Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-02-25
#iseellanen,ls 8eading.
TILLMAN,s OWN STORY.

TILLMAN's OWN STORY.
Slayer of Gonzales Gives Reason
y For His Violent Deed.
Following is the affidavit that James
H. Tillman submitted through his
counsel at the habeas corpus proceed
ings, before Chief Justice Pope, in Co.
lumbia last Thursday:
James H. Tillman, being duly sworn,
says: That in addition to the affidavit
heretofore made by him, he submits the
following: That he has read the am
davits Of Joseph r. Allen and Police
man rBoland, and says in reply there
to that he did walk towards the city
hall, all the while, at least for some
distance, obliquing to the left, with his
pistol down to his side. That as well
as he recollects he bowed to man on
the platform Of q street car whom he
took to be either the conductor or mo-
torman. I am under the impression
that I walked across the street car
track at the end Of car which was
standing on 1t. Directly after Cross
ed the track on Main street, Policeman
Boland came up to me. still had my
pistol down at my side. do not re-
collect all that was said by Mr.. Bo-
land or by me. but think his state
ment as to what occurred ts near ABOUT
right. I recollect Policeman Boland
asking for my pistol, but did not wish
to give ii up until he assured me that
I should be protected, as I stated to
him I did not wish to be butchered up.
I think was about midway, opposite
the city hall, when this occurred. 1
then turned to go with Policeman Bo-
land to the station house and, after
turning the city hall corner, going
down Gervais. street, my brother-in-
law, Judge Buchanan, came rushing
up and asked what was the matter. 1
said to the policeman that he was s@f
brother-in-law and he then accompan-
led US to- the police station.
The magazine Of my pistol had Deen
broken for some time, and as l was
desirous Of having 1t repaired before
returning home, I asked Mr.. Fred
Dominick on Wednesday to take It 70
Mr.. w, F.. Steiglitz's gunshop and
have it fixed for me, I being then enga-
ged in my official duties at the state
house, and did not have time to go to
the gunsmith's. He said nothing to
me about the magazine until the next
morning, when he asked me for the
pistol, saying he had to take 1t TO
Steiglitz to put the magazine In. DO
not know at what time he took the pis-
tol to Steiglitz nor when he brought 1t
to my room at the state house. He
told me some time during the morning
that he had left the pistol In my room.
I do not own a Prince Albert lrock
coat, nor have worn one since my ar
rival in the city Of Columbia. neith-
er had on a Prince Albert coat on Tues
day, January 13, 1908, nor did 1 have
a pistol in my hip pocket, nor did :!
stop on Main street near the steel
building and "look up and down the
street, as If expecting some one to
pass" was not looking for any one In
whom I was interested to pass me.
The affiant, F. w. Smith, I am inform
ed. is a boy IL years old, and Vedder
Zimmerman, about the same age.
I do not recall meeting Mr.. s. T. D.
Lancaster on the 14th day Of January,
1903, but If he did see me, he could not
have seen pistol sticking out from
the (my) rear coat pocket" as 1 did
not have a pistol with me-the only
pistol had in Columbia being broken
as above stated.
That Mr.. s. J. Young may be correct
when he states he saw me ABOUT
twelve feet from the inside Of the pave
ment," and / may have had my plstoi
elevated. I know I did not have 1t
pointed at N. G. Gonzales, but l was
looking at him, momentarily expecting
him to fire upon me, and when he DID
not do so lowered 1t to my SIDE.
In reference to the statement OF Ar
lege Lyles, who, have been INFORM
ed, is a boy about IL or IA years OF age,
Of and
the fire not being returned, l lowered
NV pistol, as by that time Senator Tai
bird got between me and Mr.. Gonzales:
/ do not remember saying: you VIII
let me alone now." I do know that
did go, as Arlege Lyles says, across
| the street obliquing, looking In the di.
rection where the difficulty occurred
and at Mr.. Gonzales. until I got to the
street car track and crossed 1t, and II
was about this time that Policeman
| Boland came up.
states he was walking behind Mr.. Con
Lide states: THAT he (referring to
/ mel maintained that position with
| his hands in his overcoat pockets un-
| til lust before he had fired the shot
hereina described" He also
states: when just as he (Gonzales)
was going around the three on the IN
side Of the pavement, Tillman being
on the outside Of the three, and near
the outer edge of the pavement and
| having both his hands in his overcoat
pockets, the latter (that Is Tillman)
suddenly fired his pistol" My over
coat has no front side pockets, and 1t
was, therefore physical impossibility
for me to have my hands in my over
coat pockets-the only pockets in my
said overcoat being in each tail Of the
rear of said coat, and I had pair OF
gloves in my left hand, both hands be-
ing by my side. This statement 1 beg
| to verify by the coat, (which Is In the
possession Of the sheriff.
AS to the affidavits Of Abram Brown
"a colored man) and Of August Schie-
Il tho cona aro nOt trne In SO