Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1894-02-19
TESTIMONY.

TESTIMONY.
ine nts Brought Out sefOre
DIR. J. H. Baird.
Thursday and Friday testimony was
taken in the case Of the killing of Young
Willis Morgan at Mars Hill by J. X.
Sans. The hearing was before DR.. J. II.
Baird, who was appointed acting cor
oner by two magistrates, W. H. Jervis
and Hardy Hunter, under the belief that
there was no regular coroner in Madison
DR.. Baird summoned a Jury
composed Of S. o. Deaver, W. p. Jervis,
w. E. n. Edwards, Vim. Anderson and
James NJ. Ammons.
At the close Of the testimony Sheriff
White OF Madison appeared and stated
that there was acoroner for that county
and therefore the entire proceeding was
illegal. The Jury accordingly made no
report, but" DR.. Baird writes THE
CITIZEN, Everyone expressed his opinion
that there was no sort of criminal guilt
on the part of J. r. Sans, at whose hand
Willis Morgan came to his DEATH
THE CITIZEN is unable to print the ties.
timony in full, but gives the following
summary, certified as the principal testi-
mony as brought out, by Acting Coroner
Baird
Ben Smith, town rna1shal, testified
that he heard report of firearms at house
of. R. Sans; found Willis Morgan lying
in the walk between the gate and the
house. He died in few minutes. Went
on to house of ]. X. Sans; lie told me
Morgan had been there in his porch and
had asked to 60 into the house. Mr..
Sans said he had asked him two or three
times to leave; Morgan had cursed him
and had raised his hand with pistol in
it presented towards Mr.. Sans. Mr..
Sans said he fired gun at him through
the transom at side of door. Morgan
was alone when reached him. On the
evening of the shooting met Willis Nor
gau. He told me he was going to leave
Mars Hill that night. He asked me to
get him pistol and said he was going
after some liquor and would return in an
hour. lie came to me two or three times
after that and begged for pistol. These
conversations occurred late in the even
ing of the shooting. Before the day of
the shooting heard Morgan curse and
abuse I, r, Sans and said if it were not
for me (the marshaD be would run over
the town and raise hell, and | told Mr..
Sans my conversation with Morgan and
told him he was in danger. After this !
saw Mr.. Sans at his house and he told
me that Willis Morgan had been there
and had put his hand in his pocket and
turned as ii in the act of rawing pistol
told Mr.. Sans If had been in his place
after Morgan had come in in that man.
ner the matter would have been ended. Ht
said, ,"My God, Ben, would not kill mar
for the world unless had to i'll selt.de
fence" After this | again went to hi!
house and notified him Morgan haC
come back with new supply of whiskey
While there heard pistol fire and wen
to look after Morgan, fearing he would
go to Mr.. Sans, and to arrest him if
found him i'll disorder. While absen
looking for him heard the shooting a
Mr.. Sans house and ran there. iount
Morgan lying on his face on the groun'
with his right hand on pistol which,
think, was 3S-calibre. Had alway
heard Morgan was man of violen
character and had on one occasion take
a pistol from him, he having it in hi
hand while he was cursiug some parties
| am the town marshal Of Mars Hill
The pistol referred to as being in MOI
gan's possession when found him wa
fully loaded and not cecked.
DR.. John H. Baird testified; The pi'
tol that Ben Smith said was found
Morgan's hand in ]. r. Sans yard wa
my pistol. 1t is self-acting heav
: nickel plated 3S calibre. do not kno'
how he got it.
Miss NAV sans Testimony.
Il Miss May Sans, aged II years, daug
ter of I. X. Sans, testified: Last Tue
day morning, Feb. 1a, Morgan wro
\ me note asking me to get ma to /
him come to see me. Pa and ma ga'
their consent and he came up to o,
house at 4:3O in the evening. As soc
as he came smelled the whiskey on hi
and told him could not have anythir
more to do with him. He would th,
cry awhile and curse awhile. He to
me if had made up my mind to ha'
no more to do with him should new
, have any more peace nor any other me,
- Der of my fathers family. He took o,
two pistols, but put one back into h
. pockct. He had knife open IN his CO.
pocket. He said, "-- my soul, il
could not kill both Of US. As you arc
girl, can't afford to shoot you, but "
shall never ue happy He then put
his pistol and said, May, am St
rounded by enemies" Hekcpt listenin
| could hear pa talking in the room, al
every time any one passed the do
Morgan would put his hand in
pocket. Emmett, my brother, came
tell US to come to supper. Morg
Jumped up on his feet and put his ha
in his right coat pocket, where he h
hts pistol. He then told me he was ei
ing up his days at Mars Hill and
tended to raise hell before he left.
walked to the front door, and sa
"Good-bye May, forever" said. "Go,
bye, Willis" He then turned toward
- aud said, mo, it's not forever, for |
| tend to marry you in spite of hell. |
IL coming after you some night and y
have got to Co." I told ma all this
cept about the pistols.
0. Did you tell your pa or ma bet
the killing that you believed Morgan