The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-19
SENS Ar1oxAL COURT SCENE.
skull OF the victim, Clears the Man
Accused OF Murder.

Accused OF MURDER.
-.1nrnbia. S. c., Oct 1S.-After a five
-.rs trial one Of the most noteworthy
,,,,r1er trials ever held in South Caro-
,i-, has come to an end. The defendant
,.,s a man who stood well in his section
.rd the slain man was no less a man Of
,.,sition. although he had been converted
T., the creed of the Latter Day Saints
THE skull Of the slain man, in all its hid
ans offensiveness to sight and smell, was
sv1jbite5 in the court room, while the s.
,.a,r old daughter of the defendant, by
,ering q straight clear story, did much to
strangtben the cause OF her father in the
eyes of the jury.
Philip r. Billiard was on trial fer kill
ing Waites W. Altman in the sand hills
of Wahee Marion county, on July 20.
The evidence showed that Billiard bore
an EXCEPTIONALLY good character for peace
fitness and veneration of law, and was
considered of a timorous nature. His ad-
varsaly was known to be of a contentious
turn and to have peculiar ideas on relig-
i-n. which caused him some time ago to
become a Mormon.
difference had arisen between the
men in regard to the selection of trustees
for their school district, Billiard having
protested to the proper authorities about
the induction into office OF certain persons
recommended by Altman, and their relig-
ious tendencies is supposed to have been
the basis of such objection.
According to the evidence, on the after
mon of the homicide, Billiard was return
ing home from his farm on horse
hack and was near his house, when
he was encountered by Altman with
Jacobs staff. Altman roughly demanded
a retraction of a statement he had heard
Rullard had made in the controversy about
the school trustees. Billiard insisted he
had only spoken the truth, and had moth
ing TO retract. He started to ride away,
hut Altman struck him across the fore
head with the iron end of his staff. Scram-
bling from his horse, Billiard confronted
his antagonist, and in the struggle that
followed the staff was broken Billiard Sc
curing one piece of it, and using it to re-
pei the onslaughts of Altman, in the
meanwhile backing toward his house and
shouting wildly for his gun.
Billiards. little daughter Katy, aged s
years old, heard her fathers cries.
Snatching up the weapon, she ran near
to him and, laying it down within his
reach, ran away to some distance. Bull
lard seized the gun and fired one barrel
at Altman, Striking, but not disabling
him. Altman rushed in before the other
barrel could be used, and Billiard crushed
his skull with the stock.
Sixty days after his death jealous sup
porters of the prosecution, disinterred
Altman's body. cut off the head and pro-
duced the CHASTITY member in court. Many
persons were sickened. The skull showed,
low down on the occipital bone, a perfora-
ton which, it was contended, was caused
by bullet from Billiards. gun, and which,
experts declared, would have produced in
slant paralysis and speedy death. Hence
it was argued, the gunshot wound was
fatal to Altman, and the subsequent blow
with the dubbed gun atrocious and muir
derous.
The coroner and physician, at the post
mortem, testified there was no such wound
In the head when Altman was examined
The fact that the body was secretly ex-
humed went against the prosecutions ev-
idence on this line
Here is where the testimony of little
Katy probably saved her father. She told
a remarkably clear story for so young a
child. Her pathetic face, wonderful com
posure and intelligence, created a strong
impression in favor of Billiard. He was
acquitted after thirty minutes delibera-
ton.