The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-03
FOUND NO WEAPON
GONZALES WAS UNARMED WHEN
SHOT BY TILLMAN.
STATE PROGRESSING RAPIDLY
TWENTY WITNESSES EXAMINED
AND ALL EDITORIALS READ.

Repeated Threats to XIII Con-
miles - Adams Testified He Told
TiIIman to Fight Gonzales, That
the Men who Were supporting
Him Expected Him to Defend Him.
self - Practically All other wit
hesses Swear TO Similar State
ments.
Lexington, S. c., Oct. "A vast
amount of testimony was taken to-
day in the trial of j. H. Tillman,
nearly twenty witnesses having been
on the stand, some of whom were
subjected to lengthy examinations. In
addition to this the reading of the
editorials in The State was conclud-
ed The state has progressed rapidly
toward the conclusion of it's side of the
case.
The first witnesses called to-day were
among those who were in the office
of The State, when Mr.. Gonzales was
carried there after the shooting l..
G. Wood, Jr., of this number testi-
fed that he found no weapons in the
overcoat Mr.. Gonzales was wearing.
Dr. w. J. Murray stated that Mr..
Gonzales said to him in The State
| office that ne was fatally shot. The
doctor opened Mr.. Gonzales clothes
| and saw no weapons, but on cross
examination said he did not examine
the pockets.
TiIImRn Made Many Threats.
ha Of
paper at Johnston, S. c., was among
the first witnesses of the day.
Mr.. Terrell, l wish you would state
to the jury whether you ever heard
James H. Tillman make any threat
against Mr.. Gonzales" said Solicitor
Thurmond.
After stating that he had, and in
answer to questions saying it was on
the streets of Edgefield just before the
beginning of the campaign of last sum-
mer, witness was asked to state what
he said, when he made the following
statement: r.t.s
1--WE were walking along and / spoke
to him about his health and his inn
provement from his trip, and as we
neared the office door, and we had been
| discussing some printing he wanted
done, he made the remark that he was
going to run for Governor and was
going to be elected. and if that -
(referring to Mr.. Gonzales with several
pretty severe oats), attacked him like
he had been doing that he was going
down there and kill him like a dog.
II remember demonstrating with him
about that | told him l thought it
would be wrong in principle and every
way, and the best thing he could do
If he had given him any insult or cause
for anything like that was to go down
there and tackle him man and man
and give him what he thought was
needed. He said no, that he was going
down there and give him no more
show than he would a mad dog"
did you at any other time hear him
make a threat?" the solicitor asked.
Yes. sir" witness replied.
He then said in answer to questions
that it was on a train going to Co
lumbia, and that o. d. Black was
present, and i'm answer to an inquiry
from the solicitor, said
BLACK and l were talking and Col.
TilIman anne and / introduced them.
! said, Colonel. this is Mr.. Black. do
you know him.? He said, oh, yes,
know Black and slapped him on the
shoulder or leg, slapped at him that
way Gndicating) and from that the
conversation went on to general topics
until presently he referred to what
he called the Gonzales matter and he
referred to Black
II want it distinctly understood I
am not trying to quote verbatim what
was said, but l am just giving an idea
of my recollection of the words that
were used. He said, Black, Old boy, |
am going to do what / said about that
old fellow. / am going to put an end
to his way of abusing me, slandering
me, etc, like that. l am going to put
a stop to it, something like that: /
don't remember the exact words and
I am not going to try to quote the ex-
act words"
Sent Word to Gonzales.
Asked as to any other statements.
the witness said: 'On the day they
were canvassing the returns in Co
lumbia, / went to Columbia to present
my trial for advertising. was stand
Ing in front of the Attorney Generals
office talking at the time to Attorney
General Gunter and Secretary of State
CAN'T and Watson-I think his initials
are e. J.--Mr. Watson of The State
] think E. j. are his initials
"All four of us were talking and
just as Tillman came up CAN'T and
Gunter walked off and Col. Tillman
addressed Watson made some state
ments, said that scoundrel-with some
other oaths before tin that building
yonder had attacked him. He went on
to say about his attacking him and be-
ing unjust to him and made some
threat, / don't remember the nature
Of it, but he said he had had as much
of II as he was going to have and made
some demonstrative threat md told
Watson, You can tell him that If you
want Watson declined to do IT. He
said I wish you would do II. | made
it with the Intention Of II going to
him. in a demonstrative way, that
way Qndicating) and Watson declined
to do it,"
On cross-ex examination Mr. Terrell was
questioned as to his feelings towards
the defendant. He said he wrote one
article against his candidacy, but that
he never wrote anything against him
as an individual On further cross-ex-
animation he said he had read an af-
fidavit by Black and had noticed that
Black had not mentioned his name.
He was asked If II was not true that
he did not come forward and make the
statements he testified to to-day. when
application was made for bail for Mr..
Tillman His reply was in the affirma-
tive.
Told TiIlman 90 Fight.
DR.. f. G. L. Adams. when called to
the stand, said in reply to a question
that he had had several conversations
with ]. H. Tillman.
What did those conversations have
relation TOT" counsel for state asked.
ITO some of the articles written by
Mr.. Gonzales and to the race for Gov
ar1nr