The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-05-22

not lar blow. W hen the Suck broke the
second time, MIR. Eddleman dropped the
piece, and. as Mi. Gresham again struck at
him, he
DREW HIS PISTOL
and fred. Mr.. Gresham threw both hands to
his stomach and said, My God, l am shot
Then the people beganlpouring in
well, didn't Mr. Gresham have knife in
his hand when he was shot?''
"Not that l saw-and would have seen it
if there was one. You see he is a one-handed
man, and he cau't open knife as readily as if
he had two hands and must have noticed it
II he had knife or pistol"
Mr.. Meehan's Story.
Mr. Meehan said.
81 saw the shooting. They were standing
about six or seven feet apart when the shoot
broken his cane over Mr.. Gresham's head
"Diu Mr.. Gresham have a knife?'
mot that l saw, and l was watching them"
would you have seen it II there had been
one?"
81 don't see how could help it. I didn't
see anything of a knife, or of pistol either.
Mr.. >Eddleman wanted to prove by me just
after the shooting that Mr.. Gresham had a
pistol. hadn't seen any pistol but his. Mr..
Gresham, just before he went out, threw back
his coat so we could all see, and said I
haven't pistol; L don't carry one.''
What about a knife?"
ST didn't see any. The minute he was shot
Mr.. Gresham put both hands over his stomach.
knife. l didn't see any in his hand, and
didnt one lying around. He has only one
hand, too"
The Two Men.
Both men are known to be impulsive, and
both have many friends in Atlanta. Mr..
Gresham has been with the Western and At
lantic road for over twenty years. and his
popularity is something remarkable. Mr..
Eddleman is successful real estate man. 1t
will be remembered that he has several times
Hfrv1rn ItNn nIxnN rfA 1,a,v.p tod
not long ago with three pistols on his person.
He is pleasant and courteous, ordinarily but
is regarded dangerous when under the in
fuence of liquor. The general testimony CT
those that saw him yesterday, about the time
of the shooting, was that he had been drinking,
but was not drunk.
In His Cell.
After Mr. Gresham died, Mr.. Eddleman
was found lying in cell No.2. With him were
Colonel Rube Arnold and another gentleman.
Come in" said Mr.. Eddeman.
eyes. come in," echoed Colonel Rube Ar
"Did you know Mr.. Gresham was dead ?"
mo" replied Mr.. Eddleman calmly, sis he
dead?"
"Yes, he died at 1925"
"Well," said Mr.. Eddleman, "I couldn't
help that. l shot him in self defense.'
YES" said Colonel Arnold, lit was all done
in self defense.'
MIR. Eddleman was removed to the Jail last
ulgIt Ut IL 10.
The tragic death of Mr.. Tom Gresham SEEM
ed to cast a gloom over the entire city
Wednesday.
The prominence of the gentlemen connected
with the ARRAY and especially the universal
popularity of the great hearted victim who
now lies cold in death, made it the universal
topic of conversation about the streets and in
the homes of Atlanta.
During the day rumors of threats of visiting
JJY1NIN ,sClr
the shooting were frequent. The authenticity of
these rumors was generally doubted, but the
authorities took every precaution, and last
night strong guard of police officers and
special deputies slept in the Jail.
THE VERDICT OF THE JURY.
The verdict read as follows:
We coroners jury this day empaneled to in
9uire into the death of Thomas Gresham, here
lying dead, find from the evidence adduced, and
the opinion of the county physician here present,
that he came to his death from pistol wound in
George II. Eddleman, and that III our opinion it
was case of willful murder
Mr.. Eddleman in Jail.
All day Thursday Mr.. Eddleman was kept
awake in his cell, most of the time by his law
yers.
1t is understood that Colonel Hulsey and
Albert Cox will be associated with Judge Dor
sey, RUDE Arnold and James Mayson for the
defense. About a quarter past FIVE Mr.. Eddie
mans attorneys all met and had long con-
cell No. -, the amurderer's CELL"
as it is called, in which the bigamist has been
confined since his preliminary hearing, and
the door of the cell was shut.
The blind bigamist listened to the voices,
and as the door was shut he remarked thought
fully:
THAT fellow must be bad man."
AS soon as the lawyers left. Mr.. Ozburn, the
assistant jailer, acting upon instructions from
Mr.. Poole, the jailer, went to see Chief Con-
molly at police headquarters,
"Oh, don't think there's any DANGER" the
chief was heard to remark
"But you don't know" replied Mr.. OZburn.
"Those railroad men thought lots of Tom
Gresham. and l hear that hundred and fifty
OF them have stopped work and are
COMING TO THE JAIL TONIGHT
and take Eddleman out. It's best to be on
the safe side, you know"
"Yes," assented the chief. "Well, I'll do
what can for you"
The rumors that called for such precaution-
airy measures seemed to have had more founda-
ton in fact than is generally supposed.
Sherln Thomas and Chief Connolly went
about seven o'clock to see MIR Dave Wylie, of
the Western and Atlantic railroad.
~ know what you have come for" said Mr..
Wylie. "They are all right now"
caro- you certain of it?' asked the sheriff
eyes. They just saw it would be useless to
attempt it,"
WAS there much talk about t?' asked the
chief
Yes" said Mr.. Wyle; "they talked good
deal about it this morning. They didn't
much want to work and were pretty much in
earnest about it. They are all right now.
They have just taken a common sense view of
the matter, and will let the law take its
course"
Even Mr.. Wylie's positive assurance did not
entirely dispel the general feeling OF uneasiness.
1t is well known that MIR. Gresham's long
association with the Western and Atlantic
employees had made him very popular with
them, and numerous threatening remarks
were made during the forenoon, were repeated
afterwards, and gave rise to the rumors.
THE SCENE AT THE JAIL.
AT ten o'clock Thursday night, the scene at
the county Jail was something unusual for the
place and hour
Inside were Sheriff Thomas Deputy Sher-
ifs Wilson, Greene and Perl1erson, Jailer
Poole and Assistant Jailer Ozburn, Chief of
Police Connolly, a half dozen young men in
citizens clothes-eyideptly not prisoners, and
number of moonsIfners, "trusties." Ten
loaded Springfield rifles were scattered around
the office, leaning against the walls and the
counter.
There was general air Of expectation about
the old place. Some four or five were seated
on the steps in q sentry-like fashion that sug-