The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1903-10-21

TOBER 81, 1903.
Solicitor Thurmond was in Court and
he asked that his associates for the
prosecution be called. There was some
delay in finding the lawyers and Mr..
Thurmond finally suggested that the
jury might at least be brought out.
THE JURY COMES INTO COURT.
After the jury filed into the Court
room and took seats the situation was
critical and the stress intense. Every
one seemed to be expecting something,
and every one knew what that some
thing was, but Mr.. Thurmond's asso-
ciateS had not come into the Court
room, and he was asking that the
Court wait until they arrived.
Judge Gary finally broke the strain
by saying that he saw no use for
furthur delay, as the wait involved an
unnecessary strain. with this, Mr..
koon, the foreman of the jury, arose
and handed the indictment to Mr..
George, the clerk of the Court.
"One minute" Mr.. Clerk, said
Judge Gary; Sheriff, il any one in
this Court room makes any demon
Stration, or if there is any violation OF
the rules of Court, you will make a
prompt arrest and bring the party be-
fore me, and | will deal with the case
There must be no demonstration in
this Court"
CLERK GEORGE READS: NOT
GUILTY"
Then Judge Gary permitted the
clerk OF Court to read the verdict of
Not guilty. The closeness OF the
warning OF Judge Gary and the read
Ing OF the verdict no doubt did much
TO keep down any hurrahing. but there
was some enthusiastic friend who
could not restrain his JOY and gave one
good, hard cheer, but nothing was
done with him. AS soon as the verdict
was announced Col. Croft and the
other members OF counsel for the de-
fence gathered around Col. Tillman
and congratulated him warmly upon
his acquittal.
COL. TILLMAN CONGRATULATED.
Quite a number OF Col. Tillman's
kinsmen have been devoted and con-
slant in their attendance upon the
Court, and they followed counsel la
their congratulations to Col. Tillman
For five or ten minutes the whole
Court was given over to Col. Tillman.
The members OF counsel for the de-
fence then went TO the jury that sat
nearby and extended their personal
thanks for the verdict, and later on
Col. Tillman himself went over to the
jury and shook hands with each
member that had given him his liber-
ty. 1t was while going from one jury
man to the other that Col. Till
man seemed to most show his appreci-
oUiuu uf MS liberty, because his ewes
began to water just bit. From the
jury Col. Tillman walked over and
shook hands with Judge Gary.
RELEASED FROM CUSTODY.
1t took only few minutes to draw
up the formal order releasing James
ii. Tillman from the custody OF the
sherifIs OF Richland and Lexington
counties, as the result OF the acuuit-
tai. While this formal order was be-
ing prepared Mr.. George, the clerk OF
Court, took the two pistols, those Till
man wore on the day OF the tragedy,
out of his drawer to hand them to Col,
Tillman, and as he did so Col. Tillman
waved both Of his hands, as if to spurn
the offer, and said; Il never want 10
see those things again. There were
many requests from those around for
the right To own of these weapons,
but the smaller pistols was sent to its
owner.
The Luger magazine pistol. from
which the fatal shot was fired. was
taken of by a relative Of Col. Tillman.
who wished to exhibit it in Augusta.
Judge Gary, before signing the order
releasing Col Tillman, asked the State
II there was any objection to his sign
ing Such release, and after he was
told that there was not. the order
was signed and Col. Tilman left the
Court room, surrounded by about fifty
OF his friends and relatives.
There were no ladies in the Court
room at the time the verdict was read. |
Mrs. James ii. Tillman was in the
parl0r or the residence portion OF the |
Jail, awaiting the return OF her nus |
band, and as soon as Col. Tillman had |
gone into the jail To see his wife he /
lett there with her To go and see his |
mother, who was at the Hammer .
Hotel, but she met him on the street.
between the jail and the hotel, and,
throwing her arms around her son,
welcomed him back to freedom. Col.
TIllman then went into the hotel,
where he had regular levee OF friends
and relatives
LEFT FOR EDGEFIELD.
Col. Tillman was invited to dine.
and after that he arranged for his
mother. Mrs. Norris, his mOther-in-
aw, and his wife, his little girl and
himself TO leave Lexington on the )
o'clock train and go TO Edgetield,
where he proposes to resume the prac- Z
lice OF law. He said Thursday after
loon 1t was too early for him TO talk
lbout his plans, but the prospects are
hat he will remain at Edgetield and
practice law there IL he can So arrange
L. lie might stop over at Trenton