The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-10-14

evidence OF the detonCe. L Understand
other witnesses will be sworn later,
but that this is tie testimony along
this prticular line upon which Mr..
Tillman's attorneys count most.
For the rest Major "Dick" Ander-
son was put up to rebut certain testi-
mony given for the State by Mr.. Ar
thur and Mr.. James Davis was on the
stand for the purpose of impeaching
Editor Terrell when Court closed.
The head of Mr.. Davis was swathed
in bandages, which led a facetious
reporter to predict that, as a matter of
course, he must be resident of Edge
field County. The event justified the
Judgment of the scribe. Court ad-
journed before he could do so, but it
is expected that Nh. Davis will swear
that no such interview as the Terrell
Black -Tillman interview took place.
This is a synopsis of the days
events. When it is heard in rebuttal
it is presumed that the State will seek
to discredit one or more or even all of
the defence's threat witnesses and
their testimony. With that may not
now DEAL
The record as it stands has to be ac-
cepted as it now is, and while no evi-
dence given today stands out with the
distinctness or possesses the convinc-
ing quality of the testimony given
along the same line for the prosecution
by DR.. Adams, it is scarcely to be de-
MED that, in the aggregate, it must
be accorded certain weight.
In a word, while no single witness
that was on the stand was of person
atty calculated to establish the con-
tention of the defence unless more is
developed against them than was
brought out by Cross oss-examination, the
jury would be justified in the conclu
sion that Mr.. Tillman had reason to
believe that MI. Gonzales had made
threats against him.
Just why Mr.. Gonzales should have
done so has not been made apparent
on the stand.
The provocation for the threats
made against Mr.. Gonzales by Nh.
Tillman was all well understood; it
was, in fact, part of the State 8
"threat'' testimony. Mr.. Terrell and
Dr.. Adams both brought this out.
The witnesses who were on the stand
today, however, advanced no theory
or reason to explain why Mr.. Con.
zales, as they alleged, had threatened
repeatedly to take the life of Mr.. Till
mn.
Possibly the defence may later seek
to supply this missing link in the con-
tinuity Of the line of thought it would
suggest to the jury and to the people.
John Marshall in News and Courier.
Lexington, Oct. 8.-A moment of
keenest possible human interest came
in the Lexington Court House this af-
ternoon. The warning attorneys, who
had been peculiarly aggressive and
militant during the day, had rested
upon their arms during brief but
grateful recess which the Court had
ordered. The nerves of the spectators
had been strained to the swapping
point, while witnesses essential to the
very life. of the defence were subjected
to burtling FIRE of cross questions by
Mr.. Bellinger. In hot resentment of
the attacks made upon them mo- e
than one of these men had threatened
their sharp p-tonuged, nimble-brained
pursuer with personal violence.
The long hours of the most strenu-
Gus day the trial has yet brought forth
had nearly run her course, Col. Craw-
ford, in hrs most stave and courtly
manner, had just succeeded in convert
ing a witness for the defence into at
least partial ally for the State; the
jury had retired to its room and filed
back again; spectators laughed and
reporters lolled, thinking that so much
had been done, surely the one remain
ing hOur of the session would bring
forth nothing of exciting consequence.
JAMES H.. TILLMAN ON THE
STAND.
But, as usual, it was the unexpected
that happened. In tone as quiet as
that in which he might have addressed
John Smith or Thomas Jones, Col.
Croft rose and requested James H.
Tillman to take the witness stand.
Had he touched the key to an electric
circuit to which was attached every
chair and bench in the Court room he
could not have achieved more instan-
taneous results. The nerves and brain
of every man in sound or sight sprung
to attention. One of the climaxes of
the great trial-drama had arrived and
the audience accorded it the beat of
pulse and the quickening of breath
which it's significance merited. The
prisoner at the bar rose slowly to his
great height, little darker glow COM
ing to his face, "a little more set ex-
preston coming to his rugged features,
a little less listlessness in carriage and
conduct than have marked his mien
at other times. Striding forward de-
liberately to the clerks desk he took
the oath and assembled the stand. Once
seated be composed himself in face and
figure an awaited Col. Crofts' ques-
tions as calmly as though he we're
about to decide some knotty point in
parliamentary law rather than to seek
to justify the tragedy that has chal.
lenged his liberty or his life.
In itself the testimony that be gave
in the single hour that remained of
the session was Of comparative insig
ni6cance. Under the queried guidance
oe I, to-,- Ao11 ~, -