other
Matthews from getting in or to keep them
away, nor did he tell anybody that Mat
thcHS was
KIIIED SOONER THAN lie EXPECTED.
Witness did not tell the Wares that
wlt"u he got To the door Matthews was
on the iloor dead.
JOE SCoTr
knew all the parties When asked if lie
. had heard thr ats made by Matthew's
against the life of Wheeler, counsel for
the state objected. au'l objection was
oNrrrulrd. Witness then stated two oc-
casions on which the threat Was made
before the election, and that the witness
had conveyed these threats to Wheeler;
HAT Wheeler said: ooh, the d--m fool:
have got nothing against him.
T On CrusS-eNamInalIon the witness said
that hc thorght it was right that he
>hould tell Wheeler of the threats Mat
tl"ws had made. Matthews cot mad at
Wheeler because the latter had shot at
some negroes that Matthew'S tath"r had
raised. Witness said he is the father of
the hey who handed the gun To Wheeler
through the window Of the polls the day
of the killing. He first saw Wheeler the
day of the election after the shooting WAS
done. Witness himself had gun early
in the morning before Matthews Wao
killed.
HAZIEHUEeT, May 13-tlto Defendant
( Era>tu~ i. Wheeler, testified Threats had
lr'cn sent me hV Scott on the Wednesday
brfur, the killing. scott told me twice
the sam" day. He first tofl he he
wouldn't be surprised if hadn't got him
aud me both in Il difficulty about pur>u-
inu freedman. Matthew, smoke of my
having >hot at the negro. tr,ing to ,;op
him, and he int";rdcd 30 Kill me tor il
He toll me second time HAT Matthews
Sajd he intended to Kill me before the
election was over went 10 the polls
fifteen OF twenty minutes before 80. | was
there ti>inc the counter: took NV Gun in
1T The vuGow Nv GUN never was ne
himd that door: swear to YOU. gentle
rlru most positively. my gun never wa,
behind there. although Mr. Hamilton
>Sorc to it, Bankatom and CuAWpl were
there
carried my rua there, on account of
the threats. Matthews came in and said,
Good morning" | said. ..Gnol uuIuiur
Matthew's" | most rostivc!, state he
never did shake hands with me HI.
came up in front of me and said: ..\Nhat
do YOU know" | said Il know 4 damn
sight; something YOU doutthiak know"
"Why aid Frank Davis send me those
orders not to vote" toll linn that
Frank Davis did NOT do il amy mar, tLn,,
any one else in the procession. lie
Walkd,l back and fcrth il time a tyyo and
asked why the polls were not OMEN
said: IL don't know: I'm not Marshal
Morrison is Marshall" | said. "It's moi
my r., I....,, La,