The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-11-27
TWO OF TRINTY'S
TRUSTEES TESTIFY
Especial to News and Observer

Especial to News and Observer
Oxford, n. c.. Nov. 2i.-Three days
have now been consumed in the trial of
the Gattis-Kilgo Islander suit, and the
plaintiffs evidence is still incomplete, his
attorneys think they may be able to com
plete it by Monday night. 1t will proba-
bly, take equally as long to hear the evil
dence for the defendants. The time may,
however, be shortened by holding night
sessions Of court.
Judge Hoke tonight announced that
night sessions would be held, beginning
Monday after the evidence is all in, elab-
crate arguments will be made by the at
torneys, so that there is no prospect of
an end of the trial before the latter part
of next week.
Altogether it will probably be the long
est, most costly and most sensational
trial of the kind ever held in the State
more than a dozen lawyers are actively
employed in it, and fully seventy-fve
witnesses have been summoned, most of
whom have been in attendance since the
case was called. Today's evidence has
been directed principally to an xamina
ton of the methods adopted by the
Trinity trustees III the ~Clark-KilgO in
vestigation. To this end two of the trus-
tees, the president and the secretary of
the board were examined. The other
witnesses put on the stand were for the
purpose of proving Mr.. Gattis' character.
When court met at $50 o'clock Judge
Hoke said he was not prepared yet to
pass upon the motion to strike out Judge
Shuford's evidence. but he was inclined TO
think it ought to be ruled in, as 1t was
already before the jury.
Character witnesses for the plaintiff
Gattis were then put on the stand as fol-
lows:
9. w. Johnson, Chapel Hill, a Presby-
terrain.
Mai. John W.. Graham, Hillsboro, an
Episcopalian.
|. NJ. Reams, Durham, a Baptist.
Henry A. Reams, Durham, a Baptist.
? Rev. A. ID. Belts, a Methodist minis
ter.
DR.. +. D.. Swindell. pastor st. Pauls
church, GoldsborO.
A. X. Umpstead, tobacconist, Durham.
Robt. Holloway, Durham, Methodist.
f. d. Markham. sheriff Durham county.
: John w. Umpstead, Durham, Methodist
All of these witnesses had known Mr.
!. Gattis for a long number OF years anC
they all gave him an excellent character
Several of the witnesses, not Metho-
: dists. had seen the pamphlet containing
= DR.. Kilgo's speech. One said he had seer
it at a hotel in Kinston.
. When Sheriff Markham went on Tho
q stand. after tCstifying to the good char
c actcr of Mr.. Gattis, he was asked:
Q 'DO YOU know anything as to tht
nnancial standing of Mr.. B. n. Duke?'
n Tie replied: Il do
What is it,
c To this the defense objected. on tn
s ground that evidence in regard TO tn
d wealth of one defendant cannot be use
as d foundation for damages against al
IS the defendants jointly, these defendant
being men of unequal wealth.
After argument by counsel, Judge Hok
II held that under the case 4
st Washington Gas Light Company vs.
Lansden, l72 u. s.. 534, the wealth Q
one defendant cannot be used to the in
IS Jury of others who are not so fortunate
He therefore excluded the evidence.
ID on cross-cxamination Sheriff MARKHAM
N said in 1898 the stock of t. }. Gattls
i Son. was listed for taxes at 81 900 an
40 other property in the store at 80. II
thought the stock was, at that time. pref
IL ~ VOL IN. The witness said Mr.. Gatti:
ia son attended to the tax-listing.
D ] w. UMPSTEAD TESTIFIES.
oll Mr.. John w. Umpstead was a Stewar
BY in one of the churches that Mr.. Gait
ic had served, and it was sought to prov
s nv him that Mr.. Gattis had been injure
H. in his calling by the trouble coming OF
! Of the KilgO speech.
n After a strong fight against it by tt
n defence the evidence was allowed al
y Mr.. UmTstcad said:
- AT the close of 1899 | went to Preslt
> mo EIdcr Gibbs and told him that for tt
= interest of Mcthodism and the GranVll
- circuit thought Mr.. Gattis ought to
el ro,ovod tcId him these charges hf
1ocn brought against Mr.. GattlS al
hu whether thcv were true or not they we
et hurting MS. There was nothing again
Mr. Gattis' personal character, but the
charges had damaged his influence al
va our work. Mr.. Gattis was removed
~ the conference.
~, cross-cxaminaticn the witness ;
Mod that he had ever told Rev. ).
: ro1o or anyone else that Mr.. Gattis y;
- nersonally Objectionable, except on d
count of the suit against Dr. hlleo.
1,aro winston: Didn't you call 4
attention of the conference TO the La
- that Mr.. Gattis had received 81 mat
M didn't report! T,
80 ronort at conference he failed to repo
re st that we paid him, but when | can
-; .ttcntion to it he corrected 1t.
II ask you wasn't Mr.. Gattls PERSONA
objectionable to some OF those lnehoe
cir there?' :
..Tbere were some to whom he was 0
iectionable. We've never had q minl9'
:. ont there that wasn't
,ts Laughter in court.