The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-06-21
A. G. CHILEAN ON WITNESS STAND
A Long Examination.


A o. Gnligan concluded his testi-
mony in chief and was turned over TO
the prosecution for cross.examination
In this latter he was subjected to rigid
ordeal The courthouse was crowded
to hear the examination Of the pris-
Oner.
| GilHgan's attention was called to
the evidence of Merchant Wilson TO the
effect that he had stated TO the latter
that If the deceased (Turner) crooked
his fuger at him he would get the drop
on him This the accused denied, or
did not remember saying Hd had
gone TO Wilson for advice, Gilligan
said, aud the latter advised him 20
give the girl up
A handkerchief was introduced by
the prosecution which the prisoner SAID
had been given him by Miss Turner on
| Christmas night on the back porch OF
her fathers house. 1t bore the letter )
for Sarena. Miss Turner's first name.
The prisoner then told about hearing
a gun "click" on that dark December
night when he shot Turner to death.
Witness recognized Turner by his voice
Miss Isabella, he said, did not actually
| hold him on that occasion. Gilllgan
stated that he had not meant that Miss
Isabella held him when her father ap-
peared before them ''She squeezed
me- up little tighter" be said. but
l do not mean that she held me so that
/ could not get away lie said that
Mr.. Turner was about to 10 feet
away when he shot, but 1t was so dark
that he could not exactly tell how far
it was.
In reply 10 question from Juror
Watkins, witness said he knew OF the
threats before he met the Turner'S on
the day { the killing He said: Il
used to run away when l heard a noise
after bringing a note. Isabella laughed
at me and said. You are always scared
60 death. Once she told me that her
father was gone and could easily keep
out Of her mother way.
Witness told how the notes and let
tiers were frequently passed by hand,
but were sometimes put under bricks.
On REORGANIZATION he denied that
he ever said anything derogatory to
| Miss Turner'S character As far as
witness knew Miss Turner was a pure
| woman. lie said be never told Sheriff
Edwards otherwise.
Returning TO the Hateful night on
which he shot Turner Gilligan said the
object was coming lightly and MISS
Isabella heard the noice before he ala
and called his attention to It, be heard
the gun click once Witness said
he shot TO save himself and Isa-
bella. He was 30 scared he did not
think of the threats He said that Isa'
bella had told him If Mr. Turner
caught him with his arm around her
he would shoot them both.
Gilligan stood the cross examination
Of the prosecuting attorney well His
answers were given in calm and de.
liberate manner The witness ideas
| of love while at variance with those
felt By most men, seemed 10 please the
SPECTATORS Several times those IN the
crowd stamped their feet in approval
of his answers 70 the prosecuting
attorney. Mr. Holland, OF counsel for
the Commonwealth, asked Gilligan ::
"Were you not aware that you were
willfully doing wrong when you visited
Miss Turner, knowing that the father
objected?' The witness answere 4:
81 loved that girl, aud l love her now :;
believe that she loves me now.
He was further asked: do you still
state that Miss Turner'S statement was
| untrue?"
Answer II believe il Miss Turner
could testify to please herself she would
testify 20 the same thing that l now
| testify to
The evening session was devoted
| largely to examination Of GilliRan up
on the statements Of Mrs. aud Miss
| Turner and two or three other States
witnesses. He reiterated and adhered
10 the statement that he met Mrs Tur-
ner at Ferguson's Wharf on December
81, the day Of the tragedy, and that
| lady did say ''Niok, this it the first
/ time In FIVE years you have not visited
our house on Christmas. " Mr.. Turner,
he said. was in the buggy with Der
when the wife made this remark
The prisoner said that the Turner'S
had high expectations for Miss Tur-
ner, or, TO use Miss Isabells's express
ion, Their aspirations for her were
high up in G. Continuing, the wit
ness said that after January, 1899. he
| did not call upon Miss Turner, but, on
the contrary. Miss Turner did seek him
out. Miss Turner, he asserted, had in
huence over him TO make him obey her
whether he wanted 20 or not. He had
told Isabella the more they met the
harder it would be to break off, 1 would
have married Miss Isabella, he said,
''but was not able, wanted her to
do well. and that was the reason
thought to get my release from her.
Describing the manner OF himself and
Miss Turner when she came out OF her
fathers house on the night OF the nom
icide, Gilligan said they embraced In
their accustomed wayne with his arm
around her and she with hers around
him. II did believe, " he continued,
THAT IL B O Turner caught us in the
attitude Of embracing he would kill us.
knew that he was a man that would
shoot. have known him TO shoot at
people" The witness thought he was
safe on that visit, because Miss Turner
had told him her father was in the sit
ting room on the sofa.
GilliRan denied positively that he
had ever threatened to Miss Turner to
kill himself. He said, Let Miss Tur-
ner so state, or chow such a threat in
my letters to her. " Nearly all Of the
promises referred 20 in Miss Turner's
letters to him, the witness said, refer
red to drinking and failure to attend
church. The witness denied most
strenuously that &c had ever said he
had q letter that would wound Miss
Turner's character and that he had de-
stroyed it.
The bearing Of Gilligan on the stand
and his statements seemed 10 carry
weight with those who were present
GILLIGAN RECALLED.
The policy Of the prosecution in the Gil
ligan trial is to break down the state
ments Of the prisoner. 1t apparent that
the defense appreciate the importance
TO their case Of establishing the claim
that Gilligan has never maligned the
character Of Miss Isabella Turner. The
prisoners testimony, in which he reit-
Grated with some dramatic effort his