The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-04-17

or four dents on it, He did not know whose
hat 1t was, but heard IL was MIR. Or fins nat.
He did not see Willingharn when ne got tne;
pistol, but he told him TO look out for the plH-
tol and he said ave got IT," He told me he
got the pistol from under piece OF chamois.
saw the piece of chamOis and the pistol.
did not pay any particular attention 10 !ne
blood until we came back TO examine the
wound ] did not notice any place Where Inc
blood had bern wiped up.
Juror-"Were there any bruises on Mr..
EvanS:"
MIR. Dunn;ng-"None that | saw
Inror-"Dd he saw how it happened?
Mr.. Dnnning-"Ies. sir ne SAID lniH
mmn took (Mr. EvansD pisto! out Of his
bureau draw and shot himself. He said That.
did not ask him about H.
DIR. GIHEES' STORY.
Dr. Robt w. GIbbes was then called. lie
told how he had received telephone
call to come TO the building. he mao
not received any name and on reaching there
did not know to whom 10 go. He went lnIo
Mr. Muler's store and asked II any one nao
telephoned TO him from there. MT. Muller
replied that Mr. Barney Evans had oeen
there 81 then went to Mr.. Evans room and
Knocked at the door. Mr.. Evans opeued the
door, polluted to man on The ben anu tolu
me TO do what could f0r MIN. hlIer st,ul. ,nn
exam nation told Mr.. Evans the man was
dyiug. Mr.. Evans became very mucn eXcit
ed and pushed me away from the mans side
then told Mr.. Evans that / would 90 over
would need IN attending the case. Thereup'
on he forbade my leaving the room ana graoD-
ed me by the shoulders"
What force did ne use?'
''Jt was more OF q threatening character.
"He was then wildly excited. After some
discussion with him l succeeded In getting
away from his room aud Immediately went
to hcadq uarters and reported the circumstan'
oes. Officers Dunning and WIlIiDgham re.
turned with me TO the room. Alter ID or ~
minutes, perhaps, Mr. Evans was removed
from the room, and stayed witt Mr.. Grimm
until he died at O quarter OF O'CLOCK. he
was in he'd on his back, covered partly over
MIR. Griffith was rapidly dying and was uncon-
scious. lie was totally unconscious Inc
room was not In disoroered condition gen
orally. Blood was scattered about the ioot OF
the bed, floor and SO on. The pistol was on
the table about the centre of the room: On
the side Of the table farthest from the bed was
skin. l also noticed a walking stick some
where on the floor between the table and the
bed. There was Derby hat on the Table. ~
was denied In several places. (The hat was
shown him. He was also shown the SUCK.
Both we're identihed.)
DIR. Gibbes did not take towel off the rack
and put over the dead mans face. Mr.. Nc
Cormick and DR.. Philpot were in the room
but krew how IL got there. MIR. Evans WASH
ed his hands In the basin, but he bad got TINS
blood on his hands after he was told Mr
Griffin was dyipg-he rubbed MIR. Griffin Z
hands and got the blood on them that way"
He noticed powder burns on the shirt and
on the back OF Mr. Griftn's right hand. He
accused me of killing MIR. Griffin in Wild
Irrational and frenzitd sort OF way"
He had given MIR. Griffin hypod armic in
lection. He did not think Mr.. Evans re-
sponsible then for what he was saying or
doing.
At Judge Crawford's request the coroner
had DR.. Gbbes TO explain more fully what he
did In Mr.. Mullers store. He did so.
THE poSr M0RTEM
Dr. Earle testified as follows: 81 was called
about 4:S0 or O'Clock 10 make the post NOR.
tenn on the body of Mr.. j. j. Griffin. found
Mr.. Griffin in Mr.. Barney Evans room. lying
in bed, dressed, partially covered: noticed
blood stain on the front of the shirt and an
opening on the left side OF the shirt front
powder marks on face, right hand and wrist
and shirt front. The clothing was not scorch.
ed, showing the pistol could not have been
(less than within or feet OF him when
fired. Several bruises on forehead, nose right
and left cheek and chin. Found several
pools OF blood on carpet near the foot OF the
oo,board of the bed. Blood smeared on side
OF bed and sheet. indicating that the deceased
had been dragged into the bed no blood un-
der the bed. Also found blood In basin and O
bloody towel The body was viewed by the
coroner's jury ; then removed to the under
takers room, where l held post mortem.
Found gunshot wound about half way be-
tween the left nipple and left collar bone,
Ball passed In. slightly downward and back
ward, between second and third rios. through
left lung, cutting the left pulmonary artery,
through the posieror part or the fifth rib and
lodged under the left shoulder blade about
four inches to the left OF the spinal column.
Death was due TO internal hemorrhage.
There were no other marks. (Dr. Gibbes
then presented the ball.) 1t hink this about
a 44-ca.ibre bullet. There was blood on the
oottom-the sole-of the right shoe"
rIIr ,-Snrpr,I.,,p
Mr.. Mccormick was put on the stand and
Identified the clothes taken from the body.
He had gone to the room before the death.
He was coming over from the Murray Drug
ompany's store, saw crowd and r. coored
man told him man was shot in the corner
room. He helped the landlady look after the
| rooms. He did not 60 upstairs until after
Mr.. Evans was brought out. MIR. Griffin was
still alive. DR.. Ph!lpot was feeling his wrist
out couldn't @ reel the pulse; ;s Dr; GiSbes DO A Laid
beating aud said IT was very faint. Only q
few minutes after that the physicisns pro-
nounced him dead He asked DR.. Phlpot to
remain In the room and he would send for
house for him, went hack up to the room,
went in and saw Drs. Philpot and Gibbes in
few minutes went home and he and DR..
Philpot remained In the room.
HAD HEARD ENOUGH.
Coroner Green then asked the jury If they
wisned TO have more testimony in order 10
reach n verdict IL SO he was willing to ad-
journ the inquest for few days and collect
other witnesses. The jurors told the coroner
that they did not require further testimony.
Coroner Green then told the jurors that this
was not trial. 1t was merely an inquiry,
and when a man was killed 1t was the
province OF the jury to Investigate and say
how he came to his death without expression
OF opinion. He defined the law as to the
duties Of coroner's jury.
OUT ONLY SHORT TIME.
The jury retired and remained out only
about ten minutes when IL returned with the
following verdict, already written out:
I'VE find from our best belief that J. j..
Griffin came TO his death by gunshot
wound Inflicted by the hands OF B. B. Evans"
AS soon as all the Jurors had signed the