Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-06-22
GlLLIGAN UNDER TRIAL.
The Prisoners Side OF the Case Now
i'm Court.


guson's,,Wharf on December %, 1899.
a few hours before the murder of
Beverley Turner. and that he saw
signs of recognition between them.
Thomas Howle also said he saw
Miss Turner and Gilligan there. Miss
Turner started up the wharf aud Gil
ligan followed. Miss Turner turned
around and Gilligan got close enough
to speak to her. The prisoner soon
joined her aud the two walked some
distance together.
HEARD SHOT AND FEARED DANGER.
i. w. Dashiel, "a member of tls
coroner'S jury, said that in her evil
dence before that body Miss Isabelle
Turner said "she could locate the
place where her fathers body was
found by the report of the shot of the
gun that she heard; that she appre-
hended danger when she heard the
report. She went upstairs in a ner-
vous condition aad looked out and
saw Gilligan standing at the gate,
with the gun resting on his foot"
GILLIGAN's SISTER.
Mrs. Susan Batten, a sister of Gil
6gan'S, testified that she lived on the
Turner farm until March, 1899; that
Gilligan and his brother helped her
on the farm after the death of her
husband. Gilligsn, she said, spent
part of his time at her house and
part at Turner'S. She knew that Miss
Turner and Gilligan were sweet
hearts. Miss Turner was continu-
ally coming over to her house and
leading Gllligan away from his work.
She would come in buggy, sand
witness, and Gilligan would leave
his work and go driving with her.
She told Mr.. Turner, in reply to the
question asked by him: "Why she
aud Nick could not get along" that
1t was due to Isabelle; and Mr.. Tur-
ner replied; "Sue is that so? | would
not have believed it."
The witness met Turner again.
Turner told her that he would take
his gun and shoot Nick's head off.
Mrs. Batten was then asked in re-
gard to Mrs. Turner's efforts to buv
or get possession of letters that Miss
Isabelle wrote her brother. Judge
Hinton stated that the object in ask
ing these questions were two fold
First, to prove that Mrs. Turner
knew that these letters were written
by her daughter, and would prove
that Gilligan End Miss Turner were
sweethearts. Second, to show that
Mrs. Turner objected to the marriage.
Mrs. Batten stated that Mrs THr-
ner offered her for the letters $3.50.
and that she told her she did not like
TO Interfere with Nick and his affairs
Witness said that both Isabelle aud
her mother wrote her notes, and that
one night Miss Turner drove over to
her house aud called mick" out and
drove him away IN the buggy.
GILLIGAN CRIED.
Mrs. Chester Hundley stated that
Gllllgan came to her house on the
night of the murder. lie had ON
light tan shoes which were scratched.
Witness saw Gilligan stamp his
foot and say: "Look what woman
will do for a man." Witness said
Glligan looked very sad. She could
see something was the matter; she
saw him crying.
1t was sought by the defence to
show that Gilligan had not tried to
detame lsabel's character except in
his confession, as related by Sheriff
Edwards, which they discredit.
GLLLIGAN TELLS HIS STORY.
Andrew Carter Gilligan went on
the stand Saturday afternoon and
told why he killed c. Beverley Turner
December 27th last wear. lie made
ont plea of self defense, claiming
the tender relations which had ex.
listed between himself and Miss Isabel
Turner were never severed, even TO
the second of the killing. He says he
shot The girls father with his right
hand, while his left was around her
form and her right clasped him about
the neck.
Gilligan claimed that he had to
shoot to save the lives of himself and |
Isabel, whom he loved then and still
loves.
The defense is seeking to prove
that there was considerable drinking
while the party was carrying Gill |
gan to the Petersburg Jail, when the
latter confessed to Sheriff Edwards.
GILLIGAN's TESTIMONY.
The defendant said he was twenty
six years old, and had worked at Mr.
Turner's mill and at his home.
"Have you ever taken meals at the
house!', was asked him.
81 have no idea the number of times.
1t was common occurrence. fl
had been his child he-could not have
treated ME better"
He was there till Christmas '9S
They wanted him in '99 but GiIllgan
would not stay.
He was asked for his reasons and
said:
Isabel and ! were in love. | told
her 1t would be better if it were all
broken up. She could do better. She
could marry man who was able to
take care of her. She said no one
else could make her happy. begged
her to release me, but she would not.
"Before | went to Mr.. Weeds to
work | knew Isabel was showing our
owe to her mother, and her mother
would scold her. Isabel told me her {
mother had found out and had blown {
Ter up. | told her | could not help
{. | knew her mother was finding
nut. That's why / left.
81 used to meet her about there 4
cry often. tried to break off, bat q
sabel urged me to come. We used l
n meet "A hnnt he ,Nloaa "a rio