The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-01-23
THE ASSASSINATION. OF GONZALES,

the opinion is expressed that Mir. Con-
xales in his newspaper last summer
nursued Lieutenant Governor Til.man
too fer. The Yorkville Enquirer says:
But none OF this JusIlfes CoICnl IL
man in his violence On the contrary
they tend TO show up a case OF p-emed-
itated murder. What will 1e lone re-
mains to be seen. We hope tnat the
law of South Carolina Will be vindi-
Gated for once; but IN view OF the
long string Of recent precedelts, that
hope has but little foundation for re-
a~lization." If there is a word of truth
IN the published s~tories-and we do not
doubt their entire acouracy-thls occur
renee lacked none of the elements OF a
deliberate murder There was no sell
defence. no sudden passion. but every
thing to indicate premeditatIo1- AND
We undertake to say-and The York
willie Enquirer evidently holds the same
spinion-that there will be 10 gallows,
no halter; no pe~nitentiary, no stripes
but instead. a little period OF confine-
nent in Jail. the form of a court trial.
and then-liberty.
The above is from The Charlotte OBJ
server Of Sunday. 1t Is hard to believe
MAT the predictions of This Yorkville
Enquirer and of The Observer will be
verified b. the action Of a jury of
twelve good and true" men of the
state of South Carolina. Already a
foul blot has been placed upon the fair
name of that state. 1t is to be hoped
that her condemnation in the eyes OF
the public is not TO be mad greater
by demonstration of the fact that a
man. because of position and family
Influence can escape just punishment
for one of the most heinOus crimes re-
corded in the annals OF that state
Five days have now elau;ed since the
commission of this crime and not yet
las the public been given one single
fact pointing to eX%tenuatinS circum-
stances. All the accounts of the de-
murderous assault was Dr~emeditated-
not only premeditated. but the most
suitable time chosen when the assassin
would be in least danger of any bodily
naTW 10 himself ny ItiSOi vi lAo rs
tended victim being prepared to act in
self-defense. 1t is said there are two
sides to every question. Lieutenant
Governor Tillman has tried to make it
appear that all the statements reg ird-
ing the affair which have b9en tele-
graphed to the all OveT
the country were sent out by repre-
eentatiyes of the paper owned and ed
Ned by his victim. This is not so.
The staff of The State. one OF whom
represents the Associated Press and
another a leading New York daily,
have not sent out a line recounting the
affair Recognizing their delicate po-
sition. they declined to handle the mat
ter and the accounts of the shooting
were written by other parties connect
ed with neither side to the tragedy.
They were the unbiased reports given
20 the public by men unprecedented
IN their views and whose object was to
correctly report the circumstances
How then can it be claimed that only
Mr.. Gonzales side OF the incident has
been given.
Mr.. Tillman claims that when the
proper time comes he will show that he
was justified in his action. What was
done occurred in broad daylight, on
the main street of a populous city and
was witnessed by several persons We
believe the public has been given the
facts. and We do not see. how these
facts can show any eXtenuating cir
cumstances. Unless there are fact:
and circumstances Of which the public
knows nothing, and We do not see how
there can be any, there are no eNtenu,
ating circumstances and Mr.. Tillmar
stands today condemned in the eyes o
the public as u cold blooded assassin
The nature of the wound shows tina
the shot was fired. not as MIR. Con
raIes was approaching Mr.. Tillman
but while he was In the act OF passing
His side was turned toward his assas
sin who waited until ne was almost il
the rear of his victim.
These are the facts in the case q
told by disinterested parties. an
many OF the material me are veri
fed by the friends Of Nr. Tillman VIII
were escorting him along the street a
the time. Can any M believe, ther
that a jury of honest men Will alloy
this man to go unpublished OF n
crime becauza ot family inHIence o
because the defendant had been raise
to the highest position, save one. j
the gift of the people. Does not sue
a man, if guilty, deserve greater cor
demnation at the hands of the publ
and greater punishment by the Ia
than would under similar circumstal
ces a man who never had the advan