The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-01-21
GONZALES SLAIN !
BY jim TILLMAN,
Great Editor Has Passed
Away.
-
A GREAT LOSS.
One Of the SOuth's Bril-
liant Men.
Mr.. Gonzales Was Shot Without Warm
Ing When Unarmed-Linge
Until Monday.
A GREAT LOSS.

AT 145 O'Clock last Thursday after
noon Lieutenant Governor James a.
1illman shot N. G. Gonzales, editor of
The State, the 3S caliber pistol ball,
entering Mr.. Gonzales right side
above the vest pocket and coming out
behind the vest pocket on the left side.
Mr.. Gonzales fingered until LOS PM.
Monday; dying in the Columbia Hos
pital.
Col. Tillman had come out Of the
state house where he had been presid-
ing over the senate with State Senators
Talbird OF Beaufort and G.. w. Brown
of Darlington. They met MIR. Con-
zaes at the corner of Gervais and Main
| streets in front of the state house. The
latter was going to his lunch. Mr..
Tillman drew one of two Colts maga-
zines pistols on his person and fred at
Mr.. Gonzales. The latter staggered
against the side OF building. Tillman
aimed again. "Shoot again, you cow
ard"' exclaimed Gonzales and Iillman
| lowered his weapon, wiping it on his
sleeve. Senator Talbird thinks that be.
fore the shooting Tillman said: 81 got
your message" Mr.. Brown heard
nothing. Congressman Aiken was near
| and he heard nothing. Mr.. Dominick
of Newberry thinks he and Mr.. Aiken
were too far off to hear anything.
Mr.. Tillman was promptly arrested
and carried TO jail. p. III. Nelson was
employed as counsel and Mr.. Tillmsn
was advised to say nothing. He made
no statement.
Mr.. Gonzales was carrlca to his of
flee near by. He stated that ne had
sent Tillman no message, that no word
was spoken before the shooting, that
he had met Tillman face to face on the
streets some days before and that he eX-
pected no trouble. He was not armed.
| Mr.. Gonzales was later taken to the
hospital and operated upon. The ball
tore the intestines in four places and
| penetrated the liver.
Senator George w, Brown, of Dar.
lington, who was walking on the inside
OF the three, and nearest to Mr.. Con-
| zales, said that strange as it may ap-
pear, he did not see the shooting and
knew but little. just at the time, he
had turned to one side to speak to
lady friend who was passing, and then
while turned he heard the pistol fire.
His friend ran and he tried to stop and
assist her. He heard no words, and
went Off TO calm his friend, who was
much excited. He heard nothing pass
between the two men, but did not see
the affair, and, of course, Senator
Brown is absolutely candid in his state
ment.
Senator Talbird who was one of the
party walking along, does not care to
talk for publication, and says he heard
MT. Tiliman say, 81 got your m MESSAGE"
and that he thinks the shot was fired
after he used the expression. Both
Senator Brown and Senator Talbird
said they were so much surprised and
amazed that they hardly realized what
had happened, but there was no quar-
rel or fight.
The presumable cause of the shoot
ing WAS the editorial attacks made by
The State upon Mr.. Tillman while he
was candidate for governor last sum-
mer. In the campaign The State
handled Tillman with gloves off, using
strong language. 1t made many spe-
chic charges, presenting evidence in
detail as to some of them. Mr.. Tillman
denied the charges but can scarcely be
said to have answered them spec;fii-
cally with evidence to refute them.
Many other newspapers denounced
Tillman in terms not less severe than
The State during the campaign but
The State, having general circula-
tion and being daily paper, seems
chiefly to have aroused Mr.. Tillman's
resentment.