The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-07-01
Change of Venue for TiIIman.

!
Argument on the motion for change
or venue in the case Of James II, Till
man, indicted for tho murder Of N G.
Gonzales. was concluded at 8 o'clock
last Wednesday afternoon, and Judge
townsend at once announced his decis.
ION that the change should be grant
&c. Counsel disagreed concerning the
county where the case should be sent,
enc after sleeping over the matter,
Judge Townsend announced that he
had chosen LIE xington.
Wednesday's proceedings opened
with the argument of Mr. Andrew
Crawford, for the prosecution, against
the motion. He spoke for an hour and
o half, and his presentation of the law
was highly cOmplimented. He was
followed by. MIR. p. II. Nelson, for The
defence. who also devoted himself
largely to the law of the case. Mr. G..
general. next addressed the court fcSr
the prosecution, first answering the
arguments on the other side. Solicitor
ThurmOnd closed for the prosecution
in Q clear-cut speech.
The sensation Of the day followed,
when ex-Judge 0. w. Buchanan, the
FdefendRnt's brOther-in-law, addressed
the. conrt.. It was not thought that
Judge Buch9ran would speak, espec-
tally as the defence had left only about
hfty minutes Of the time allotted that
side, which, 1t was presumed, would.
be occupied by Congressman George
w. Croft, Tillman's law partner. But
Judge buchanan spoke Tor thirty min
utes and delivered o bitter arraignment
or the press, the commercial interests
eud the people of Columbia generally.
de asserted that commercialism had
|.supplanted the old southern standards,
ana tnat the press was now at liberty
t0 abuse and villify any man who
spoke his honest convictions. He
emerged that the State had goaded the
defendant to desperation by its abuse
OF him, and said the State had now
cracked its whip and lashed the citi-
gems of Columbia into signing aflldavits
for the prosecution under fear of the
States power. He charged that the
capitalist interest and the press were
ellied, and that men had been intimi-
dated into signing those aftidavits, lest
their position or their business be in
sS5eSS; by gfrahns" abs nnt exclaimed 5 Judge
them lump it'-
Judge Townsend interrupted the
speaker to say that he was consuming
the time Of the defence and leaving
none for Mr. Croft. :
Mr.. Buchanan then took his seat
and court adjourned for dinner, with
fifteen minutes remaining of the allot-
ted ti2ie. This was extendets and Mr..
Croft closed the argument, after din
ner, IN strong speech OF about twenty
At the close the court announced its
decision to grant the motion and asked
counsel for suggestions concerning the
place to which the case ehOnld be
transferred. Mr.. Croft suggested
Saluda, but to this Solicitor Thur
m0nd objected on the ground that Sa-
luda court house is fourteen miles
fr0m the railroad and Accommodations
are too meagre to entertain the two
nundred witnesses who would have to
be transported there.
Mr. Crawford also spoke in objection
to Saluda, saying that the defendants
fatF Z, the iaSe Congressman George
ID. llman, was the father Of Saluda
county and that until recent years Sa-
luda was part of Edgefield, the de-
fepdant's home.
Mr.. Nelson spoke strongly in favor
OF sending the case to Saluda, alleging
speedy trial and this could not be had
unless it was sent to either Saluda or
! Edgefeld. :s.s court ff0f this term has
been held in other counties OF this cir
cult.
Mr. Bellinger replied to the remarks
OF Messrs. Croft and Nelson with much
vigOr, asserting that to transfer the
case to Saluda would be unwise and
unjust TO the prosecution as we'll as
inconyenient. He said that the defen-
dant had waived his right po a speedy
trial by asking for o continuance at
the last term Of court, when the pro'Ie.
cntion was anxious to proceed. Th .re
were several lively tilts between
Messrs. Nelson and Bellinger.
Mr. Croft closed the argument as
serting that there were ample accom-
a Tillman stronghold. Judge Town
send then instructed the attorneys to
draw up an order for change of venue
and leave the county blank.