Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-10-10
TILLMAN TELLS OF SHOOTING.


at Lexington, S. c., yesterday over four
hours. a witness in his own behalf. For
one hour he was subjected to the fire of
cross-examination by counsel for the
State. But one other witness was placed
on the stand BY the defense, after which
the defense rested. Witnesses in re-
buttal placed on the stand by the State
were heard during the closing hours.
Splendid progress was made yesterday
toward the conclusion of the trial,
which already has consumed nearly
two weeks
The defendant on resuming his testi'
mony was asked as to the impression
upon him MS TO Gonzales feeling toward
him by the editorials iu the State. He
replied that they impressed him as in
tensely bitter. He said be did not make
threats against Gonzales in Edgefield or
on train.
The defendant was asked with refer
ence to statements attributed to him
while engaged in conversation in his
room in a hotel in Columbia on August
90 or 21 of last year. He said: ''The
conversation Dr. Adams referred to took
place when a number of my friends were
in the room, and it was a running gen
eral conversation. Somebody came into
the room and told Inc OF new rumor
about what Gonzales would do to me,
and [ made the remark that if he at
tempted to do that don't think l
said, as DIR. Adams said, 'sruff his light
ouf-but, 60 him, l could kill him,
think.
~ had been told in at least dozen
places in South Carolina that Con
zales had stated that l dared not come TO
Columbia and say about him there what
| had said on other stumps in the CAM
paign." Mr.. Tillman said the different
statements were made in connection
with rumors Of threats reported to hin.
The defendant said ithad been report
ed that the opera house in Columbia,
where campaign meeting was to be
held, was to be packed and that he was
not to be let out alive, and stated that he
remarked if that rumored throat was
carried out cit would be one of the
tragedies in South Carolina"
Answering COUNSEL witness said he
had sent word to Gonzales to attend the
meeting at Columbia and make his charge.
He did not feel safe togo unarmed while
in Columbia. He did not have pistol
in his hip pocket prior to the day of
shooting, as testified to by two Columbia
bows. but said he did have one in
sling under uuder his coat, showing
where il was carried at that time. Mr..
TIllman exhibited the automatic pistol
to the jury, saying that because of its
peculiar shape it could not be carried in
hip pocket. He added that it was
bottle he had in his hip pocket at the
station house.
Mr.. Tillman put on the overcoat which
he wore ON the day of the shooting and
stood before the jury, showing that it
had no side pockets. Placing his right
hand in a rear pocket, he said that was
where he drew the pistol from. He
reached back and cooked it when he saw
Gonzales.
After detailing his movements about
the ststehouse after the adjournment of
the Senate on September Is, the defen-
dant said that, in company with Sen
ators Talbird and Brown, he started
down town.
"Just before l got to the transfer
station / noticed Gonzales some distance
down the street looking at me intently,"
said the defendant. 81 never took my
eyes off of him nor did he take his eyes
off me-"
At this point a blue print of the scene
of the shooting wss producted, which
was held before the jury by counsel
while the defendant indicated positions
as he proceeded. Witness said; "Just
before Mr.. Gonzales got to me he cut
across toward me-" Talbird, be said,
was on the outside and there was room
enough for Gonzales to have passed
between Talbird and the curb. When
he started to cut across the pave
ment toward me his oyercoat was tightly
buttoned up and both his hands were
thrust in his overcoat pocket. Ihe
thumbs of both his hands were outside
of his overcoat pocket until he started to
cut across that sidewalk, coming directly
toward me, and then the thumb Of his
right hand disappeared in his pocket. l
was expecting him to shoot, and l said,
Il got your message and fred"
The defendant stated that when he
said message" he had in mind what
was reported by White and Holsonback.
Answering CONSUL, he said he did not
fire a second shot because Gonzales did
not return his fire. "When fired |
did not know" said the defendant,
"whether the pistol had worked or not,
and / threw the barrel over my coat
sleeve, and was expecting Gonzales to
fire on me, and was fixing 10 shoot
again. He did not fire and l took down
my pistol"
He did not hear Gonzales say: "Shoot
again, you coward p