The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-25
, Yes, sir.
 When was that? On the night of January 11th, past. This year?


 This year?
 Yes, sir.
 Where was 1t?
 On Perry Street very near half way between The Advertiser office and the corner of Dexter Avenue.
 Where, in the block, is The Adverr tiser office situated?
 Pretty near the center.
 Near the center, you say?
 Yes, sir; perhaps little nearer Dex- ter Avenue.
 On what side of the street did the assault occur?
 On the left hand side going up near the entrance of the Louisville ana Nashville law office.
 Do you know this entrance of the Louisville and Nashville?
 Yes. sir.
 Will you describe 1t?
 It Is en opening in the lower floor. which has a large double door, l should say eight or ten feet Wide ana oaca perhaps eight or ten feet, and has stairway leading to the second story. which makes kind of anteroom, you might say.
 Do you know whether that place was lighted on the night of the difncuity or not?
 I don't think it was. It is not ordi- narily.
 Where in the neighborhood of this place lid the difficulty take place?
 A little below, nearer Dexter Ave- nue. Will you please state to the jury all that occurred? You mean the immediate circum- stances? Yes. at the time you left the office. who you met and who was with you. I left the office a few minutes before II o'clock that night in order to catch the Cloverdale car. I live in the su- burbs and that Is my way of getting home. My two boys had gone over to the Theatre and they had come In a few minutes before. They were with me. Major Screws also went down the street with me, accompanied by his youngest son, Ben. After we got down the street, going toward the corner of Dexter Avenue. I saw several gentle men standing on the corner of Dexter Avenue and Perry Streto I was walk ing down the street with my umbrella over me. I think that my oldest son, Frank, was with me, and Major Screws was just behind me with Purnell and Mir. Ben Screws, Jr. After getting @ few feeet below the entrance of The Advertiser office, I saw several gentle men at the corner of the Avenue. did not for the first moment recognize them, but them seemed to start up Perry Street toward The Advertiser off, flee, pretty near the same moment I reached the pavement from The Ad- vertiser office. As stated before, this difficulty occurred pretty near half way ground between The Advertiser office and Dexter Avenue.
 Now, you say you were carrying an umbrela? Yes, sir: over me. It was sprinkling rain.
 Tell what happened then. As the two parties of persons came near each other. Capt. Selden and MT. Wiley Hill verged near the inside of the pavement, which. threw myself, and son near the outer edge of the same to the left. As we got near each ! other. Mr. Es w. Hili said. think. stop" At any rate he hailed me. and | the first thing I noticed was his rais- | ing large cane. I had no cane with me, and had nothing but the umbrella. interposed the umbrella to ward off the blow, and it was completely demol- ished, every rib being Ioosened from l the steel rod. How were you carrying the ur1-- brella?
 was carrying the umbrella over me. MT. w. w. Hill then receded little to the left out toward the edge of the pavement and drew a pistol and brought it down to a present ,and 1t semed to me that at almost the same glance of the eye I saw another pistol flashing from MT. Wiley Hills hands. Seeing from the situation that l was probably about to be killed. opened my coat and told them I was unarmed hnx 0f were, stating that would take the best care of them I could. Then fol- lowed a general scuffle. was dashed up to the wall. Up against what wall? think perhaps I got in the doorway near Dr. Gaston's office.
 Is there a doorway between Dr. Gah- tons office and the entrance leading to the L. and N. officer
 Yes. sir.
 What happened then7
 There I received a number of blows from several of these gentlemen. To the best of my belief w. w. Hill. Wiley Hill and R. S. Hill.
 DO you think you were hit by all three?
 Yes. sir. I was in the wall against the dorway and was not knocked down. About this time I saw a row go- ing on between one of the Hills and Mir Starke. I saw pistol in MT. w w. Hills hands. and when I first saw him, think Professor Starke was down on the ground and MT. Hill had the pistol drawn on him. Perhaps few moments before that 1 saw kind of racket going on and my son Frank pushed off and knocked bodily into the street and a pistol drawn then?
 What did Major Screws do1
 At the beginning of the thing Major Screws attempted to interpose. l sup pose. as peacemaker. In what manner did Major Screws at- tempt to act as peacemaker? l presume he caught hold of some | one and tried to part us. He tried to push the Hills away from me. Was 1t dark or bright night? 1 could see pretty clearly, but of course not as clear as if in broad day light.
 You say Major Screws tried to part you?
 Well. he attempted to push the Hills away from me.
 How long before R. S. Hill cameY l don't remember.
 Did he come in or attempt to come between you and the others?
 Yes, sir.
 How was he using his hands?
 He was using them in striking me blows.
 How was he?
 This way or that way Gndicating), L Al. A