The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-10-07
The TILLMAN TRIAL.

&&iI SAA~~"@@"A' ~>>N-~~e
Inasmuch as everybody is
deeply interested in the trial OF
James H. Tillman charged with
murder, we will forego the writ
ing of editorial matter this week,
in order that our readers may
get as much of this noted trial,
as early as possible, and there
fore reproduce from the news
columns of ':The State" a review
of the trial, a summary OF the
testimony for the prosecution
during the last week. with an
analysis and Interpretation OF
the evidence as interpreted by
Jas. A. Hoyt, Jr., of the States
editorial staff.
For six successive days the trial OF
+. II. Tillman for the murder OF n. ".
Gonzales has been in progress: during
that time the evldense upon whlcn the
State of South Carolina asks the pr!s-
oner's conviction has been largely
presented, and with one more day II
viii probably all be in. Then the de-
fendent's side OF the case will be put
before the jury, and afterwards the tes-
t;monv in reply, and in rebuttal. This
will doubtless consume all OF the week
now beginning, and as the argument
will take several days it will be we'll
into next week, perhaps near It's
close, before the trial can be concluo-
ed.
The ANALYSIS and interpretation OF
the evidence for the assistance OF the
iurv in determining truth and justice
is the province OF the attorneys 90
each side. This newspaper woafd not
essay such a task. BuL1the court mas
ordered that L.rChhe-State shal! not De
-ssa read 81 the Jurors, and it IS therefore
not unseemly to present an analysis ol
the proceedings so far Tor the oenlnS
nj it's readers who are Interested, some
Of whom may not have the time to
neruse the evidence in detail as It Is
o;ven in The State day by day. This
analysis is given with full under,
Standing that certain persons stano
ready to charge partially. anlmoslty
and bias to it's writer. as to the news
paper in which it appears.
WHAT HAS BEEN PROVED.
The prosecution has proved that
Narciso Gener Gonzales, editor OF me m
State, was on the 10Th Of January, l9o5,
shot byJ J. II. Tillman, then lieutenant
governor OF South Carolina: that the
Shooting occurred on the corner OF
New and Cervais streets, in CoIumb bla:
that the shot was fred from a Luger
macazine pistol, large and deadly
weapon, unfamiliar to people IN TINS
mart OF the country: that Mr.. Gonzales
died from his wound on January 18TH,
surgical skill being unable to save ms
life: that within an hour OF the snoot,
ing he made to his assistant and 1rleno
q statement as to the occurance ano
that within another hour he made an. an!
other statement, more formal but dlf'
fer;nG only slightly from the other, te
four or fire men, each unimpeachaole
yeracity; that before making these dec
laracions Mr.. Gonzales expressed the
belief that he was going to die, that he
had received mortal wound. 10 the
establishment of the main fact IN the
case. the shooting itself, the prosecu'
tion has brought up eye-wltnesses K
the deed whose testimony not onl!
aorees the one with the other remark
ably well. but which comedies just a.
well with the statements OF the de-
ceased.
THE MAIN FACT.
This main fact is that n. C. Gonzale:
was walking along on. the east SIDE o
Main street towards the capitol and }
q. Tillnan. with two men, was coming
in the opposite direction; that as the.
approached each other, Mr.. Gonzale
went from the outside to the INSIDE 0
the pavement towards the transfer sta
tion corner, and as he passed the three
men Tillman fred. AS to what wa
said the testimony does differ out 81
far there has been no evidence to SHOW
that Mr.. Gonzales did anything incon
sistent with his own statement that ht
Intended to pass Talman and proceed
to his home.
There is no evidence that he made
any movement toward his assallan
either before or after the shot wa
fred ana it is clearly proven that Nh
Gonzales face showed no sign OF hostll
ity, that he wore his usual expression
and that he was walking in his usua
absent-minded fashion, neglecting K
sreal, to even so good q friend as Wyatt
Aiken or failing ir his near-sightednes:
to recognise him. AS Mr.. Ball sait
Yesterday, to those who knew n. G
Gonzales this picture is as true to Life
as it could be drawn. No one knew n
G. Gonzales better than the man wht
writes this, yet time after time Mr.
Gonzales has passed him on the street
close enough to touch, without seeming
to see him at ali. And the hands II
the orercoat pockets with the thumbs
outside, With Mr.. Gonzales this wa:
not only personal habit-it was a fam
ilY habit.