The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-28
my GOD! I'M A RUINED MAN
THE THOUGHT N LEM DAVIS MIND
WHEN HE KILLED RAWLS.

Some Time After the Tragedy Da-
Wis said lie Did Not Know What
He Had DOne-The Testimony OF
Eye-WitnesSes of the Shooting.
Considerable Time Consumed i'm
Getting a Jury-The Trial TO BE
Concluded To-day.
The trial of Lemuel Davis, charged
with the murder of William Rawls. BEGAN
in the superior court yesterday. The
state concluded its direct testimony. and
the defendant made his statement, which
was by far the most sensational and IN
teresting feature of the day.
The case then went over until this morn
ing, at 10 o'clock, when the state viii in
troduce some testimony in rebuttal Of the
DEFENDANTS statement, which viii likely
be followed by the arguments.
Considerable difficulty was experienced
in getting a jury. -Four panels were sum
moned, and only ten jurors had been Sc
cured when they were exhausted. The
state reached its limit striking ten, while
the defendant had margin Of five, striz-
ing only fifteen out Of those called. Nine
teen Of those called went off for cause,
and recess had to be taken in order to
summon other jurors
In all five panels were called and IT was
12:45 O'Clock before twelve men were Sc
cured to try the case. The jury finally
secured was composed OF Messrs. J. Z.
NARROW. Robert d. Charlton, Raymond
ID. Cunningham. J. Wesley Hunt. John
Dillon, George Ebberwen, Frank J. Goet-
tie, A. II. Lane John II. Lorimer, Robert
J. Ebbs, Joseph L. Delaney and John +.
Canty.
The court room was crowded with spec
tatOrs during the entire day. They were
as thick in the gallery and lobby as they
could be packed. The father of the de-
ceased. Hon. Morgan Rawls of Guyton, sat
near the solicitor general. and with him
were his six sons, Charles, James, L. L.
Harry, George and Lewis Rawls. The de-
PENDANT accompanied by two of his sons,
sat with his counsel, Hon. r. G.. du}ignon.
When arraigned Davis pleaded not guilty.
The first witness called Tor the state was
Charles Lane, who was walking down
West Broad street about $50 o'clock on the
morning of April s. at the time the shoot
ing occurred A shot he said attracted his
attention, and looking around he saw one
man with a pistol in his hand, and an
other moving backwards across the street.
He saw two other shots fired after this.
The man shot. he said, had one arm. The
man doing the shooting was standing on
the stoop of a house. He did not know
either of the parties.
Adam London, colored, knew Davis when
he saw him, and had known Rawls he
said. about twelve years. At the time the
first shot was fired he was on West Broad
between Broughton and state streets on
his way to work. He was on the opposite
side of the street from where the shoot
ing took place. He had seen Davis beckon
moment before, and thought al first he
was wanted, but seeing he was not went
on. In a moment he heard the shot and
looking around saw two others fired. Rawls
was retreating, going backwards toward
the middle Of the street when the two last
shots were fired. After the third shot was
fired he went into YounglOve a. Good !
mans stables
Edward Houston, colored, said he knew
the defendant and the deceased when ne
saw them. He was on West Broad street !
at the time of the shooting.
Il saw Mr. Davis beckon," he said, land |
] thought he was reckoning a paper boy |
] looked and saw Mr.. Rawls across the |
street. He made a sign as if to ask If Mr. |
Davis beckoned him. Mr.. Davis signifed |
he did, and Mr.. Rawls went across the |
street. ] walked on down the street, and |
soon heard pistol shot. 1 looked around |
and saw another shot fred. Mr.. Rawls |
was then on the edge of the sidewalk |
moving backward, and crying out. Mr. |
Davis then fred another shot and I got
behind a telegraph post. Mr.. Rawls then |
went over TO Younglove & Goodman's
stable"
Mr.. James w. Miken, one of the most
important witnesses for the state, said he
had known both the deceased and the de-
PENDANT since they were small boys. He
was going up West Broad street toward
home n hn inn of 10 u,
saw Mr. Rawls walk across the street and
come near enough TO put his foot on the
curbstone.
Il was not near enough" he said, ito
hear any words that might have passed.
But ! saw Davis fire a shot in Mr.. Rawls'
face. The first shot struck him in the
face. / don't think more than two or
three words could have passed between
them before the first shot was fired. Mr.
Rawles retreated and almost reached the
street car track before the second shot
was fired. The second shot must have hit
the ground, as the dust flew up in front
OF IL. The third shot was fired as he was
on the turn to go to the stables. 1 sup
pose II hit him in the side. Their it was
that heard some one holler. L don't
know whether it was Rawls or Davis
wife, but presume it was Rawls, as he
was shot"
THE second shot was fired Immediately,
wasn't it," asked Mr.. duBignon.
mo, 1t was not" said the witness.
Some little time elapsed"
'Rawls was facing Davis, was he not?''
Mr.. duBignon asked.
Yes, until he turned sideways to so to
the stable" the witness said.
The witness said he knew Davis when
his father kept store in Bulloch county
He didn't know whether Davis had been
married twice or not, but supposed he
had. He had never before known of Da-
Wis being in any difficulty. Mr.. Rawls, the
witness said, was a moderately youns
man.
Were you acquainted with Mr. Rawls'
reputation in this community for moral
ity or immortality, or chastity or lewd-
ness?'
The solicitor general objected TO this
question, on the ground that it was mad
missable until Il was shown that the de
ceased had made some attack on the de-
PENDANT, or until ii was SHOWN that the
deceased was an offender.
Mr.. duBignon then stated that the de-
Tense would be that the act had been
committed by Davis in the defense of
the chastity of his wife and the sanctity
of his home, and that under the doctrine