The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-10-15
Defeg dant in Famous Case Witness
in Ills Own Behalf.
MUCH INTERESTING TESTIMONY.
Stood the Odeal of Cross.Examina.
ton With Fortitude and spoke in
Firm Voice.

ju-y instructed to disregard all tes,i-
mory relative to the POSSESSION OF a
weapon by the defendant day OF two
prior to the shooting, contendiag tAaL
no connection hai been shown between
thar and the shooting. The court ruled
that the testimony was competent Il
view OF the testimony given By wit
pesses for the State.
Editorials from The Columbia Safe
relating TO J. II. Tiliman were then
read and affirmed in evidence by the
defense.
In ruling on a point in controversy
affecting the introduction OF editorials
the court stated that the purpose OF
the editorials being admitted was TO
show the feeling existing between tie
defendant and n. G. Gonzales.
Fairly good progress was made
Wednesday in the examination OF wit
nesses for the defense.
TIE first witness called Wednesday
by the defense was T. D. Mitchell. wht
was a resident Of Columbia in 1902.
He was asked if he had had any con-
versation with N. G.. Gonzales in 1892
in which the name Of ]. H. Tillman
was mentioned. He replied in the az
firmative, saying, Il think it was some
time in September. just after one OF
these editorials in his paper was pub
lished."
He said he met Mr.. Gonzales in the
street, and, asked by counsel to detail
the conversation, said among other
things that he asked Mr.. Gonzales II
he didn't think it was about time to
let up on Jim. Giving Mr.. Gonzales re-
ply, the witness stated he said: II can
slap his face and he would not resent
it," The witness further stated: He
said IL he ever bats his eyes at me III
fill him so full OF lead he can't tote it
off"
The witness said be told Mr.. Till
man of the conversation. On cross
examination he said he never had any
other conversation with Mr.. Gonzales
than this. On further cross-examina-
ton witness said he knew Mrs. Con
zales by sight, but never was intro
duced to him. and further that he had
told few days after the shooting
that the conversation would be good
evidence for the defendant. He said he
had sympathized with Ambrose Con-
zaleS.
]. E. Flowers, a street railway con-
ductor in Columbia in 1902, in answer
to counsel for the defense, said that
in 1902 he had heard conversation
between Mr.. Gonzales and two or three
others riding on his car in Columbia.
Asked to state the conversation, the
witness said: II had a big load OF
passengers and was going around COL
lecting fares and helping the ladies and
children off, and l got pretty close to
them collecting fares, and they were
discussing politics. the three men and
Mr.. Gonzales, and 1 just overheard
wha: did hear"
Mr.. Nelson: "He was not talking to
you?"
NO. SIR" the witnes replied. 81
heard him tell them that if he did not
succeed in defeating Mr. Tillman for
the Governors office that he would
never be seated, because he would kill
the rascal"
He said he did not think anything
OF tae remark at the time and on cross
examination said it was not until two
months ago that he told this, and in
answer to further questions said he
wrote to the defendant. The letter was
introduced by counsel for the defense,
and in it the witness said he would
appear as a witness if he could be OF
any service He was member OF Col.
Tillman's regiment.
P. w. Hughes. of Warrenton, SAID
he was in Columbia in 1902 and while
walking down Main street with four
men whom he named, they met Mr..
Gonzales. A Mr.. Stroud OF their num-
Der, he said, was asked by Mr.. Con-
zales about the mill vote. He said he
asked Mr.. Gonzales il he did not think
he had done Mr.. Tillman a great in
justice, to which he said Mr.. Con-
gales replied that he would get great
e. injustice after election and it ought
TO be lead" On cross-examination the
witness aid he had only told this four
months ago.
August Blalock testified that he was
with Mr.. Hughes at the time and that
be heard this conversation.
n. B. Cheshire, printer on an An
derson, S. c., newspaper. was asked
to state what he told Mr.. Tillman at
meeting in Anderson in 1900. Objec-
ton was raised by counsel for the
State on the ground that the statement
was not made by Mr. Gonzales and
consequently hearsay. The jury was
sent out, when the witness said: Il
told him q representative of The State
lnewspaper) told me that Gonzales
carried a gun for him and that he had
better not jump On him with stick
for il he did he would get h shot
Cut of him."
After lengthy argument by counsel
extending beyond the dinner recess the
court ruled that the testimony was
competent when the witness made the
statement before the jury.
The representative o. The state T"-
ferred TO. he said. was Mr.. Grier. sub
scripticn solicitor for the paper. and
he said the conversation VIA M.
Grier occurred on train between
Newberry and Anderson. The witness
vas in Col. Tillman's regiment. and on
cross-examination said he pad par
,icular attention to the statement as
be wanted to tell Mr.. Til.man what
was said. He said when he told the
6afeodont that be 1Onkad az - q hurt