Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-11-11
rial, aarrutura and Commercial Snterests of the South
homicide, his honor ruled the question

homicide, his honor ruled the question
competent.
estate the circumstances unde
which you saw him ?"
"The first time I laid eyes on Mr.
Reese, hadn't met him. was ou
driving with my wife. We came bacl
and he came up to the buggy and wa
swearing"-
Colonel Youmans protested that th'
answer was irrelevant. The solicitor
explained that he was going to show
motive, and in order that the cour
might better determine whether o.
not the statement would be relevant
requested that the jury be retired un
til the matter should come out. Wit
ness went on with his statement to the
effect that Reese was abusing Mrs
Anderson for having left the door o
the store open and gone off with th'
keys.
Estate any other circumstance un
der which you saw him."
Witness remained silent. Aftel
waiting perhaps a quarter of minute
the solicitor repeated the question
Still the witness did not answer. HI
was very much agitated and it wa!
noticed that tears were trickline
down either cheek. He wiped hi
face with handkerchief and finally
replied
IT did not come here to testify
against this woman"
The solicitor at once changed tht
subject. The jury was brought back
and the witness was asked to identify
the handwriting in big pile o.
letters. He went over the letters ONT
by one. Two or three he laid aside
He could not swear to them. HI
thought he was familiar with some
of the characters, but was not alto
gether certain. Most of the letters ht
swore to positively as having beer
written by his wife, Mrs. Ellen Ander
son.
"Answer this or not, of your OWL
volition. Do you know what rela
tions existed between M. R. Reese anG
Mrs. Anderson ?"
Defendants counsel objected. Hi
honor did not rule positively on tht
question but witness hesitated abou
answering, and the solicitor did no
push the matter further.
Then came the cross-examination
1t was conducted by Colonel Youmans
and was sharp and searching. The
questions came thick and fast; but
the witness managed to retain his com
posure throughout. His answers were
invariably sharp, stormy or mild, II
the same tone as the questions.
Witness said he was a native o.
Tennessee, but went to Georgia while
he was quite young. He is now 81
years of age.
"What time did you leave Georgia. p
~ have left there several times"
"Have you ever left there intending
to leave for good ?"
ayes, SIR"
"Did you leave there as a fugitive
from justice, or not ?"
The solicitor objected, and the court
held that the witness need not answer
the question.
Witness-I refuse to answer.
Colonel Youmans-Answer it OF
not, as you wish.
"Well, I can answer it. I did not
not at that time"
Defense began to try to press wit
ness, and it came out that witness was
wanted by the United States courts
for whitecapping; but he did not learI
that there was bill against him until
fully two months after he left. Then
the examination proceeded to carry
witness over all the different places he
had visited in the west.
"Were you at Crescent City, Califor'
MIA ?"
"No, sir"
Colonel Youmans handed the wit
ness a letter which he identified al
having written. 1t was dated Cres
cent City; but witness explained that
he had dated it from that place fol
reasons of his own. He had mailed it
however, on little narrow gauge
railroad out in Arizona, and it was 81
postmarked. The letter was to Mrs
Anderson. 1t contained several state
ments that made the witness appear tt
be terribly bad fellow. These, how
ever, the witness said he had made fO
reasons of his own, and besides a
the time he wrote the letter, he wa!
full Of whisky.
"What justice were you fleeing
from ?"
"The United States government"
"Well, how do you come here
Have you got a special leave ?"
II have given bond, sir"
"When did you give bond ?"
"On the Sd of November, 1896, be
fore Commissioner Jones at Dalton
Ca, in the sum of $500"
"Why did you not give bond be
fore?"
"I was making a little stake ou
where was, and thought it was bes
to stay with it."
"You never gave bond until yo'
came to testify against your wife OF
the charge of murder"'
"Did I say I came here to testif!
against my wife on the charge of muir
der2
"Isn't that what you are doing
What did you come here for ?"
"To protect my name and to try ant
gel my baby"
The last question was asked in
loud, angry tone. The answer ran!
nn1 onnollu InnH