The Brookhaven leader., 1888-03-15
THE HAMILTON TRIAL
DAMNING TESTIMONY OF
EYE-WITNESSES TO THE
MURDER OF YOUNG
GAMBRELL.
THE CRY OF MURDER" AND THE
BEATING OF THE PROSTRATE
FORM DEAD MEN TELL
NO TALES"
Other Important Testimony and
the Coils Tightening Around
the Chief Assassin.
\ Sketch of the Jury.

DkAh I1fADEk - CdHIt ONVl HVlN
last Thursday for the purpose of at
tending the Hamilton trial for few
DAYS, and since that time have been a
close observer of all its proceedings.
Hon. A. G.. Mayors, the venerable
Judge of the Sth judicial district, is
presiding with becoming dignity, and
is manitestly trying to rightly balance
the scales of justice as to all concern
ed. If he makes any mistakes, it will
be of the head and not of the heart
He has given the utmost latitude to
opposing counsel in the discussion of
all points of difference. and his rulings
thus far have been gracefully accepted
| by both sides. The State is repre-
scented by c. II. Alexander, District
Attorney pro tenn (he having been ap-
pointed in place of Sylvester McLau-
rim because the the latter was one of
IIamilton's attorneys before his cleo
tom, Judge l.. Brame and John H..
Martin. of jackson; Hon. G. B. Hud-
dleston. of Forest. and Hines Jones.
Esq, of Raleigh. Hamilton seems to
think that in multitude of counsel
there is wisdom, and is represented by
Col. Nugent and Judge Calhoun, of
jackson Major l.. w. Magruder, of
Vicksburg; Judge Cassidy, of Brook
haven {. c. Miller, of Meridian, and
the entire Brandon bar, consisting of
the noted criminal lawyer, A. }. Me
Laurin, Cole g. White, John Enochs,
Major Pat Henry and VIM. Buchanan.
Hons. John VI. Allen and II. y. Miller,
who assisted in the prosecution during
the h0bcdS corpus trial, and Judge Wi
ley p. Harris and NJ. Green, of Jack
son, who represented Hamilton then,
are said TO be no longer connected
with the case. AS it is, however. there
is still some of the finest legal talent of
the State OH both sides. and the small
er number on the side of the prosecu-
ton enables them to be much more eff
ticicnt and wicldy than if they were
more numerous. Indeed, it is ques-
tionahle whether it is sound policy to
have the responsibility Of Il great case
like this divided among SO many.
The attendance upon the trial has
Il Il,
est is increasing as it progresses, and
this afternoon the large court room
was quite well filed, despite the fact
that this is a very busy season of the
year with the farmers and many
others. Revs. }. b. aud }. Ii. Gam
brcll. father and uncle of Roderick,
are in constant attendance. Judging
hy the expressions heard since
have been here, at least 80 out of
every 100 men in Rankin county be-
lievc Hamilton is guilty Of murder.
and the ladies are about unanimously
of that opinion.
Hamilton is evidently trying to put
on as bold front as possible. He has
his family here and is allowed to stay
at the hotel with them and enjoys 9th
or privileges that would not be ac-
corded to a poor and unintlCcntial
criminal. Besides his Immediate fam
lily, he also has two brothers and two
brothclS-in- law here, and IA large num-
Der of witnesses, most of whom are
stopping at the same hotel.
The State has not abandoned its
idea of IA conspiracy, and Hamilton's
story that he was riding liStlcssly
along home with Minis Eubanks and
his negro driver Hardy. when he was
unexpectedly fired upon in his car
riage by Roderick Gambrcll and that he
then jumped ont and killed him, is
disappearing before the terribly damn
ing testimony introduced by the
State, like mist before torrid
sun.
In order that the LEADERS, readers
may judge for themselves on this
point. | give below Il condensed SYN
opss of the testimony of the most i'm
portant witnesses thus far exam
ined.
W. l.. DRUMMONDS,
EX- Chancery Clerk ofSimpson county,
and pardoncd convict, was book
keeper in the penitentary, May 9TH.
1897. the date Gambrell was killed
He says about midway the afternoon
of May 9Th, Hamilton came into the
Office of the G. & :. |. Il. r., and told
Gen Henry he wanted pistol that
Henry told witness to go to the armory
and get the pistol. Witness returned
with the pistol, Hamilton took it,
looked at it, and said, - this is IA
id good pistol, want it for Minis
Eubanks, and want box of car
tridges ALSO" which witness brought
from the armOry and delivered to
Hamilton. The pistol was a large one
and looked new, witness said.
ELIAS KING,
A young white man who is an ex-
guard at the Penitentiarv, testified
that on the night of the killing he got
on the rear end of the train on which
J GambIell came from Clinton, as it was
backing in the switch. AS it was
hocGinU nm tn tho lpnnt he Sow Ham