The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-10-10
SAYS HE NEVER MADE ANY
 THREATS AGAINST EDITOR
Had Warning That Gonzales Would Make Him Show White Feather and Carried Weapon to De-
 fend himself.

Tillman was on the stand today more than four hours, witness in his own be- half. For one full hour he was sub jected to the fire of cross-examination by counsel for the state. But one other wit ness was placed on the stand by the de- fense. after which the defense rested. Witnesses in rebuttal placed on the stand by the state were heard during the clos ing hours. Good progress was made to- day toward the conclusion of the trial, which already had consumed nearly two weeks.
 The defendant resuming his testimony today was asked as to the impression made upon him as to MT. Gonzales feel ing toward him by the editorials, a num- Der being indicated by title, replying that they impressed him as intensely bitter.
 The defendant was asked with reference to statements attributed to him in con- versation in his room in hotel in Colum- bia on August 21 of last year. He said:
 A Running Conversation.
 "The conversation referred to took place when a number of my friends were in the room, and 1t was a running, general conversation. Somebody came in the room and told me about some new rumor of what Mir. Gonzales would do to me, and I made the remark that if he attempted to do that, don't think as Dr. Adams said, I'd snuff his light out but d. him, I'd kill him, I think"
 Answering counsel, he said he had sent word to Mir Gonzales to attend the meet fno Cnittpohio and mako his cha roea there He said he did not feel safe to go unarmed while in Columbia. He said he did not have pistol in his hip pocket prior to the day of the shooting. but said he did have one in a sling under his coat, showing where 1t was carried at that time. Mir. Tillman exhibited the auto matic pistol to the jury, saying that be- cause of it's peculiar shape it could not be carried in hip pocket. He added that t was a bottle he had in his hip pocket at the state house.
 Continuing, he said:
 Thought Gonzales Would Shoot.
 ''When MT. Gonzales started to cut across the pavement toward me, his overcoat was tightly buttoned up and both his hands were thrust in his over coat pocket. The thumbs of both of his hands were outside of his overcoat pocket until he started to cut across that side walk. coming directly toward me, and then the thumb of his right hand dlsap- peared in his pocket, and it happened almost directly in three sor four seconds after that. I was expecting him to shoot and said I got your message and hred.'
 He said he did not fire a second shot because MT. Gonzales did not return his fire.
 q was expecting him to fire on me, and was fixing to shoot again. He did not fire, and l took down my pistol"
 On further cross examination he said he had no Ill feelings toward MT. Con gales until the attacks were made on him, about the time he was in the army
 You spoke of him severely on every, stump the state" queried MT. Bellinger, Pretty near every one," he replied
 Having stated that he did not care to get in any trouble while lieutenant gov ernor, MT. Bellinger said:
 You did not mind carrying a concealed weapon while you were lieutenant gov ernor?'
 law gives me that right" replied the de- fendant
 Made No Threats.
 He said he did not make the threats in Edgefield on the train going from John- ston to Columbia, as testified to by wit nesses for the state. He also said that he had no conversation in a livery stable at Edgefield relative to Gonzales, as has boen stated in the testimony. He was questioned in reference to the converse tion which took place in his room in hotel in Columbia on the night of August 91 when Dr. Adams and Colonel Blease, A witness of yesterday, were present. MT. Tillman said the statements were made bv him in reply to remarks as to threats reported to him.
 He said he had been told in dozen nlaces in South Carolina that he could moi come to Columbia and say what he had said on the stump elsewhere about MT. Gonzales; also he said 1t had been renorted to him that the opera house in Columbia where he was to speak was to he hacked and he was not to be let out alive He stated he said that if threats u,are carried out it would be the "d-dest tragedy in South Carolina"
 Explains the Message.
 rho message. he said referred to the statements reported to him by witnesses white and Holsenbach. These statements ,'a.o to inc effect that Gonzales had said la had made Tillman show the white feather twice before and would do 1t again The defendant said he did not fire . second shot as MT. Gonzales did not draw pistol.
 MT. Tillman concluded his testimony -,.art,v hafore noon when General Bell finger of counsel for the state, entered mon the cross-e examination. On cross- examination the defendant said that he had reason to expect from the moment he saw MT. Gonzales that he (Gonzales) would shoot when they met. He also said he sent word to MT. Gonzales to come to the meeting at the opera house in Co., Iumbia and make the charges there, say ing he did this so he could reply to them. The cross-examination consumed just one hour.