The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-10-06

trial of former Lieutenant Governor
James H. Tillman has been in progress
just one week, and the state has not
formally rested it's case. Solicitor
Thurmond announced, however. when
the last witness for the prosecution eA-
amined today had left the stand, that
the state practically was ready to close,
but desired to pass the closing until
next week, as there is further testi-
nlony the state may desire to submit.
One Of the witnesses for the defense
was heard today, the state having dis.
posed Of all its witnesses present, some
time prior TO the hour appointed for
adjournment. No afternoon session
was held today and the trial will not
be resumed until Tuesday morning
because of other matters demanding the
attention of the court Monday.
Only four witnesses for the state
Were examined today.
| / WANTED TO SHOOT AGAIN.
| c. NJ. Lide. of Columbia, testified that
he was passing along Main street,
| gong toward the state house on his
| he reached point just south of the
| Office Of the State (newspaper) he saw
| Mr.. Gonzales ahead of him; walking
| OH a little further she saw Mr.. Tillman
with two other men coming from the
state house, he SAID. Continuing, the
witness stated
Il did not give any particular notice
to either one Of them. but went along
and when l was about the front Of the
bill board next to the transfer office,
I just saw Mr.. Tillman throw up his
arm and shoot, just that way Gndicat-
| ing). I did not see whether he drew
his pistol or not; just saw the shot,
and instantly saw this man. a sort Of
| light haired man, whom I was after
wards told was Senator Talbird, jump
ed between Mr. Gonzales and Mr.. Till
man and threw his hands up this way
| against Mr.. Tillmans face. and said:
| This thing must stop and Tillman
| had his pistol over the shoulder of this
| gentleman, moving it back and forth
| this way several times. as if he was
| trying to get a chance to shoot again..
| The witness then testified as 70 the
movements of Mr.. Gonzales and 1Ir,
| Tillman.
THIUGHT THERE WAS EXPLOSION
UNDER THE SIDEWALK.
| Mrs Emma Melton, who was a clerk
| III lIie tIlS dSpciI lIllSIlI VI I>1o
state legislature at the last session
said on the stand today that she left
| the state house at fifteen minutes be-
! fore two o'clock on the afternoon OF
| January 18th. AS she was crossing
Gervais street, she saw Lieutenant
Governor Tillman and two other men
| walking in front of her. Coming in
this direction was Mr.. Gonzales, who
crossed diagonally across toward the
| inside to pass the opening between the
| three men abreast and the front Of the
| transfer station. She started toward
| the same opening, intending as she
said. to pass the three men, and WIS
| looking at Gonzales, intending to speak
to him. She said had Gonzales taken
one more step, he would have passeu
the three men. When she heard the
report she thought it was an expIo-
sion under the sidewalk. but when II
occurred to her that it was a ShOt sac
ran away, not knowing who had hrcl
She said the defendant was on the out
side. Senator Talbird in the middle
and Senator Brown on the inside.
\. G. Lamotte said after the shot
was fired he saw Gonzales and I'LL
man. with a pistol in his hand.
A F. Schiedemann said he heard Till
man say: Il received Your message
FIRST WITNESS FOR DEFENSE.
The defendants witness heard today
was Mary ]. Roper who was formerly
) from Edgefield, but IS now living II
; New York. During the year 1902 sh'
had charge. she said. Of an inf1rmar!
at Spartanburg, and nursed Captain
Raphael Elliott, an uncle OF n. J
Gonzales. Mr.. Gonzales. she said
visited his uncle at the infirmary thcr
and when asked if she heard Mr.. Con
zales make any reference TO Mr.. Til
man in his conversations with Cap
tain Elliott. she replied in the affirma
tive. On her direct examination n
witness made this statement:
&, Mr.. Gonzales asked me if l consid
ed Colonel Tlllman a brave man;
told him l certainly did: he sal he di
not: that he had made Mr.. Tillmo'
show the white feather twice: tina
Colonel Tillman had challenged hir
to two duels, which he did not &C
= knowledge and that Colonel Tillma
. had~no more resentment than to com
to him in the hotel lobby and OFF,
n HIM a cigar which he declined
e GONZALES OFTEN SPOKE ABOC
s TILLMAN
n Was it on one or more occasion
that yor, heard him speak Of Mr.. Til