The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1903-01-24
C0WARDLY ASSASSINATION.

A1Viib thi'tihts Woo
treated to a bloody and cowardly
on the 10Th inst, when
lanes ii. Tilfman, the Lieutenant
Governor of the State. shot down,
in cold blood. Editor II. q Con.
zales. of the Daily State, Of that
city. The editor was on hs way
home to dinner, while the Lieu.
tenant Governor had inst lef. the
Senate. over which he presided,
and met Gonzales on the street.
The editor did not notice TiIlman's
presence until he was very near
him and then, realizing that IL he
would continue in his course he
would brush upagainst him, swerv
ed to one side in order TO avoid
it, and as he did so Tlllman drew
a new magazine revolver from one
Of his pockets and, without..utter-
ing word, raised it. fired and
sent its steel coated bullet crush
ing through Gonzales body. The
stricken editor tottered to the
street ear station, which was close
to the spot where he was shot,
leaned up against it, and looking
at Tillman, who still had his pistol
raised, said: "You have killed
me, shoot again, you coward
Tillman then lowered his pistol
and walked away. Shortly after
wards he was arrested by an Of
ficer who found, in addition to the
pistol with which he had shot
Gonzales, q heavy Colts revolver
Of large calibre.
What a spectacle! What com.
mentary. The Lieutenant Cover
nor of the great State of South
Carolina, and President Of tho
Senate, presiding over that au
gust body with murder in his hear t
and an arsenal in his pockets!
Wherein, we would fain ask, is he
any better than the lowest crimi,
nal in the Statef In no particu
lar. In fact he is worse. He is
a man Of intelligence and educa-
ton. He was one OF the makers
Of the laws Of that commonwealth.
He is lawyer and, therefore, IS
acquainted with all the laws Of
the State. He knew he was gull.
ty Of a criminal act when he put
those pistols in his pocket that
morning and, taking the Devil by
the hand, started off for the Sen,
ate chamber. lie knew while he
was sitting in the President Of
the Senate's chair that he was q
wiIful viOlatOI of the laws be had
helped to make, and the Devil
knew he would be murderer be-
fore night and, therefore, one Of
his chosen flock.
The enmity Of Tiliman against
Gonzales was of long standing.
Tillman is a politician and is
the head Of a tyranical and un.
ScrupulOus "ring" that has been
aiming things in South Carolina
for a long time. He had been
elected Lieutenant Governor once
through Its influence and machi.
nations and aspired for the posi-
ton q second time. Gonzales op.
posed him and his gang with all
the ability and determination he
could command, with the result
that Tillman was beaten Con.
zales had, denounced Tillman az q
liar, a bebaucheer, q BLACKBOARD
and "a criminal candidate" and
declared he stood ready at any
time to prove the charges he bad
made. Tillman sent HIM a chal.
lenge, but Gonzales laughed him
to scOrn, All this happened more
than a year ago, the people of
Columbia considered the thing
sc tiled, and many had forgotten
it entirely Not so with Tiilman. !
He had been walking about with
in his heart all these
!. and the first time. he
happene9 to meet the uervy ed.
itor he ssot him down like q dos,
withouta word u warning. The
unfortu1ateeedit believed him.
self at peace whh all mankind.
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