Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-24
BOWMAN MURDER TRIAL Progress in Hearing the Testi-
 mony of the State. NATIONS ARAB CHARACTER Assailed-Dump Mcdonald Relates What He Swears He Saw of the Tragedy S.
 tion of the Identity of Pistols.

ron, witness for the state in the Bowman case. was continued yesterday morning in the criminal court The important feature of witness testimony was his statement that the ue-barreled revolver exhibited to him as Bowman's pitol was not the weapon used by Bowman when he shot Eugene Jeffers according to wit ness belief. Witness said the pistol was a bright nickel or silver-plated revolver. Witness admitted that he was weak minded"
 During the forenoon a number of pap ulite politicians entered the court room and shook hands with Bowman. The state next introduced w. H. Ma tion. His direct examination was as fol- lows:
 saw part of the shooting. was at the main entrance to the saloon. l saw the shot fired. I heard no words. The man who shot Eugene Jeffers, I am told, was P. G. Bowman. I had never seen him before that evening. The shooting was done quickly. 1 had just walked up. Eugene Jeffers was in a crouched posi- tion when he was shot. There were sev- eral people on the inside and outside of the main entrance to the barroom My best recollection is that Bowman was leaning over some on the boy when he shot his pistolA I was few feet from the ., bar. There was man who had hold of the boy when he was shot. The man who had hold of the boy was rather heavy set. Don't remember whether he had any beard or not. His back was to me- He had hold of the boys shoulders or arms. The man who held the boy was nearest to me. The right hand swinging door, going into the place, was thrown open. I heard nothing before the shoot ing. The man and the boy were scuffiing when I walked up. The man who was scuffiing with the boy had something In his hands which looked like a pistol. did not know MT. Bowman before that evening. The scufI1ing attracted my at- tention first I was walking up Second avenue from the government building. and had just stepped in the place when noticed the scuffiing.
 When first saw MT. P. G. Bowman he was right near the two men who were scuffiing. When I saw the pistol first P. G. Bowman was just in the act of fir ing. P. G. Bowman was about feet from the deceased when he fired.
 Cross-Examination.
 was not going anywhere in particular while walking along the street near the place. There were two men with me. Wheeler Leith and another man who was said to be revenue officer were the two men. We were just wayking around. Leith stopped with me, and as far as can remember he stepped into the place also. The scuffiing attracted my atten- tion as l passed the place. l only saw two men scuffi!ng. did not see third man have hold of the man who held the boy. I don't know if there was another man just behind the left-hand blind near the bar. I saw something in one of the mems hands who were scuffiing. I can- not state whether 1t was pistol or not.
 I read and heard that Eugene Jeffers was the one who was killed. The boy, @I~o1 tnr the one who jumped or fell towards the floor. The fellow jumped after the flash of the pistol. I do not know Dump Me Donald and cannot say whether nave seen him since then or not. I was in Birmingham last fall when this case was set for trial. I do not know J. B. Rob- bins man went with me to bank to identify me to get my voucher cashed. I thought the mans name was Robert son. did not tell Robbins or Robertson that Bowman would not have killed the boy if he didn't have to. The Bowman case was not mentioned between the court house and the bank as far as can remember. My best recollection is that did not say it. know MT. J. B. Bel. He lives at Arab, in Marshall county. On the night of the shooting of Eugene Jeffers met MT. Bell. I don't remem- Der having a conversation with him in which I said that I was on the sidewalk and saw Bowman brought out. I did not say didn't see the shooting, but saw Bowman brought out. I know J. B. Mar tin. I did not tell him that did not see the shooting I did not tell S. T. Thomp- son at Arab, in Marshall county, that I did not see the shooting. Thompson and Martin were merchants when I last saw them. I don't remember having con- versation with MT. Thompson. I know MT. Kidd, the superintendent of educa- ton in Marshall county. I have seen him here lately. MT. Kidd asked me about the case now on trial. I never ask ed him not to be too hard on me. I did say it to MT. Martin and Bell and Thomp- son. but in a joking manner. As far as know we are good friends.
 Redirect
 I left Birmingham on the northbound train on the Louisville and Nashville af- ter the shooting. I spoke to MT. Bell only a few minutes al Cullman. I did not tell him that did not see the shooting. MT. Kidd was elected superintendent of ed- ucation about four years ago. Bell Is a justice of the peace did not see the boy after he was shot nor after he fell on the floor.
 did not see the shot strike the boy.
 J. B. McKinnon.
 MT. J. D. McKinnon was next called.
 My name is John McKinnon and live in Geneva county. was in Birmingham the nlBHt EuSene JettTS was SHOt. ulu not see the shooting. heard the defend ant make statement on the sidewalk In front of the bar. He said he would kill any S. b. who tried to do him." went to the jail with the defendant and heard him say there: ''They say killed a man: I never saw him before." He was then made to stop. He said nothing else about the deceased.
 (The statement made at the jail was excluded from the 5ury.)
 heard some words in the saloon just before the difficulty.
 CThe first part of the last answer was also excluded)
 Gross. Examination.
 I was outside of the barroom. Bow man said: 'I will kill any g. b. who tries to do me-" He said also at the jail that he had never seen him before mean ing the deceased.
 Court then adjourned until o'clock in the afternoon.
 At the afternoon session two witnesses who live in Geneva county. members of the state militia who were here at the time of the shooting, were excused, as neither the prosecution nor defense re- quired their attendance any longer.