The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1903-10-14
The Lexington Dispatch
Wednesday, October ID, 1903.
Col, Tillman On Trial.

The State rests announced Solici-
tor Tburmond directly after court
met this morning. "wednesday
Several editorials from the State,
from March %, 1901, to September
Is, 1902, were read for the defense
by Mr.. Rembert of Counsel.
T. D. Mitchell testified that some
time in September of last year he
had q conversation with Mr.: Gonzales
in reference to the editorial attacks
of the State upon Col. Tillman and
said: We met together just about
the corner of Gervsis street. Just as
I crossed from the opera house side
he was coming down Main and We
went together like two streams would
come together. W. turned down
Gervais street, going east, and l
spoke to him. Good evening, and
said, Don't you think it is about time
YOU would let up on old Jim? He
said, No I don't, and as long as he
efsrs himself for public Office I ex-
pect to give it to him. He is a cur
and as be cffers himself for q public
Office I expect to put it on him. He
has proven himself 8 coward on every
occasion. BE proved it with DeCamp.
I said, I think. Mr.. Gonzales, you
are mistaken. ] never knew a Till
man yet who was a coward; L think
it was politics that caused him to
take what DeCamp said as he did
He looked upon it as a premeditated
difficulty to ruin his chances for
election and that is Why he permitted
him to say what he did. He said: l
can slap his face and he would not
resent il. I said, if you ever try to
slap his face you will find out you are
badly mistaken. He said: He is a
eur and I would not be afraid to slap
his face. He would not resent it. l
said, If you ever try to do it, you will
fnd you are mistaken. He said: Ii
he ever bats his eyes at me, 1 will fill
him so full of lead he will not be able
to tote it off.
@ Then, when you met Col. Till
man at the Columbia hotel, you told
him that between the first and second
primary Yes, I told him I met MIR.
Gonzales and asked him if it was not
about time be would let up on him
and Mi. Gonzales said, no, he was a
eur, and as long ss he offered him
self for public ofce he expected to
fight him; that he had proven him.
self a cur with DeCamp and he could
slap his face and he would not re-
sent it. And I said 1 told him [
thought he would finn out his mis-
take if he tried it, and he said if he
ever batted his eyes at him he would
fill him SO full of lead he would not
be able to tote it off, and that was
about the end of the conversation.
A j. Flowers, a conductor on the
street cars of Colnmbis, sworn, says:
During the summer of 1902. was in
charge of car No. 8, from CRANKY
Mill to Waverly. CRANKY Mil is be-
low the Union depot and Waverly is
on the other side of the city near the
old Banding street depot.
A party of four gentlemen got on
at Lady street, among them Mf. n
G. Gonzales; they were on the back
seat smoking. had a big load Of
passengers apd was going around to
them collecting fares and helping the
ladies' and little children off, aud I
got pretty close to them collecting
fares and they were discussing poll
tics, the three men and Mr.. Gonzales,
and I just overheard what I did hear.
] heard him tell them that if he did
not succeed in defeating MI. Tillman
in tho governors ofice that he would
never be seated, because he would
kill the rascal.
Mr.. Nelson then introduced in evil
dence and read the following letter:
Darlington, S. c, Aug. Is. 1903.
Hon. James b. Tillman, Lexington,