The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-31
COFFMAN AND ESTES
 PLACED ON TRIAL
Preliminary Hearing Begun Be-
 fore Justice Abernathy
MANY WITNESSES TESTIFY
Say That the Negro George Johnston Was Shot at While Runnlna-De- fendant VIII Begin Ills
 Testimony Today.

The preliminary hearing of R. D. Golf man and Fred Estes. charged with the murder of George Johnston at Warmers mines on the night of the 18th, began yesterday morning at 10 o'clock before H. B.. Abernathy. justice of the peace, and at 5 o'clock in the afternoon an adjourn ment was taken until 9:30 o'clock ttis morning, when the hearing will be con- cluded.
 All of the witnesses examined were for the state. which has not yet made out the entire case. Three state witnesses will be examined today, when the witnesses for the defendants will go on the stand The prosecution is being conducted by Sam Will John, the defendants being rep resented by B. M. Allen.
 A dozen witnesses testified, most of them giving testimony in reference to the conduct of the men who went to Warmers mines on the night of the 1stn Among the party were Coffman and Estes one Of whom. 1t is claimed, fired the shots that resulted in the death of Johnson.
 Nature of Wound.
 Dr. E. S. Casey testified as to the na- ture of the wound which Johnson re- ceived, and said that 1t caused his death.
 Most of the other witnesses were ne- groes, who, in nearly every instance. tes- tifed that Coffman and Estes fired a number of shots that night. Reuben Wood, a negro, made the statement that he saw Johnson soon after he was shot,
 ,ef hod ahot him A great deal of the testimony introduced was in regard to the actions of Coffman and Estes on the night of the shooting.
 Ben Mobley testified that he saw Golf man take a pistol from negro, after searching him. He said that on that night he heard nine shots fired. Before he heard the shots he had been held up by a party of white men, among them being Coffman, and that he was search ed by Coffman.
 Coroner Paris testified to going to War ner's mines and conducting an investiga- tion of the shooting.
 Charlie Shanks, negro, said he was in a restaurant on the night of the shooting. That Coffman and Armstrong came in, and about ten negroes in the place were ordered to hold up their hands. That McLain, one of the party. came in shortly afterwards and searched the negroes in the room. In a short time after they left he heard pistol shots in the direction of the place where John son was shot. Up to that time he had heard no shooting, nor trouble of any kind, in the quarters.
 Negroes Ran.
 In the testimony from others 1t ap- peared that the party of white men ran upon a party of negroes at place where gaming was some times carried on.
 Three of the negroes broke and ran, and Coffman and Estes fired as they ran after them.
 Reuben Wood exhibited three bullets that he said he had taken from tree standing near the place where the small crowd of negroes were assembled when approached by Coffman and Estes. When the coroner took the stand he exhibit ed a bullet that he testified had been instru- mental in the death of Johnson.
 The bullets from the tree were shape less and no one present would attempt to make a statement as to their calbre.
 At o'clock the trial was closed for the day and 1t will resume at 9:30 o'clock this morning. It is being held in the of flee of the county surveyor, on the third floor of the court house.