Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-10-06
TRIAL OF ]. n. TILLMAN.
Prosecution CIosed-The Defense Now
Makina Reply.

with the murder of N. G. Gonzales, the
prosecution closed its direct testimo-
ny on last Saturday. That is the d.
rect testimony was actually closed. II
was announced that two witnesses re-
mained to be examined, should they ar
rive this morning, 1t having been
agreed that there would be no session
of the court yesterday, because Of the
interest of the various lawyers In sales
day. The prosecution having nothing
further to offer on Saturday, the de-
Tense, sought and obtained permission
to offer the testimony Of Miss Roper,
on the ground that she was due in New
York today, to take a position In a
hospital.
From the viewpoint Of the prosecu-
ton, the State has made strong case
of murder against the defendant. 1t
has shown that the only occasion OF
offense that the deceased gave the pris-
oner at the bar, was certain editorials
in the State newspaper, and that this
offense was completed some months
before the killing. 1t showed that the
deceased was not anticipating further
trouble with the defendant. 1t showed
that the prisoner had made numerous
threats as to what he would do with
the deceased, and that he had declared
beforehand that he proposed to shoot
the deceased down without warning,
and without opportunity to defend
himself; that he would allow him no
more show than a mad dog. 1t has
shown that at the time Of the killing
the deceased was unarmed and unsus-
picious of danger until after he had re-
ceived his death wound from the con-
cealed pistol Of the prisoner. From
the dying declarations Of the deceased
it showed that he had sent no message
OF any kind to the defendant.
Although in most trials Of this ma
ture, the case of the defense Is fore
shadowed in the cross-examinatiJns, of
the witnesses for the prosecution, so
far this case has been an exception.
Effort was made to show that the de-
ceased may have threatened the de-
fendant; but the witnesses for the pro-
secution were unable to testify to any
thing of the kind. There was strong
effort to show that the deceased bore
deep personal malice against the de-
fendant, but this also failed. Nobody
had ever heard Mr.. Gonzales say any
thing against Mr.. Tillman. There was
nothing except what was published IN
the editorials in the State.
The important testimony of last Fri
day morning, including that OF DR..
Adams and Editor Terrell were compre-
hensively summarized in the dispatch
published in THE ENQUIRER last Fri
day afternoon. The dispatch also told
Of the unsuccessful effort to browbeat
Mr.. August Kohn. Senators Brown
and Talbird, who were with the de-
fendant at the time Of the shooting
were examined during Friday after
noon. Senator Brown was walking
down street with Col. Tillman and Mr..
Talbird. He was on the inside, Sen
ator Talbird in the centre and Col.
TilIman on the outside. Just as the
party reached Gervais street, witness
looked around and saw Mrs. Melton,
whom he had known from childhood,
and started back to join her. Just as
he took the first step, the pistol was
fired. He did not know what 1t was.
Mrs. Melton, however, was looking
right at it, and as she threw up her
hands and screamed he kept on to-
ward her. When he looked around two
men were bending over Mr.. Gonzales.
He heard Tillman say something but
did not catch what it was.
Senator Talbird, known as a person.
al friend of Col. Tillman. He testified,
among other things: "Mr. Gonzales
was ten or fifteen feet from us when
| first noticed him. When he got within
five or six feet Of US Governor Tillman
said: How are you? Good morning.
How are you, Mr.. Gonzales?' or some
expression of the kind. Mr.. Gonzales
turned toward the left, toward the
transfer station, as if to pass us on the
inside. I paid no further attention
to him, as he got out Of my line of
vision. I was looking up the street
about the time supposed he would get
OH a line with us. l heard the remark,
I received your message and then to
my right l saw a pistol in Governor
Tillmans hand and it went off," After
the shot was fired, the witness contin-
ued, he heard Gonzales say, Here !
am; finish me-" Witness said he was
not looking for the shot, and after 1t
was fired he rushed between the two
men and said that this thing must
STOP" Tillman afterward told him
that it was for fear of hitting him
that he refrained from firing another
shot The Il received your message
remark, was made just before the pis-
tol was fired. Gonzales had his hands
in his pockets.
During the afternoon great deal of
corroborative testimony from other
eye witnesses was introduced.
Saturdays Proceedings.
| Mrs. Preston l.. Melton of Columbia,
was the most important witness on
Saturday. She is employed in the en-
crossing department at the state house
and was coming along behind the three
men-Talbird, Tillman and Brown.
She saw Mr.. Gonzales, knew him well,
and was watching his face for an op-
portunity to speak to him as he passed.
His face bore pleasant serene express
sion. His hands were in the rockets