The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-16
TRIAL OF #. CLAY KING.
THE COLONEL DENIES THAT HE 10
A BAD MAN.

| He had No Expectation Of Meeting
Poston When the Shooting Occurred.
He Tries to Make Els Previous Diff
culties Appear in as Advantageous q
Light as Possible.
MEMPHIS, TENN, June 15-The trial of
H. Clay King was resumed In the criminal
court this morning. Col. King said he had
received money from Mrs. Pillow in hquida-
ton of her Indebtedness to him. The wit
ness never had any final settlement with
Mrs Pillow, and she Is still in
debted to him in a large sum. The
witness believed that Mrs. Pillow and her
son-in-law, Mr.. Shields, OF Birmingham,
had entered into a conspiracy TO defraud
him out Of his estate, to blacken his charac-
ter and to take his life. The witness thought
1t necessary to prepare himself and be ready
for any emergency. The witness went
across the street from the Memphis and
Charleston railroad ticket Office to get his
sh oes blacked.
NOT AN UNUSUAL MOVEMENT.
The witness was in the habit Of going TO
Lees cigar store to buy cigars. He had
particular brand there he had been smok-
ing for twelve months The witness denied
having met Malcolm McNeill, one of the
states witnesses in Chicago. The witness
had difficulty in Kentucky when he was
about 81 years of age, wi b a young lawyer
who was opposing counsel in a case on trial
They had some controversy In the court
room. and when they came out the young
man fired at him and he returned the fire.
Nobody was hurt and that was the end of
the affair.
THE TROUBLE WITH BIGRLow.
The witness did not consider the trouble
with Judge Bigelow a difficulty, though on
one occasion he drew knife on hun, a
proposition having been made that he was
from the north and the witness from the
south, and they would fight it out.
They did not fight The witness was
questioned as TO the threats made
against the author, whomsoever he might
have been, of certain article that ap-
peared In the Memphis Avalanche that re-
Elected upon him. He did not remember Of
having threatened any one on the paper; but
he sued the paper for libel. The witness
war record was ventilated. He refused on
one occasion to serve as lieutenant colonel,
and for this he was dismissed or suspended
from the service.
DIDN'T THREATEN CHAMBERS.
The witness denied that he sent message
to G. P. Chambers, an associate counsel in
the King Pillow suit, to the effect that he
would kill him il he did not withdraw
certain charges made in a crossbill fled in
the case. After asking the witness few
more questions of minor impor-
lance the state closed the cross
examination. In the redirect examination
it was brought out that the object of the
cross-bills filed by Mrs. Pillow, both in Ar
kansas and Tennessee, was to gain posses
sion of property decided and willed to her.
The witness had nothing TO do with the
filing of the divorce bill against his wife.
Mrs. Pillow did It herself.
NO DISCLAIMER BY POSITION.
D. H. Poston never disclaimed the re-
sponsibility for the charges made in the
crossbill against the witness and his wife.
In tie cases appealed to the supreme
court it was held that there
and that the witness was entitled to the
property, the court deciding the case upon
its merits. The witness denied that there
was anything in the King Pillow litigation
that warranted the scandalous charges COM
| planned Of in the crossbill. The witnes
| remembered with absolute certainty what
| transpired between himself and Mr.. Postou
at the time of the shooting. He had no
more idea of meeting D. II. Poston in front
| OF Lees cigar store than he had Of meeting
| the man In the moon.
NOT AN EXPERT SHOT.
The witness is not an expert shot. He
was at one time when in the army. but his
| eyesight is now imperfect and his nerves
unsteady.
After some little discussion among the
attorneys as to the points Of law involved.
and after few more questions to the wit
ness of minor Importance, his examination
| was concluded.
William NJ. Sledge. witness introduced
by the defense, recited the facts of the
shooting as they appeared to him. He saw
King and the deceased standing together
| facing each other about two feet apart.
| Adjourned uutil tomorrow.